To ask about internal monologue

[InnerMonologue]

Posting here mainly for traffic and have NC for this.

Essentially I wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this and whether I should be speaking to a doctor (I've tried Google but not much comes up really).

So I've always had an internal monologue, mostly it narrates what's happening, also just talks to itself e.g. it might chatter away saying things like "oh I must remember to take the bins out. Oh I wonder how such and such is doing, haven't heard from them in a while." Etc, all normal. Now the voice I can hear it inside my head, it's my own voice I hear, I can control it if I want to.

Last night I was trying to go to sleep but struggled because all of a sudden there were multiple voices including my own, the other voices were not my voice, I couldn't control them and I couldn't focus on my own thoughts because of these other voices talking over mine. I was awake during this.

Not sure if relevant but I am 4 months postpartum with first DC (who is going through the 4 month sleep regression) so I am somewhat tired.

I'm not sure whether this is normal and just because of stress/worry/tiredness or something I should see a GP about. When looking on Google all I could find were articles about people having different types of internal monologue etc but nothing about the sudden change.

This morning the other voices seem to have gone and I'm back to my usual internal monologue, but the episode last night has me a bit baffled.

Has anyone else experienced this or know what could cause this?

Thanks guys

I've always done this. My best conversations are with myself.

Sorry replied too soon. I've never experienced other voices.

How odd and unsettling for you.
Our brains are complex things! If it's a one off, maybe it is mostly tiredness. I would mention it to your HV and if it keeps happening, definitely speak to your GP.

I'd try and speak to your GP, I haven't experienced this before but it sounds quite scary

Was it distressing, upsetting or anything like that?

I’d see if you can get a good nights sleep and some down time. Then assess if it happens again. Could be sleep deprivation, and you need to catch up. Lack of sleep is awful, and you need to look after yourself. You’ve clearly got insight, which is a good thing.
If it continues despite sleep i would see the GP, so that you can be referred to the perinatal team.

Sleep deprivation and stress can lead to auditory hallucinations. I'd keep tabs on how often it happens, specifically with voices not your own.

With regards to internal monologue on your own voice I think that is fairly normal.

It may well be tiredness but if it happens again speak to your GP. I have an internal monologue and I'm a big day dreamer too. What were the voices saying? Were they nice voices chattering away or were they obtrusive and malign?

What sort of things were they saying?

I meant to say, i have a constant monologue going on. And it sometimes wakes me up, as I don’t seem to stop even when I’m sleeping. It’s a pain in the arse, but can be quite funny/helpful.

Internal monologues I think are quite normal, I don’t like the sound of the other voices that are not yours. Think I would see the dr x

I think I'd speak to the GP. I have a constant inner monologue (usually very critical!) but have never heard multiple voices that I couldn't control. I've never heard multiple voices full stop.

I've heard my own voice and been able to 'reply' in a different tone of my own voices, but never something different altogether.

You're going to be very sleep deprived at the moment, having so recently had a baby and are also recovering from the labour/birth, adjusting to your new baby and life etc. etc. so you could almost be hallucinating and/or semi-dreaming. Worth chatting to a Dr though - but NOT Dr Google! You'll terrify yourself.

Hope all goes well, above all try not to worry, easier said than done I know, but it really won't help.

It’s possible you weren’t as awake as you thought you were. The early stages of sleep can be light enough that you would deny being asleep if woken.
See if it happens again and see your GP if it does.

My son is 4m too and his sleep is dreadful.

The other night at about 3am by brain translated a fold in the curtain into a funny gremlin creature which spoke to me. Then I blinked and it was gone. Must have started dreaming with my eyes open.

Sleep deprivation is nuts!

Do you have any other concerns regarding your MH or is it just this one off voices thing? I wouldn't worry if it's an isolated incident. But nothing wrong with calling the GP if you're anxious.

Internal monologues are normal, hearing other voices than you can't control is not. If this happens again please call your GP as the sooner this is dealt with the better. Stay safe and well.

What you are describing @Mytigerhasstripyfeet is a hypnopompic hallucination - totally normal!

Could you coherently understand what the other voices were saying? Sometimes when I'm drifting off i hear what I describe as a flurry of voices almost like my brain is processing everything from a long day. It feels they get louder until i consciously register them and then they instantly stop, I can't actually hear/understand what is being said or if i do it'll be totally random things that people have probably said during the day, is it anything like that?

@helterskelters

Could you coherently understand what the other voices were saying? Sometimes when I'm drifting off i hear what I describe as a flurry of voices almost like my brain is processing everything from a long day. It feels they get louder until i consciously register them and then they instantly stop, I can't actually hear/understand what is being said or if i do it'll be totally random things that people have probably said during the day, is it anything like that?

I get this too. These are hypnagogic hallucinations and also normal

@UserThenLotsOfNumbers ah interesting will have a Google! Thanks

Thanks for all the replies guys!

@ChazsBrilliantAttitude it is possible I was more asleep than thought tbh, I did briefly open my eyes and the voices did seem to stop for a moment so it's possible I was just starting to drift off as it was happening actually

It was nothing disturbing or upsetting! I was more annoyed that I couldn't get them to shut up haha!

@helterskelters very similar to what you describe yeah! The way I described it to DP this morning was that it was like being in a coffee shop and sort of zoning out where you end up catching random parts of different people's conversations. I could make some of it out but not all of it. For example I remember one voice said "it's because of the rollercoaster" most of it was nonsensical like that, some was actual sentences like "time to put your shoes on"

I think I'll try and get a nap in whilst DS has his first nap and I'll keep an eye on it, if it happens again I'll contact GP

Oooooh the hypnagogic hallucination thing is interesting! Off to read about that now

Don't worry, I argue with myself in my own head all the time. I think (hope?) it's pretty normal.

I get this a lot as I drift off, OP, and I'm not sleep-deprived in the slightest. Just like you describe - snippets of totally benign but utterly random phrases in different voices –I actually quite enjoy it!

There's something quite entertaining about getting to listen to my subconscious do its thing; it feels like something halfway to lucid dreaming (although far more nonsensical).

@InnerMonologue hopefully the sleep hallucinations is all it is. The reason to be cautious in your case is you mention you're 4 months post partum and the voices you are hearing could be construed as psychotic symptoms. It might just be a one off and hopefully it is, but if it happens again and/or you get other concerning symptoms, please visit your GP

I used to think that everyone did this but it's only about 10 percent of the population, usually us more creative types, I don't think that the Doctor can do much about it.

www.verywellhealth.com/hypnagogic-hallucination-3014888