[cwsx]

Normally mine last 2 - 3 days, with maybe a couple days of ramp up. These ones sound very real, exactly like the voice of a friend or relative etc. The thing that makes them especially feel real, the voices always have some 'spatial' element to them, like I'm overhearing a conversation from the other room. They also get quieter (or disappear entirely) if I walk away from the source.

The other form of voices I get, which are much more frequent + longer lasting, sound like my internal monologue. They can be different voices, but always sound like I'm 'thinking' them (rather than overhearing). These tend to last 2~ weeks after an episode, and come back when my anxiety or insomnia gets worse. Luckily these are pretty ignorable, if not a helpful sign that I'm nearing an episode. I'd compare them to anxious/intrusive thoughts (though a bit more intense).

I haven't had an episode in almost a year and have learnt to easily manage the intrusive thoughts (/possible start of an episode). This hasn't even impacted my lifestyle all that much, if anything it's taught me to manage my work/life balance.