Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my brain isn't the odd one here?

32 replies

Caszekey · 24/03/2023 18:58

explained today to teacher the discussion I'd had with DS, 7, about concentrating in school. .. So DS and I talked about how it's one vocie is thinking about fun stuff and favourite comps etc, but the other is trying to work so you kinda have to tell the chatty side to be quiet so you can concentrate. And I told him my brain did similar. I'm concentrating on work but part of my brain is off having it's own conversation about something else and I'm thinking about them and I'm wondering about the holiday all kinda simultaneously. So I have to kinda tell the other bits to quiet.

Finished by telling teacher this is why I can't study when it's silent, cos it gives the other voices too much space...

She looked at me like a was an alien species dropped in front of her without explanation.

She said she obviously had lots on her mind all the time but never to THAT extent and she'd talk to him and confirmed (jokingly) that his individuality was clearly on me 😂

But I don't think I'm the odd own right, surely everyone's brain is as chatty as mine??

OP posts:
minisoksmakehardwork · 24/03/2023 19:04

I have adhd and totally get where you are coming from. I need an amount of background noise to get work done otherwise I get sidetracked by my own thoughts.

Pythonesque · 24/03/2023 19:06

I also agree with you, but at almost 50 I too am contemplating whether ADHD is part of my make up.

Disneyforaweek · 24/03/2023 19:06

I'm the same and also can't concentrate in silence unless I'm in the midst of some weird hyper focused stage

I often wonder if I have ADHD (I have lots of other things that make me wonder if I have it, not just this)

Curiosity101 · 24/03/2023 19:06

Mine is constantly going on multiple threads and it's never quiet. Sometimes I need silence and sometimes I need background noise to enable me to concentrate, depends on the day. But the constant trains of thought never stop and are especially in helpful when I'm trying to focus on something boring.

I've been referred for assessment of ADHD (not just due to that), and I've mentioned this particular trait to a few people, and turns out it's not normal. If you ask a few people outside of your direct family /relations you'll probably find the same.

Kennykenkencat · 24/03/2023 19:13

I have more like 1000 conversations going on plus a few songs playing at the same time Atm it is Tainted Love and Your so Vain and every so often Pink chimes in

I know I should be doing something but I can’t pick out what I am supposed to be doing among all the voices

jizzlord · 24/03/2023 19:28

I don't and neither does one of my children but dp and the other children have voices and, they all have adhd.

I can't imaging not having quiet in my brain 😂

Original poster
Caszekey · 24/03/2023 19:29

Perhaps I should have said I don't have ADHD....

But thank you, you've largely made me feel better. She just seemed utterly bewildered by the idea of so much going on but hoping it helps her understand DS more. The other teacher was more tactful, said he understood what I was saying but couldn't imagine it himself. I recreated the face she'd gave me to him 😂😂😂

OP posts:
Pinkflipflop85 · 24/03/2023 19:49

This is my brain.

I have ADHD.

minisoksmakehardwork · 24/03/2023 20:15

Perhaps you don't. But as someone with adhd, I have discussed this with others who do and do not, and found that those with adhd were more likely to report such than those without.

For me, it's my normal. I use strategies to minimise and help my children and students do the same.

There may be no other concerns. But certainly with your son, it might be worth looking at other things he maybe finds tricky and see if there are any dots which can be connected.

Diagnosis is not a label, but it can be a key if there are doors which are stubbornly closed.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 24/03/2023 20:22

I have to have silence to work - going into the office is a nightmare for me as I can't concentrate with all the noise. But... when I go to bed I have to have a podcast playing so I can get to sleep. My brain listens to podcasts all night so I can concentrate on sleeping.

InSpainTheRain · 24/03/2023 20:50

I'd be bewildered too. I love silence to get work done. Never have music on unless cleaning or driving.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 24/03/2023 21:01

That is much like my brain. I often think I have adhd.

My ds is also like this and is in the middle of an adhd assessment.

I always, always have a song playing in my head - thought that was normal much of my life. When I was at primary school I used to get really told off for just bursting into song spontaneously in class. Nowadays you’d hope someone would think - “oh that child has attention issues, let’s help them”

Magentaa · 24/03/2023 22:05

Not sure if it’s the same but I have to fidget with something, pick at my fingers, bite my lip/cheek or move at least one part of my body to be able to concentrate. Background music is a must as can’t bear silence cos my mind just runs wild. If I dont have or do these I find myself staring out of the window with my brain chatting away about a whole load of nonsense. I don’t have adhd as far know. We have though DD5 may have it though.

DinaofCloud9 · 24/03/2023 22:35

I can't relate to this at all.

ConcordeOoter · 24/03/2023 22:52

I know what you mean.

It's describing it using the word "voices" that makes it seem off.

Fairislefandango · 24/03/2023 23:02

I get that some people feel this way, but no, I don't think most people do. I have a busy brain with a pretty constant internal monologue when at leisure, but I have no difficulty focusing on one thing when I need to.

Sandysandwich · 24/03/2023 23:03

I can't relate at all. My brain is quiet, I only think one thing at a time and I'm always in control of it.
Yours sounds exhausting to me

blueshoes · 24/03/2023 23:06

No. I may have a song or one voice thinking aloud but not many voices.

KickAssAngel · 24/03/2023 23:07

I had this conversation in the pub recently. Out of 4 of us I was the only one who had a brain like this. I completely agree with you, and I can't understand what life must be like with only one train of thought at a time.

Rollinghill · 24/03/2023 23:11

I get you! Like pps I always have a snippet of music, as well as various threads of thoughts that interrupt each other.
Last year I had a 15min period of quiet brain, it was incredible, so peaceful. Sadly the thoughts came back so soon.

GerronBuzanDoThaWomwok · 24/03/2023 23:16

Out of interest, if you have an internal monologue, what does this sound like? Does it mean you are describing your own thoughts to yourself, or is it more of a running commentary on the internal/external world? And do people always think in pictures?

Fruitbowlllll · 24/03/2023 23:18

OCD here and you’ve described me and how I work/focus (or don’t!).

iminvestednow · 24/03/2023 23:21

I’m not saying you’re unusual or anything but when you talked about ‘other voices in your head’ it probably completely freaked her out! That was an odd way to describe it and she is probably wondering if she needs to tick some box as an intervention!

PartyPartyYeah · 24/03/2023 23:22

Yep i relate ( also ADHD)

Atnilpoe · 24/03/2023 23:25

I can’t relate either- my experience sounds the same as @Fairislefandango the only time I experience something similar, is that I can read out loud (for example to the kids) and be having a totally different thought conversation going on inside my head. That always blows my mind, that the human brain can do that. I don’t remember anything I’ve read on those occasions though.

Swipe left for the next trending thread