No, stop, don’t call the men in white suits. If I did (and for your information I don’t) I’d just be one of 100,000 people in Greater Manchester:

Psychologists have launched a study to find out why some people who hear voices in their head consider it a positive experience while others find it distressing.

The University of Manchester investigation- announced on World Hearing Voices Day (Thursday, 14 September)- comes after Dutch researchers found that many healthy members of the population there regularly hear voices.

Although hearing voices has traditionally been viewed as ‘abnormal’ and a symptom of mental illness, the Dutch findings suggest it is more widespread than previously thought, estimating that about 4% of the population hear voices. That would be equivalent to 100,000 people in Greater Manchester.

I almost glossed over this news, only to be reminded of it by a performance next week at Contact Theatre: I Hear Voices.

I hear you can support the cause by purchasing a World Hearing Voices Day tshirt for £6.99.

If only I had £45 and next Friday off…

Social Technologies Summit
The Futuresonic 2006 Conference
Museum of Science and Industry Manchester

Keynote talk & exhibition private view Thurs 20 July, 4.30pm
Conference Fri 21 & Saty 22 July, 10am-5pm
Delegate Pass 45 GBP

Futuresonic 2006 sees the launch of a major new conference strand, bringing together leading figures to explore “a whole new way of doing things in the air”, presented in association with PLAN, The Pervasive and Locative Arts Network.

Full details here »

read more »