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Original poster

Do other people have quiet times in their head or is their brain always talking?

278 replies

Smallsteps88 · 28/11/2020 23:31

Do you ever have silence in your head? I never do. My head voice is constantly talking. Shite mostly. It often interrupts conversations I’m having with people and I have to concentrate really hard to “hear”what the other person is saying. I really wish I could switch it off sometimes. I take hours to fall asleep every night because my brain is still going. Is that what everyone else has or do you have quiet sometimes?

OP posts:

Cheekychimp1 · 30/11/2020 19:11

Y mHi hour

Fleetwoodmacs · 30/11/2020 21:34

This is so interesting! It is never completely silent in my head and I almost constantly have music playing. I used to struggle to concentrate because the music was so "loud". I think I also used to suffer from maladaptive daydreaming.

However I take medication for anxiety now and it has definitely quietened things down. I can move on to a different song if I want to, and I only let myself daydream before I go to sleep (before I couldn't control these things and struggled to concentrate on real life at the same time!).

everyonebutme · 01/12/2020 07:05

I so agree with Gaga about the Kindle - I'm just like that. And I agree with the yoga too. I sometimes leave work and get in my car to drive home and as soon as I'm driving I'm thinking about all the things I have to do at home, etc which means I can never be fully focussed on my driving! What shall I cook for dinner, need to pick the children up first, do I have time to pick up an onion before going to school, need to speak to C's mum about a playdate, must put some washing on when I get home, is it bin day?, did I post D's birthday card?.......

HuntedForest · 02/12/2020 17:32

DS just wrote an answer to his homework question "Chew a piece of bread for a few minutes. What changes? What happens to the bread?"
His answer
I chewed the bread and felt which way it went through my body. And drank water and felt which way that went it is important to drink and sleep you need to drink enough for example milk is good for the bones. You need to eat meat for your muscles. You can think with your head and in winter you need to keep your head warm. For the eyes, it is good to read and you use your brain to think.

It's like seeing a snapshot of how he thinks!

Original poster

Smallsteps88 · 02/12/2020 17:39

Awww!!! That is very cute. I like his thinking. How old is he?

OP posts:

HuntedForest · 02/12/2020 19:50

He's 11.

BertieBotts · 03/12/2020 08:33

I think that question is actually supposed to be about how if you keep chewing bread the starch breaks down into sugar so it tastes sweet. However it's very hard not to automatically swallow it after a few seconds. For 11yos the instructions should really be clearer ie not to swallow and to actually look at a clock so you can see how long a few minutes is! It feels much much longer than you'd assume when doing something you usually stop much more quickly.

HuntedForest · 03/12/2020 10:21

Yes, I know. I discussed it with him. We both chewed some bread and looked at the clock. Then we discussed the answer and he said what he needed to write. Then he sat down and wrote that. No wonder he has so much difficulty at school.

Sn0tnose · 03/12/2020 12:00

This is fascinating!

I have different things. Sometimes my monologue is going too fast for me to actually recognise anything other than a concept or an emotion. I can slow it down if I concentrate and then have the monologue that lots of you seem to have, chatting away, or just piping up with a random comment every now and again, but I can also shut it off completely and just have complete silence. If I’ve had a busy week with lots going on, I might have to envisage something like a brick wall to start with and then my brain starts to clear and I feel relaxed, calm and re energised.

Thenumberofrebels · 03/12/2020 20:02

HuntedForest

That's wonderful! He sounds gorgeous and full of great ideas ❤️

Wiifitmama · 03/12/2020 20:07

This is totally fascinating stuff. I am one of those with no internal monologue. I am a very extroverted extrovert and hate spending time alone. I strongly suspect the two are linked.

For those of you with the monologue, you might want to watch an Australian series on Netflix called Offspring. The lead character in it has a constant internal monologue which we hear as well as strong visualisations of scenes in her head (which we see). Very Bridget Jones-esque!

