To ask: do you have an inner-monologue?

[allthatgrace]

I don't have an inner-monologue and never realised that some people do. My thoughts are rapid, abstract and conceptual rather than verbal.

For example, if I am thinking that I'm hungry and want to start making dinner it takes the form of something like: concept of hunger+concept of dinner+concept of it being the evening/dinner time. After speaking to my family members they would have an inner-voice that actually says "I'm hungry, I think I'll go start dinner".

I have also always been confused about the idea of having an inner-critic that berates you. I've never heard an inner-voice say, for example, "nobody cares what you have to say, don't bother speaking, everything you say is stupid", instead I would just feel the sensation of shyness and wanting to stay quiet.

I can make myself have an inner-voice and I will use it occasionally, for example if I'm trying to remember a particular phrase or something but my default thinking is not an inner-monologue.

Which kind of thoughts do you have?

[happinessischocolate]

I've got a constant soundtrack going on in the background, so it can be really annoying if it's a song I heard earlier which I don't particularly like. I also have chatter going on too and the only way I can get to sleep is to either start telling myself a story or count backwards.

My dd has this too, but recently started tablets for her depression and now says there's no voices at all, just complete silence. I'm seriously thinking of asking the doctor for some tablets too.

[KurtWilde]

Constant inner monologue here, chitter chatter 24/7. Sometimes I can't sleep for it because a song will pop into my head and my inner monologue will repeat the lyrics ad infinitum. I also have conversations with myself, with other people, arguments, plan future conversations, replay past conversations and past events down to the last detail. It drives me NUTS sometimes so I always sleep with the TV on to help drown it out.

[Gilead]

I saw the thread title and my immediate reaction was ‘don’t be silly, everyone does.’
I’m wrong, apologies!

[Howshouldibehave]

What an interesting thread! I certainly have a voice chuntering away making snippy comments all the time! I don’t visualise things though-I have never been able to despite really trying!

[PinkBuffalo]

I think I am the same as you op I really do not think I have an inner monologue. We were talking about it at work and my colleagues were saying all the constant sort of things in their head and I was amazed!
I wonder how much of this has to do with maybe me being autistic and I also stim a LOT including verbal/vocal
I am amazed that some people have constant chatter in their head I would find it exhausting

[HemanOrSheRa]

Yes I do. I find Aphantastia so interesting!

[DramaAlpaca]

Yes, all the blinking time. It can be exhausting.

[Bimblybomeyelash]

I have an inner voice but I don’t have a minds eye!!

I’d rather it was the other way around. I’m
Feeling a bit blue at the moment and my inner voice doesn’t help.

[CandyLeBonBon]

Oh god. Constant inner monologue.

Snd my inner critic is called annoying Dave

[prettythepig]

Wow i thought everyone had a inner monologue. I thought it was normal. I have the most amazing daydreams whilst i awake too especially when im listening to music.

[CandyLeBonBon]

@PinkBuffalo

I think I am the same as you op I really do not think I have an inner monologue. We were talking about it at work and my colleagues were saying all the constant sort of things in their head and I was amazed!
I wonder how much of this has to do with maybe me being autistic and I also stim a LOT including verbal/vocal
I am amazed that some people have constant chatter in their head I would find it exhausting

It IS exhausting.

[MumUndone]

I don't think that imagining conversations is the same as having an inner monologue. I can imagine myself and other people talking, but I don't have an inner voice that 'talks' to me; it is just abstract thoughts and feelings. The idea of having a voice in my head is so interesting but not something I've ever experienced.

[Smartiepants79]

I have a constant inner monologue. I talk to myself all the time.
I process everything verbally.
I think it’s part of what causes my overthinking and leads to anxiety sometimes.
I wish I could switch it off sometimes.

[Iyland]

What do people mean about visualising? I've never been able to conjure up an image but can others? It's more abstract for me in that sense. Can people actually picture things like a screen?

[Smartiepants79]

It’s not another person that speaks to me.
It’s me talking to me.

[Bluebutterfly36]

This is such an interesting thread! I have never even considered that people have an internal monologue. It must be so exhausting. Thoughts just kind of float into my head. I can think about several things simultaneously because they are separate clouds of thoughts. When I read, I don’t read the words by saying then in my head, I just absorb the meaning. I can also read out loud a bedtime story to DS whilst thinking about something completely different - we get to the end of the book and I haven’t registered any of the words, just spoken them (whilst having a completely imaginary scenario about something else in my head). I also see people’s names in colours - I was only told a few months ago that there is a word for this (it’s synesthesia). So no inner monologue, but since having DCs I will swear in my head (a lot) so I don’t say it out loud in front of them!

[Smartiepants79]

And yes I can visualise any object you care to mention.
People also but find that harder if I’ve not seen them or their picture for a extended period of time.

[apalledandshocked]

@MedusasBadHairDay and @Hohofortherobbers Oh god, me too. And it has got so much worse over the last year when I am working from home and frankly have no-one to hide my wierd behaviour from. returning to the office and being around people is going to take some retraining.

In addition to a constant monalogue, does anyone else have a thing where they will randomly start narrating everything they are doing like a story. But not even just actions, also thoughts (including internal monaloge). So the narration goes "hmm, apalled thought to herself as she put the kettle on, I am feeling hungry. And then she thought oh god stop it, you are narrating your own inner monologue about being hungry. . Oh god, now you are narrating the fact that you are narrating the fact you are having an inner monologue". And onnnn it goes. It is a wonder I havent driven myself mad (or possibly that is what actual madness looks like?)

[Derrymum123]

Yes. I too, thought everyone did.

[SteveArnottsWaistcoat]

All the time! I do my own head in, I can’t shut up! It’s like an eternal episode of peep show but a lot less funny.

[Iyland]

I can't visualise anything. I'm quite glad about that, the chatter is plenty for me I don't think I could cope with images too.

[Bopahula]

Yes yes yes. Constantly. It's so noisy.

And for visuals yes, when I read a book it's like being in a film. I get completely immersed. Not like on a screen watching it, but I'm watching from the middle of it. The characters have different voices/accents. It means anything scary is completely off limits though.

I also can have amazing daydreams. Although they're not as vivid as they were. Which I miss at night when trying to settle into a nice sleep.

[apalledandshocked]

@Iyland

What do people mean about visualising? I've never been able to conjure up an image but can others? It's more abstract for me in that sense. Can people actually picture things like a screen?

Like a screen, but its 3-d and interactive if that makes sense. So I can imagine a flat image of a kettle. I can then make it an actual 3-d kettle, I can pull the kettle closer to me or rotate it. I can put it in a kitchen. I can then put the kitchen around me so I am standing in the kitchen with the kettle in front of me. Wierdly I can then get rid of the kitchen but I cant make the kettle 2-d again. All I can do is turn it into a picture of a kettle but then its an actual picture on a piece of paper and the paper is 3-d.

[Doyoumind]

I definitely visualise too. I can conjure up something quite cinematic. But, as I said, I'm a maladaptive daydreamer so it's not always a positive.

[Iyland]

apalledandshocked

Oh my, that's crazy to me