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?

[apalledandshocked]

@SwanShaped

Woah I had no idea that not everyone has an inner monologue! For those who don’t, what is there between the random thoughts? And how often long are the gaps between thoughts? Do you get periods of silence?

I never used to, but started doing mindfulness/meditation and now can have a relatively quiet mind for short periods while I concentrate on breathing (until the narrator helpfully describes how I am concentrating on my breathing. There are mindfullness techniques to let those thoughts pass through you though which help). I find the brief silence incredibly restful. But I couldnt say how long the actual gaps are becasue as soon as I think about how long I have not been having an inner monologue I am having an inner monologue.

[Smartiepants79]

It’s not a voice talking at me all the time.
It’s more like an ongoing conversation with myself. Also with other people and I imagine what I think they’ll say.
It can be a way of planning what I want to say or do.
Processing things that have happened etc.

[allthatgrace]

@Junobug

Yes. Mine doesn't stop. I can not imagine not having one. What you describe
Just makes no sense to me.
When you read, do you read the words in your head or just kind of see and understand them?

Most of the time my eyes skim over several words and I understand the meaning so I process the meaning of a sentence rather than hear the individual words. If I'm struggling to concentrate I will have to slow down and read the words in my head, but I find that frustrating to do.

[LadyCatStark]

Yes always, I think that’s why I find it so hard to switch off and go to sleep. I can’t see pictures in my mind though. I also write Facebook statuses and MN threads in my mind that I never actually post 😂.

To those people who don’t have an inner monologue or see pictures in their mind, how do you have thoughts?

[Smartiepants79]

It’s not really intrusive

[Gilead]

@PinkBuffalo, I’m autistic, my head never shuts up! I do have verbal tics and a couple of stoma but very low key.

[wheresmymojo]

For people wanting to learn more about having periods of silence - practice meditation.

As you get better at it through practice you'll slowly be able to have periods of silence that last longer and longer.

[BananaPie]

I definitely don’t have a constant voice talking in my head, but there are never no thoughts. I’m constantly thinking, just not always in words. I can think using words and my inner voice but it’s much quicker to think without words.

So to all the people who are asking if it’s quiet without constant voices in your head, it’s definitely not quiet. It’s not an absence of thought.

How do you work through options and solutions to problems quickly if you have to have all your thoughts by saying them in your head? Doesn’t that take ages?

[Happymum12345]

The chatter in my head despises myself. Not all the time, but most of it. I’d love it to stop. I assumed that most people feel like this

[OhWhyNot]

Oh yes

Adrian Dunbar and I have been talking all afternoon about how LOD should have ended last night. I visualise this too. I’m quite the daydreamer

[Gilead]

Most of the time my eyes skim over several words and I understand the meaning so I process the meaning of a sentence rather than hear the individual words. If I'm struggling to concentrate I will have to slow down and read the words in my head, but I find that frustrating to do.
I’m sorry, I don’t understand what’s happening in your head when your (nearest I can get) assimilating the words on the page.

[tartantroosers]

All the time.

[Sportsnight]

I’m boggling that people don’t have an inner monologue. Mine is constant unless there’s something else that’s louder - music/ tv/ reading (Mumsnet). It does sound very peaceful to think you could not have one. I noticed reading the thread that every single reaction I had to posts was worded in my head.
So, even if you’re thinking about something quite complex - like whether to quit your job, you’re not thinking “on the one hand, I’d have no money but on the other hand my boss is a monster and there was that one time (cue lengthy anecdote to self)”. How do you process anything?! I can’t process anything without words.

[Gilead]

You’re.
Apologies.

[Doyoumind]

I like my chats with me. I get on pretty well with myself

[ItsNotLoveActually]

Me too! I didn't realise it was such a thing. Agree with a pp that maybe that's why I don't need/like company much. It can be quite exhausting, can't seem to shut myself up or concentrate. I also daydream with lots of detail, as if it's actually happening. Some of my night dreams I can get back into another night if I've remembered enough detail. Most end up being repeats with just a little progress.

[MyNameIsElizaDay]

Sometimes I fear my inner monologue will become outer monologue and I will be beaten up!
( public facing job)

[Poppins2016]

@blitzen

Yes, I have one. I only found out fairly recently that some people don't have them, which blows my mind a bit.

Ditto. My inner monologue very rarely switches off! I'm currently writing an essay and the process/inner dialogue is a bit like this:

"Hmm, OK, what further research do I need to add and explain"
type sentence as I think it
"Right, let's reference that"... "oh, I can never remember how to reference these sources"
look up reference info, insert
"OK, so I've added the in text citation, plus the reference itself, author... publisher... etc, etc..."
double check
"I need a break, probably shouldn't open MN as I'll get distracted for too long, but... maybe 5 minutes won't hurt"

[Ivycrescent]

No inner monologue here, thiughts are very abstract.

Very strong visual imagination.

But I do read text “aloud in my head” - makes me quite a slow reader. Interesting!

[Lyricallie]

100% this is how I read I'm glad someone else understands. My OH says it's almost as if my eyes don't move lol.

[Maggiesfarm]

@Doyoumind

I have a constant inner monologue. I'm also a maladaptive daydreamer though and I don't think you can be a daydreamer without one.

I'm very happy in my own company. I've often wondered if that's because I'm very chatty with myself!

I am the same, always have been.

Having a rich interior life is quite interesting and, at times, comforting. There is nothing wrong with escapism.

However I must say there have been times when my thoughts and monologue have upset me.

[Doyoumind]

If I'm engrossed in a book I'm not reading it in my head, so I understand the thing about just absorbing it. My inner voice is more for conversations I suppose.

[Lyricallie]

Don't know why my quote didnt work but it was in reference to this:

"Most of the time my eyes skim over several words and I understand the meaning so I process the meaning of a sentence rather than hear the individual words. If I'm struggling to concentrate I will have to slow down and read the words in my head, but I find that frustrating to do."

[wheresmymojo]

@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?

It's not like a screen per se as it's not that vivid unless you really, really concentrate with your eyes shut.

Without concentrating if I think of an apple I can either think of the word 'apple' which is what I do most of the time but if someone asked me to picture an apple I can 'imagine' it.

It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't have it!

You don't see it as though you're seeing it with your eyes but more of an inside vision - I guess because it's your neurons related to the concept of an apple that are firing, not any kind of use of your eyes.

It's the same concept with an inner voice - you don't hear it like you hear noises that are outside of yourself...you know that it's a voice but one that's only inside your brain.

Trying to explain it to someone that doesn't have it is very weird!

When you read, do you read the words in your head like a narrator?

If so, that's what the inner voice is like - except it carries on after you've finished reading to comment on every fucking thing.

[HowToMurderYourLife]

I don't have a monologue, it's more of a full cast dramatic production that never stops or quietens down. I also have quite severe ADHD which is probably something to do with that. The idea of a quiet mind is baffling, I wish I could just have some peace.