My boyfriend has been acting really strange for the last two years. Now he insists he hears people talking to him through his teeth. He won't hold a job. He starts one, and within a week he comes up with the most outlandish stories and ends up at the dentist getting some teeth pulled. I think he's had six teeth pulled in the last three months, and he wants them all pulled out. He says it relieves the pressure and it gets quiet for a while. What could possibly be wrong with him? I am at my wit's end with him because I never know what to expect next.

Kathy

I can't say for sure what's going on with your boyfriend, of course, without evaluating him personally. But he could be suffering from a psychotic or delusional disorder that's been worsening over the past two years.

I've heard stories of people claiming to have picked up radio broadcasts through their dental fillings, but I don't know whether there's any truth to such anecdotes or not. (Or whether other people could hear the "voices" or music picked up by such dental work.) You might contact a dentist -- either your own or your boyfriend's -- and ask whether such things are really possible. If there is no such explanation for what your boyfriend says he hears, the most likely explanation is that he is hallucinating the voices.

The best thing would be for your boyfriend to see a psychiatrist or psychologist for an evaluation and possible treatment. If he is hallucinating, antipsychotic medication might quell the voices, relieve some of the pressure he feels and help him function better. Psychotherapy might also benefit him.

If he won't see a mental health professional on his own, you won't be able to force him into treatment unless he becomes dangerous to himself or others. But you can seek professional consultation to explore your OWN options -- such as how to handle his behavior and whether you want to continue in the relationship if he persists in behaving erratically or irresponsibly. Good luck.