Do you have an inner monologue?

[samarrange]

I started this thread in response to a post on another thread that got me thinking about things that are "obvious" to some people and "impossible" to others. Now, a couple of posts on that thread have got me thinking about another topic in a similar vein, so off we go on another tangent...

To me, an inner monologue means that there is a voice in your head (whether or not it's "audible", but it's communicating with you in grammatically-formed sentences) telling you what to do next. Not in a psychotic kind of way, but something like what @bringinguptherear wrote here: "If you suddenly realise(*) the bins need taking out do you not think “I need to take the bins out?” In words?" [emphasis added by me]

As far as I can tell, I do not have an inner monologue. Something, somehow reminds me that it's Tuesday and I take the bins out without being aware of those words. While writing this post I got up and grabbed a few crisps from a bag, and I don't think the word "crisps" came up. When I discovered the whole phenomenon of inner monologues I was shocked, like the first time I discovered that the sun goes from right to left across the sky in Australia. (Please don't make me start yet another thread about whether you knew that! 🤣)

Anyway, this is a nice article about inner monologues, discussing how we all think in different ways. Maybe this discussion will open a few eyes, which (I think) is always a good thing.

(*) In this quote I have corrected what I am guessing was an autocorrect-induced typo. Hope this is OK, @bringinguptherear. 🙏

I literally have full conversations with myself in my head. The other voice is also my voice. Sounds a bit mad now it’s written down 😂

Yes. It's kind of like a silent conversation with myself. Definitely in words. So tell me, how do people without an inner monologue operate instead? Genuinely fascinated to know. Do you, instead of 'thinking' "oh there's crisps in the cupboard - I'm gonna have some" 'see' crisps in your mind's eye rather than think of the word? If not, how does the idea of the available crisps present itself?

Yes, I have full conversations with myself all the time. Just now I thought 'I'm still quite hungry. No bread left and I'd love a bit of toast. I have cream crackers though- right, that and butter and cheddar and dill pickles, I wonder if the Dcs want some as well?'. That's normal. I narrate my way through life completely. I am a bit of an overthinker and worrier though- not sure if it is related? I curse myself all the time for things which I am trying to stop. For example whenever I do something I think 'You stupid bitch.... no, stop it, you are not stupid or a bitch.... '

Alot of the inner monologues happen simultaneously. At the same time as writing this I was also asking myself if I wanted to watch youtube or netflix.

I think so but I'm not sure. I talk to myself a lot but don't think that's the same. Now going to observe myself to work out how I think. It's very interesting!

My brain does not shut up. It’s talking to me every second I’m awake. Or sometimes songs, but usually just narrating what I’m doing, what I should be doing, what crazy scenarios it thinks up (like what if this bus falls in a sink hole what would I do?), memories etc etc. It’s constant.

I definitely do. On one level it's everyday stuff, what I need to do, how I'm feeling etc. On another more intrusive level there's a lot of negative thinking, about myself. Sometimes I hear my voice and realise I'm speaking out loud. I sound mad as a hatter.

Yes, I can have full conversations with myself, make up conversations with others, reply past conversations, have instructions, think about things, questions and scenarios. I also have a very visual mind and can picture anything and replay events like videos.

How do you remember to do things if you don’t think? Like if you couldn’t take the bins out right that deciding how would you remind yourself to take the bins out later?

Yes. I assumed everyone did.

Was having this conversation with my brother fairly recently and he said maybe people with no inner monologue don't have a soul.

I kind of don't believe that some people don't have one and wonder if they just misunderstand what it means when answering the question

Mines quite critical of me. Lots of FFS.
I’m also very indecisive so I’m also pondering scenarios.

Yes, I hear everything I think and read. It's my voice, I understand that for other people it is a different voice. I also have an incredibly detailed minds eye. I can visualise anything I want, many different things at once actually. I was shocked when I found out that this isn't how everyone's mine worked.

I can't fathom how anyone could, for example, type out these words and not hear them in their head.

I usually have music playing in my head and very often play out scenarios with different people. My DP will sometimes say ' what's funny? / What's the matter?' and I'll realise I've physically smiled, or nodded or looked cross or whatever was going on in the scenario. Now you mention about a voice telling you to do the the bins etc I'm not sure. I'll have to see, try and catch myself without being self conscious about it.

Of course. Doesn't everyone?! I love talking to me. I'm the most interesting person I know. 😆

I feel like my brain starts sentences and moves on to the next one, often multiple ones at a time, all in quick succession, never ever finishing them… ad infinitum 😬

Yes, constant ongoing monologue in my head. I can sort of “hear” myself speaking to myself in my head.

Yes! I am another one whose brain does not shut up. Sometimes I wonder if it's a natural result of being an "extremely shy" child, or just because I work (and spend a lot of time) on my own a lot. At other times, it would be nice if it would be quiet occasionally!

It's always been there. It keeps me awake when I'm trying to sleep, too... something that my mother could never understand!

Mine covers day-to-day things, what I'm going to do next, what if THIS happens?, how I will fix it, internal criticism which must be replaced with something positive instead, those thoughts that make you stop and you really have to think about it, all of those things that cannot POSSIBLY come out of my mouth like when I internally insult my manager and, if that's not enough, all empty silences must be filled with music. Currently, it's Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark...

Oh yes- I hear words when I type also.

Also a detailed minds eye which can be quite debilitating when I am in a self critical mode which leads me into catastrophic thinking and imaging future awful events.

Fuck yeah. Often accompanied by facial expressions and grimaces, which I can only assume is disturbing to passers-by.

I have conversations with myself in my head. I thought everybody did? 😂

I actually love my own company, I'm very witty!

Joking, of course (about the witty part. The rest is true!)

Yup that's me to a tee.
I remember having this conversation with my late husband, who thought it was decidedly dodgy, as he had NO THOUGHTS IN HIS HEAD and, could sit, staring into space for ages, WITH NOT A SINGLE THOUGHT IN HIS HEAD.
I mean how???? How can you not have a voice?

I don't have an inner monologue but my daughter does, and we both find it equally baffling trying to understand each other's thought processes. It is not silent or calm in my head, there are snapshots and smells and sounds, it can be a bit like a firework display in there when I get going.

Yes, I think the majority of people do. I have inner monologues behind inner monologues too, layer upon layer of incessant chatter which can be quite annoying.

I was having a conversation with my mum about being able to see things in your head today, she can't, whereas I always thought everyone when thinking about say, a tree, saw an image of a tree in their mind.

Ha, yes, I often suddenly realise I'm pulling faces along with my inner conversation 😂

I have several inner voices. They never shut up. One of them is always singing. It's exhausting 😂

Yes and I hate it