He came up to me at the Kotel and asked about the voices in his head! It's more common than you might think.

     For whatever reason, it can happen that a "voice," or a feeling, or a "spirit," or whatever they call it, tells them to do, or not to do a certain thing.

     It can come from practicing idolatry, recreational drugs, Mental stress, or from a number of causes. He thinks he is talking to someone or something else, when he is actually just talking to himself. But he doesn't know this. It can become very serious.

     The solution is fairly simple, but it might not be so easy for a stressed person to apply. Whenever something mental bothers you, think of something positive. For instance, if the "voice" says, "You have to touch your toes now," immediately say or think something like, "Thank G-d I do not have a toothache."

     It won't stop right away. As long as it bothers you it will return. It will indicate something else, and again you have to say something good about your life, or mentally sing a song to Hashem, or say, 'Thank you, G-d'. It doesn't matter what good thing you use as long as you do not fight or follow the voice.    

     Paying attention to it in any way strengthens it. Ignoring it, weakens it. This is an important principle that can protect someone's life.  

     Although all this is for the obviously troubled person, it is the same problem and the same solution for the healthy person who is disturbed by certain repeating thoughts that he does not want to think. When you fight with them, they get stronger… when you ignore them, they go away.