Each week in Boulder, people who hear voices in their heads get together to share their experiences. Groups also meet in Grand Junction and Fort Collins. Psychologist Ronald Bassman helped start the Boulder group, and he tells Colorado Matters that hearing voices isn't necessarily a sign of severe psychosis. It's also not rare: Between five and 28 percent of people hear voices that others don't hear, according to the UK Mental Heath Foundation.
More than 40 years ago, Bassman was hospitalized for schizophrenia, and since making a full recovery he has advocated for a more humane and compassionate approach to mental health treatment. He’ll speak about his experiences and his advocacy work at a conference in Denver this week.
