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.

My mind is usually calm.

So if your brain is calm do you just not think at all? Or do you mean you're just daydreaming pleasant thoughts?

I don't have any chatter and was really amazed to learn fairly recently that some people have this constant background noise. It sounds awful but I guess you get used to it?! My mind is usually calm in a kind of unfocused drifty type way. I'm very good at meditation.

Constant chatter inside mine. Just relentless. The only way I can escape is to be doing something I have to concentrate quite hard on (learn a language, new sport etc) or occupy my mind by reading, watching TV, or doom scrolling through TikTok!!!!! I prefer having a million things to do as that is another way to block out the mind chatter.

I do wonder if I have some kind of attention deficit type thing. DS is autistic and DD has ADHD. I have always had a butterfly mind.

Relentless 😣

Mine is a constant debilitating noise. I think that it is pretty much the norm to have a noisy head to some extent. Very surprising that some on the thread view it as an aspect of ADHD. I increasingly think that ADHD is just becoming a way to frame difficulties that most of us have to some extent.

Exactly this. Sometimes to the point that it's too much. I wake in the night and whatever current song is there, straight away. Constant dialogue or music.
At the moment it's manageable but it too was invasive a month ago when stressed.

No.

I sometimes have a dialogue in my head (so imagine conversations). Sometimes I have a monologue.

More normally nothing.

But why would you need to meditate if you aren't constantly thinking normally?

How do you think? Assuming you don't have an internal monologue but do you have a minds eye? Or is everything abstract? What does your brain do when you have a lot to think about, how do you solve problems or plan what you are going to do? Are you a busy person with lots of responsibility or is your whole life fairly calm?

I worry. If I am not worrying I'm arguing with my husband (he always wins) or having imaginary conversations with famous people, or worrying. Mainly worry.

Constant lists going through my head.

Find it very hard to relax or watch a film all the way through. I don't know how people have a lie in, once you start thinking how do you go back to sleep?

I guess I do but it is not intrusive at all. Unless I’m stressed, then it gets louder but in general my brain is quite calm. It’s not empty in there, but the thoughts are all unconscious iykwim

Constant. I have conversations with ‘other people’ all the time and sometimes it’s the same chat on repeat. The worst of it is a can’t remember whether I have shared a funny story or told someone something important because in my head I’ve done a it a thousand times.

I tried running a few years back but couldn’t bear to be on my own with my annoying thoughts, or counting my steps.

I find reading difficult as I need to really focus in on the story, when I do though it’s great. Jigsaws are a good release, I totally zone in. Or someone mentioned learning, I learn languages, or a listen to a lot of music and sing along.

All the time. It's exhausting. Talk talk talk. Sometimes if a certain subject won't stop I write it all down. Then it stops and moves to something else!

My mind is constantly busy, with either music or chatter or just thoughts. It stops me getting to sleep sometimes. It's not stressy or anxious or invasive, just my mind doing its usual thing.

I constantly have conversations in my head. Sometimes it’s like my brain is rehearsing for actual conversations with people later but the background chatter is always there. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be thinking nothing.

Constant monologue + soundtrack. NT as far as I know.

@JaninaDuszejko obviously I'm sometimes thinking of something specific, eg if I'm working or reading or having a conversation, but if I'm doing something mindless like driving or doing the washing up then my mind is usually just sort of floating along in quite a calm way. I certainly wouldn't describe it as "noisy".

I would give anything to have your brain

I'm really interested as to how the medication makes your autism unbearable? My autistic traits have definitely come out more since I've been medicated for ADHD..

I'm not sure how to answer this, my brain is just my brain 😂 I don't think in pictures either, perhaps I could describe my thoughts as clouds that kind of drift over? But that's not quite right. I'm not sure!

I have a busy job that requires a lot of planning & organising, I love planning! I focus really well when required but I need structure as I'm a terrible procrastinator. I'd say I'm definitely less 'busy' than some people, I don't like dashing about doing loads of activities. I'm an introvert too so I like being alone. I'm quite peaceful.

I can't imagine having loads of chatter in my head and I feel it would affect my mental health! But maybe it would make me more productive & sociable too?

Wow, I can't even imagine what this is like, so jealous.

Without medication I actually don't struggle that much with social communication at all, with I felt like an alien weirdo and was aware I couldn't mask. Eye contact which is never an issue became an issue. Anxiety went through the roof and although meltdowns are exceedingly rare for me, I was having them every single day at 5pm, bursting out crying, screaming at my family to leave me alone and needing to be somewhere dark and quiet for about 2 hours to emotionally re-regulate. It was like I had a total personality change and I hated it.

You have to work to cultivate a quiet mind but it’s the only place where true contentment is imo. Really important to give yourself that sometimes

I have a very calm mind... Very little going on in there! If I am thinking about something in particular I might go over it in my head, I suppose run through the options or whatever. But I am well able to just drift and tune out everything around me - I am very good at meditation. I thought everyone was like me until a friend told me years ago that he has constant noise in his head...the brain is fascinating.

This is normal for me too. My fb reels keep talking about adhd and I would arm chair diagnose myself going by the description… but I think I’m fairly normal (normal being quite a spectrum of different). Not surprised so many people are seen as nd if those descriptions are accurate.