Is your brain ever quiet? Is there a constant monologue of chatter words and thoughts?

[MyVIsForVendetta]

I was just wondering how normal this is.

It is normal for me, and so far the people I ask in real life it’s normal for them too.

I just thought I’d ask the masses for their experiences.

I wouldn't say it's constant as it does fall quiet sometimes, but no often and not for long.

No...it's very loud and constant...but I have AuDHD. Can't take medication for the ADHD as it makes the Autism unbearable but when I did try it, it got pretty "quiet" for a while.

Yes always.

I have noticed though I'm more chatty mid-cycle.

Always something chattering away in there
Usually
Me to me

It's normal for me. ADHD (inattentive).

Neverending. If it's not constant chatter it's Brain Radio playing some completely random song over and over again. Today I'm being treated to Shakira. Yesterday it was Tarantella Nepoletana. Yes the pizza song.

I envy people who can shut their brains off and meditate. I tried a meditation class once and Brain Radio opted for A Little Spanish Flea for the entire hour and a half session. Never again.

I cannot remember ever having a quiet moment in my mind for as long as I have lived!

Mine is terrible, I have an incredibly low boredom threshold and I rarely switch off. I am not diagnosed with anything but had to do a course at work about disabilities and the ADHD bit was enlightening. Yesterday we drove to an event then went out to lunch, looked at motorhomes and had dinner then watched Sherwood. I live in Nottingham so have been waiting series 2.

DH and I talked about, upcoming budget with two complete strangers, Ukraine, the accents and local stuff in Sherwood, ice cream, laundry techniques, motorhomes as we are buying one soon, DS schedule with DS, retirement plans, ISA and the stock market, my sister and her sea shanty band, my mates disastrous affair, another’s divorce, sorting out the loft, discussion on working week and forthcoming appointments, watched Tim tok together. He then had to do some work so I played the Call of Duty beta on Xbox. At that point it hit the dopamine I needed. I do my own head in sometimes.

Yes, quiet and calm all the time. I never worry about anything or have intrusive thoughts.
I work in the creative industries and like to daydream, but I have to decide to do it. Otherwise my mind is very tranquil.

I can't imagine what it's like to have a quiet mind. I think if that happened I'd be dead?

Strongly suspect I have inattentive ADHD based entirely on Instagram reels 😂

Normal for me.

All the bloody time, Audhd. Stops me concentrating, prevents me from hearing things properly and stops me sleeping.

Constant monologue

It's pretty normal. I have an internal dialogue that is pretty much constant and fill the gaps with music. I think using words. My dad on the other hand, thinks using pictures and it's 'silent' for him, no internal monologue. I think that's pretty cool. I find it fascinating how people's brains work differently.

Monologue most of the time, only quiet in a flow state eg gardening. Sometimes dialogue, which is useful when I have a problem to solve. Sometimes the 'other' is me, sometimes I imagine it's someone I know..

All the time and it's difficult! Was riding a motorbike at the weekend on some challenging Welsh roads. Whilst trying to focus through what I'm calling the chattering chipmunks in my head. All sorts of rubbish - lots of conversations with people that I have in my head about all sorts of stuff. I can't stop it !

Would love to know how to make them stop....

I have a song playing pretty much all the time. At the moment it’s Shania Twain singing That Don’t Impress Me Much. Of all things!

Music plays constantly in my head

Isn’t this the definition of thinking (words, chatter whatever you want to call it) and isn’t constant thinking normal?! Meditation helps to calm the mind but you’re still thinking and training your focus.

I find this fascinating.

I have dialogue and it’s constant but sometimes it’s more noticeable that other times. If I get anxious about something the internal dialogue which won’t switch off and won’t change subject can get too much. I have a lot of theoretical conversations.

sometimes reading helps as the book is sort of read in my head and that replaces the dialogue. However if I’m really in a thinking groove (worrying about a work meeting for example) then no matter how much to concentrate on the book my intern dialogue will switch back to the problem I’m dealing with.

I have often wondered if I am neurodiverse (DD is ASD)

Completely normal. Your mind is always going to be considering, questioning, deciding, etc. It's not a vacuum and you wouldn't want it to be. You can't stop the flow of thoughts but you can direct them.

I wish I knew how to quieten mine for a rest sometimes, it's constant chatter. I have long conversations with lots of other people in my head, I think it's my way of working out problems, explaining others' behaviour and just making sense of things. I also suffer from very loud tinnitus which doesn't help.

My current earworm is Flowers by Miley Cyrus 😆

Yep I have a pretty vocal mind! Sometimes I will insert a song to shut up unwelcome thoughts. Until the song gets too repetitive! There are some quiet moments which are very welcome but they don't last long. I don't mind too much unless it's an intrusive thought or constantly going over something unpleasant, otherwise it's just a stream of thoughts.

Mine is constant- it's never ever quiet. There's an Amy McDonald song in the back ground too.

My brain goes the whole time, I get annoyed at the DC when I'm busy if they come and talk to me and say 'just because you can't hear me talking doesn't mean I'm not having a conversation in my head'. DD1 claims she can turn off her internal monologue 😮, she was surprised when DD2 and I said we had constant chatter. Although, to be fair, I can swap from constant chatter to more image based thinking (reduces but doesn't stop the talking) or completely abstract thinking which is the closest to not talking but requires a lot of concentration (e.g. I use it for maths or science). When I 'meditate' I just daydream.

Edited to add: I'm NT.