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 do, as long as the voice agrees with me am happy the minute it's disagrees I will worry

What happens when you read? Do you not hear your voice in your head saying the words? (not in the same way as if you were talking out loud, but still literally reading every word). I don't understand how you can read otherwise?

I don’t have an inner monologue. If I fancy a coffee, I will just have a feeling that I fancy a coffee and decide to make one without speaking the words internally. I can talk to myself in my head if I want to but it’s an intentional effort.

The PP who said she has layer upon layer of inner monologue genuinely makes me feel stressed and anxious just thinking about it. Is that not horrendous? My head feels so peaceful in comparison.

Having a blank head is just bizarre! Can't fathom it!

Yes I have an inner monologue, mine is conversations with myself really! I'm not good at picturing things though. It just a voice.

My inner monologue never stops. Except when I’m asleep. As soon as I wake up it’s there, even if I waken briefly during the night. I assumed everybody had one, just with varying degrees of intensity and tuning in. If I’m reading a paragraph on a page, my inner monologue is either analysing the words as if I’m doing some sort of documentary style voice over, thinking about my reading speed and how much of the paragraph is left. And I’m simultaneously thinking about the shopping or whether I can find a good recipe for hummus - all in sentences or partial sentences with one subject constantly interrupting another. With the result that I have to read the words again and again to get the gist. My concentration is shot to hell because of it. I would love a quiet brain. Even a periodically quiet brain would be good. At the minute I have an ear worm song playing, I’m thinking about this post as I type and I’m also wondering if I should nip to Lidl for wine (yes😁) I do wonder if it all stems from anxiety.

Yep, constantly. When I’m thinking complex things through it’s like a committee meeting in my head!

Yes and it is so irritating. I'm also an over organiser and over planner so I go over and over itinerarys in words in my head. I wish I could shut it off.

I was just about to write exactly this.. it’s always peaceful in my head unless I rushing and going through a mental list.. I do sometimes speak whole sentences to myself word for word, but actually have to concentrate to do it (normally when having an imaginary argument with someone that I would never dare to have in real life!) but the rest of the time my thoughts are in whole sentences at once, or ideas, if that makes sense?

Oh thanks for starting a thread about this OP (and now I am looking forward to the de-rail in this thread that will inspire your next thread!)

I’m still intrigued as to exactly how people with an inner monologue form thoughts!

Though I don’t think every thought in words, obviously some stuff happens wordlessly on autopilot. So I don’t wake up in the morning and think “ok time to pull off the duvet, put my feet on the carpet and walk to the bathroom” - that just happens. Whereas at the other extreme I do have complete conversations with myself in my head that I’m narrating fully in real time. And a lot which is in the middle which is a jumble of thoughts /words /songs etc all at once.

Yes constant conversation/narrative of whatever I’m doing, unless reading or watching TV. But not something I’d be conscious of unless I thought about it.

When my first DC was a newborn, my friend was looking at them and said “I wonder how they think before they can talk” which blew my sleep deprived mind!

I don't understand how people function without an inner monologue. How do you think thoughts?

Yes I have one constantly. How does one make big decisions (e.g changing jobs, buying a house etc) if you can’t talk it through in your head?

Yeah I have chatter in my head all the time. I have full on arguments with myself.
I'm really mean to myself as well.
It's really annoying. Sometimes I scream in side my head SHUT UP!! because I drive myself insane.

I can't picture anything at all though, it just looks like outer space when I close my eyes.

i have sometimes got songs stuck in my head that were so intrusive that I couldn’t actually “hear myself think” over the internal music. Or the general jabbering of random thoughts stops me focus on what I’m trying to concentrate on (I do have adhd though I think maybe I’m at an extreme end?). Sometimes it is like having multiple radio stations all playing at once and you just want them to shut up.

Obviously I think thoughts, like ‘I must book that appointment’ or ‘I need to get ready to go out’ etc etc. but it’s not the individual words one by one as if I’m speaking them out loud to someone.. its just a notion that I understand!

I have layers of monologues too. Quite often there's a conversation or debate going on, while I'm narrating whatever I'm doing. I also have a constant soundtrack playing - there's always music going on, not necessarily the same track over and over, but can be like having a radio on. And always the whole song, not just the chorus or hook. I'm curious - if you don't have the inner monologue, do you have songs running through your mind, or is it just quiet?

I can see how that works for very general things like that, but do you form more complex thoughts? Things that need a lot of thinking?

An inner monologue ? You mean like a voice ?
is it ‘ oh I’m washing the dishes, ooh that’s hot , too much fairy liquid. What shall I do next ? Oh yes I must scrub the loo’ etc etc etc

sounds exhausting. No inner voice for me - peace and quiet here.
in fact if I did have one I’d wonder if was developing schizophrenia

I have a continuous monologue in my head, from waking up to going to sleep. I wish I could switch it off

Not a mono - logue, as in only one stream of thought, no. There’s a lot of chatter going on, about all sorts of things, snatches of music, sensory memories, chunks of emails being composed.

When I tried Ritalin the peace and quiet was absolutely amazing but my heart rate spiked so that was that.

Unfortunately it seems I’m stuck listening to a head full of tiny, very busy, opinionated little brain imps arguing and shouting over each other.

I’m imagining an inner monologue now, as a nice Butler’s voice, like Alfred in Batman, competently and calmly organising my life and I’m burning with jealousy,

Ha yes, it is more of a multilogue with me too. And images snd music and patterns and all sorts!

Honestly, I don’t know - and the idea of crisps frequently comes into my head! I just understand somehow that I want some crisps. I don’t hear a voice verbalising anything about crisps.

Equally I do “hear” words that I read or type.

Yes, but they come as overarching themes.. a bit like reading I suppose. When I read a book, I don’t read each individual letter to make each word, and I don’t read each individual word to make each sentence. I look at the overall shape, skimming I suppose. It’s like that with my thoughts.. generally my brain is peaceful and calm. I have asked my family this question recently and they all say the same. The subject fascinates me because I’ve never appreciated how different it could be for different people. The noise and constant chatter and music etc sounds chaotic and I’m impressed that people live like that.. a skill in itself!

I do and have recently discovered DH doesn't which I think is why his life is more chaotic and he doesn't forward think the same as I do.

Yes, my brain narrates what I am doing and what need to do. Its my voice. It sometimes comes out as speech when I'm stressed. Or driving! But it's definitely different to if I were actively talking to someone else.