Do you have an Inner Monologue

[awesmum]

My DD who is 19 asked me the other day if I have an inner monologue. Apparently some people don't. Just curious how many people do or don't? If you don't what do you have instead?

Mines so loud I am surprised others can't hear it sometimes.

Yes - with a sound track.

I’m glad it’s not just me mine never shuts up!!

Some people have no inner monologue because every tiny thought that crosses their consciousness comes out loud, every teeny thought must be uttered. Man, it drives me crazy.....

Yes I do!!Since the article came out, I have spoken to a few ppl about it and two of them didn’t know what I was talking about when I explained an inner monologue and we came to realise that they don’t have one!!!my head hurts thinking about how they think and work. 😫

Yes, a busy one with a soundtrack playing alongside it.

There was really interesting thread about this the other day but I can't remember where it was or I'd link it.

Very much so.
An internal dialogue is vital to thinking through problems. I don’t just mean the big stuff but the tiny every day things like ‘if I put the washing on now then that’ll be finished before I go to bed so I can put it in the airer to that top I want will be clean for the morning.’ Mundane as hell but all the stuff you need to do to make the day work.
And then there is the bigger stuff of running conversations you might have and problem solving.

As a grumpy old fart my worry is that so many people now are constantly talking on social media, texting etc or listening to stuff that they never have the quiet for an internal dialogue.

As a grumpy old fart my worry is that so many people now are constantly talking on social media, texting etc or listening to stuff that they never have the quiet for an internal dialogue.

That's an interesting point Flamingo. Even the most extravert of us need some down time.

I have one. Occasionally it stops and is replaced by a piece of music or a song, but not a song that I’ve consciously chosen. It has also expressed some quite dark intrusive thoughts in the past. At least once a day it rehearses arguments or debates with other people, which can leave me feeling exhausted/angry for no actual reason. I just can’t imagine what life would be like without it though. How would you think?!

Yes, I often wish I didn't.

Thank God for that. I have found my people. Thought I was the only one and have been worrying about early dementia. Mine is constantly on the go, especially with the conversations. They don't generally go as I have expected and they drive me bloody nuts.

Can anyone link to the other thread please. I find this subject fascinating.

@Wrigleys123 me too
And I find that it can also be hypothetical situations that I am then bothered by IRL, iyswim

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3810156-to-not-believe-that-some-people-don-t-have-an-internal-monologue
Here you are, I'm having some very interesting conversations, it's fascinating!

Clicky (I hope) link to the other thread if anyone's interested:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3810156-to-not-believe-that-some-people-don-t-have-an-internal-monologue

Ah you beat me to it Bakedpotatoandgin It took me ages to work out how to do the link so it worked.

Not wearing glasses - thought that said 'inner Minogue' - yes on both counts.

Come on. Surely no one just has peace and silence in their head? I'm dumbstruck (only externally, obvs. Internal voice never ever shuts up) Is that not just the human condition?

Mine is fairly peaceful and calm.

I’m lucky that during the day I am, at times, able to enjoy a peaceful and calm inner monologue. At night it’s very different. I’m learning about meditation and mindfulness to try to calm my brain a bit.

Mine never stops 🤔 I also have OCD so my thoughts and conversations compete with very intrusive thoughts and counting - nothing in particular mostly , just numbers, suddenly I'm at 287 😔 even when im watching TV or talking, the numbers are still there. The 'voice' isn't anything specific but in the past it changed to Mark /Jeremy from peep show after a serious binge. More recently its been the guy from You 😂

One of the true joys of meditation is learning the ability to switch off the inner voice.

Not just not listen to it, but to switch it off and have full peace and tranquillity.

But even in meditation do you not need to hear your own relax mantra to
remain in the meditative state.
I still need to hear myself repeating this other wise I loose my concentration and intrusive thoughts about rubbish creep in and spoil my vibe.
Maybe its just my and I just can't switch off.

In meditation if you can switch it off, concentrate it on one thing like your breathing in/out. If your mind drifts just bring it back to in/out.

Might not be silenced but it's more focused and calm.

During a meditation I switch mine off, and I find it easier to switch it off at will now (can't do that all the time, but am working on it, it is nice to get the damn thing to shut up).

Start with your mantra to pull in focus, move to the breathing to totally empty the mind, then just nothing, - it is hard to describe how to get your mind to just do nothing, to not talk to itself, to not wander to environmental cues/changes... I'd be a rubbish teacher...

As a grumpy old fart my worry is that so many people now are constantly talking on social media, texting etc or listening to stuff that they never have the quiet for an internal dialogue

Yes, I wonder this.
As a teen I had long walks to and from school or the bus stop. Long journeys on buses where there were no distractions just me and my thoguhts. TV was limited and there was a tranny to listen to fuzzy music. DCs now grow up with constant stuff going on. Hopefully they also develop the ability to shut it out.

I agree that meditation calms things.