QualityFeet · 03/12/2020 21:58

Wiifitmama - it is interesting. Why do you dislike being alone? Can you see pictures? One of my friends sees life in 3D colour pictures but has no voice. I have no pictures but plenty of voice. It’s so interesting. Brian’s are crazy:)

User258544 · 03/12/2020 22:04

I have a very busy head. I also think I get imprinted very easily by other people. So if my boss is nagging me I become more self critical etc. Switching it off is actually very easy for me. Just lie down and focus on what you can hear, then what you can physically feel then your breath, then what you can physically feel then what you can hear. Takes about 5 mins, its the hour glass meditation. Mobile phones have a lot to answer for, taking up downtime for the brain.

Original poster

Smallsteps88 · 03/12/2020 22:16

Just lie down and focus on what you can hear, then what you can physically feel then your breath, then what you can physically feel then what you can hear. Takes about 5 mins

I’ve tried this so many times. I rarely get as far as focusing on what I can feel. Honestly- my brain just goes off on it’s own wee adventure.

OP posts:

amicissimma · 03/12/2020 22:20

As well as having this myself, I've noticed that DH 'leaks': we'll be walking down the road in silence and he starts waving his hand to emphasise a point he is making in his head. He's quite unrepentant even though I've explained that it's weird to be having a conversation with a person who isn't there when you're with an actual person.

It's just as well I love him.

goose1964 · 03/12/2020 22:30

I have a quiet brain now, but before I started on sertraline I had a very loud brain that kept telling me how awful I was, that nobody liked me and that I was ugly. I much prefer life now.

Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket · 03/12/2020 22:31

Yes, it's often quiet in my brain. 😂

PumpkinChai · 03/12/2020 22:32

Wow, I thought everyone was like this but did suspect maybe my head to be a bit busier than others. I find it reay difficult to block out the intrusive thoughts and often I find I have various versions of my self talking (often arguing) with each other in my head.

I only really see in black and white in my head though. Same in dreams. Although if I focus then I can colour things in.

I've acute anxiety so I think a lot of my thoughts are to do with that

PumpkinChai · 03/12/2020 22:35

Yes I do that too "leak" @amicissimma ... like that term for it! Haha

DH often talk aloud to himself, he says that's how he solidifies his plan of action

Wiifitmama · 03/12/2020 22:37

No I don’t really see pictures either. I have a very active brain in the sense that I like to be busy and working. Always thinking of new ideas and innovating. However, it is focused thoughts. I don’t have unwanted thoughts or random int he ways described on here. I get bored if alone for too long. I like conversation with others. Probably because there is no conversation going on in my head!

anonymousgoose · 03/12/2020 22:41

I actually noticed this morning as I was walking to the shops that for the first time in years I actually heard the little internal monologue in my mind. I also have aphantasia (and am a speed reader) and usually my thinking is more akin to just ‘knowing’... as if I never consciously think about anything, if that makes sense?

I would have lots of songs stuck in my head, but I have no shame and just walk about singing to myself.

QualityFeet · 03/12/2020 22:50

I bet you are mega efficient wiifitmama!

I white like to be busy and working - physically too but it’s because it keeps me under control!

Original poster

Smallsteps88 · 03/12/2020 22:51

I was talking with a friend last night who was telling me about an unpleasant interaction she had with someone. I realised mid conversation my head was jabbering away with a different conversation inspired by something she had said and I’d missed vital parts of her story and then she said “so what do you think? Was I in the wrong” and I felt like such a shitty friend that I hadn’t been listening. This happens all the time. I often have to ask my DC to start again because I didn’t hear them or I look at them really confused when they say “Mum. Mum. MUM!!” because I’m not even aware they’re speaking to me.

OP posts:

Wiifitmama · 03/12/2020 22:57

It’s so funny you say that. Yes, I am known for being super organised and super efficient. I spend a lot of time frustrated at how slow other people seem to be at getting things done. It never occurred to me before it was related to our different brains. My brain is busy but only on what it needs to be. If other people’s brains are busy on internal conversations and “movies”, no wonder they are not getting stuff done!

QualityFeet · 03/12/2020 23:00

Bet you do!
I can only pull that off for a deadline😂

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