The short explanation
Hearing voices, believing others are talking about her, being very frightened and not sleeping, especially when it starts suddenly, are signs that she needs to be seen by a doctor urgently. These can be signs of psychosis, which has several possible causes, including severe stress, lack of sleep, drug use, a medical illness, or a mental-health condition. Psychosis is treatable, and early treatment usually leads to better recovery. Take her to a hospital emergency department or a psychiatrist today if you can. Stay calm with her, do not argue about the voices, and tell her you want to help her feel safe.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Doctors will want to know when it started, whether she has used alcohol, cannabis or other drugs, whether she has had a fever, head injury or recent childbirth, and whether there is family history of mental illness.
- Many district hospitals and medical colleges have psychiatry departments, and government hospitals can see her in an emergency.
- Keep sharp objects and medicines out of reach if she is very frightened or agitated.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This answer cannot tell what is causing your sister's symptoms. A doctor needs to examine her and may arrange tests.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- What might be causing her symptoms, and which tests are needed?
- Does she need to stay in hospital or can she be treated at home?
- How should we talk to her when she is frightened?
- What support is there for our family?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Emergency — call 112 now
- Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department now if she is talking about harming herself or others, is very agitated, has a fever or seems confused about where she is.
Get help the same day
- Get her seen by a doctor or psychiatrist today if she is hearing voices and not sleeping, even if she is calm.
Book an appointment soon
- Arrange follow-up with a psychiatrist within a few days after she has been seen, and call Tele-MANAS on 14416 for guidance in the meantime.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Psychosis NHS
- Mental health MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Depression in adults NHS
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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