AIBU to ask whether constant mental chatter is normal?

[blubberball]

To ask is your brain like this all the time? Is this normal? With a couple of songs playing in the background as well

https://youtube.com/shorts/jewuMZEX3jQ?si=4Dg3vBnUQt7LhTi1

I know the video says ADHD brain, but what about neuro typical brains? Is this just life and what having a brain is?

I always have a song in my head, constant conversations, either going over conversations I've had or preparing/rehearsing one in my head. Never shuts up. I haven't been assessed for anything. No real need to as I've never known any different. I can't read books as I can't concentrate and I do envy those that can as I know I am missing out to a whole world of joy there.

I saw a reel about this and the Dr gave a tip for stopping the chatter.

I tried it and it works for me.

Just ask yourself "I wonder what my next thought will be"?

And . . . . . silence.

Constant earworm, constant images (hyperphantasic,) constant inner monologue - except it's more of a dialogue than a monologue. It's always there, but I can background or foreground particular tracks I need to focus on, most of the time - it's more difficult to manage when stressed. I also have very visual dreams, too.

I've never been diagnosed with autism, though I have considered asking for an assessment at one point in the past, so who knows?

Yep, me too

Mines not all over each other but one thought will almost finish and it goes to the next. it never ends. Even sleeping it’s constant dreams and soon as my eyes open a random song starts. I can’t remember when it wasn’t thinking. I’m dyslexic but one kid told she’s Probably adhd and one autism so I probably have something 🤣

I get this with books. I keep having to reread things because I'm convinced it just hasn't gone in as I haven't been sufficiently concentrating. As a result I barely read them. It'd take me three times as long as most people just from rereading so many sentences. I don't know what it's like for regular people as obviously no one is remembering every single sentence anyway.

Audible is even worse as I can't take that in AT ALL. I listened to Twelfth Night on audible and after it was over I realised I had zero clue what the story was about! Like nothing. I couldn't follow anything teachers said in school.

To be fair twelfth night has a plot that is a bloody nightmare to follow.

@Octavia64 that makes me feel a bit better lol.

Mine is like this it can be completely exhausting and takes over eveything on a bad day

My brain never shuts up. I used to think it was anxiety, but my eldest has ADHD and he says he’s the same. I do have multiple traits of ADHD tbf. I usually have at least one song on the go. Sometimes two which get spliced together. Very often I get stuck on one small riff or phrase like a scratched record. Also , if a song is very persistent (a week or more) I find myself changing the tempo or adding an orchestra🤣 Today I have DP’s text message alert on repeat. I also have an all day internal monologue, which I tune in and out of, but it’s ALWAYS there. I completely relate to pp’s who say they have to read the same page in a book multiple tyor find themselves reading a whole chapter without any memory of what they read. I do listen to audiobooks, but only ‘low brow’ type things so that it doesn’t matter if I tune out. I tried listening to more literary stuff and just felt very frustrated and got this horrible feeling of inadequacy because I simply couldn’t grasp or follow the language.

It’s just normal for everyone who’s got a brain and is conscious. (And unconscious come to that, brain never shuts up even when we sleep).

Mine is constant commentary and noise. I often have to talk to myself to focus on a task to the exclusion of almost everything else. I'm almost definitely not neurotypical, though.

Constant chatter and songs here too. Do you also hum the same line over and over? My DH often has to nudge me when it’s doing his head in 🤣

I once had The Gambler by Kenny Rogers in my head for about a month. But only the chorus part because it was the only words I knew!!
Apart from that, yes an almost constant inner monologue. I'm terrible at completing one while job at a time.
Instead I flit from job to job at home and in the garden.
If I have a big job that requires a long amount of time I will procrastinate. Even though ultimately I know it won't take long. But if it's boring then I will put it off.
I can't cope with silence - but I don't often watch TV. I choose talk radio instead and then at least I can get boring jobs done because my brain is occupied.
I'm better in a crisis when there is a short deadline to do anything. Terrible at planning for the long term - apart from serious work projects - however they need to have deadlines too at parts of the project when needed for it to be hitting milestones.

All of this though means I'm really good at my day to day job which requires staying calm, dealing with multiple things at once, giving advice ad hoc and not stressing about it. And not caring about things coming at multiple directions.

And managing people who are the complete opposite to me and who look to me when we have a crisis.

So ultimately, we are all different - but we can all compliment each other - whether friends, family or colleagues!

I have constant stories going on in my head, where I'm role playing different characters. There's music in the background often the same song on repeat. But I'm also thinking up creative projects all at the same time, which rarely come to fruition. Yet I can drive and still be focused on the road, with all that muted in the background, in fact driving is the only time I can really mute it.
I can't listen to instructions or podcasts as I zone out in minutes. Video is fine, but I prefer written instructions with photos.

The constant story in my head means I am never bored and don't really understand boredam.
My Mum is autistic, but nothing like me. My DS2 is diagnosed ADHD. I haven't tried to get a diagnosis.

My Dad however has a quiet brain, he doesn't see things in pictures (aphantasia). This utterly blows my mind.

I have the Swedish Chef from the Muppets making poppity corn song playing at the moment - it's been three days so far. The monkey chatter isn't drowning it out either. Hopefully something will replace it soon.

Yep I am neurotypical and always have some nonsense or other going on in my brain. Sometimes I have to recruit The Muppets theme tune to screen out a particular song, they can go on for days

@Sirzy is it a monster ? 😉
Some days I could pull my head off because the earworm won't stop. Latest has been Lola Young I'm Too Messy (soz). It's the monkey brain we have.
Meditation doesn't empty the mind, that's impossible. But you can learn to sit with it. You notice when monkey brain starts running off, and bring it gently back, to the breath (note to self - start meditating again !)

Yep. Mine is at constant overload. With constant earworms ongoing. 84 tabs open and where is the music coming from? If I try to ignore the earworms they start playing like it’s screeching in my head and I have no choice but to listen to it repeat over and over every line. I do have CPTSD and rely on gp prescribed sleeping tablets every night and have done for years. I have been diagnosed with Autism but my ADHD assessment was an absolute no, you do not have this. It’s also hard to have the voice in your head coming at you constantly. But mine is more trauma related so hopefully most won’t suffer that way too.

Mine never stops (hence being awake at this time). I often tell three stories at once alongside mundane stuff and a song. Which is currently Champagne Supernova because I heard the word landslide.

I have songs in my head all the time - including all of the instruments. Amazing as I can't play or read music - because I can't concentrate enough to learn!

I have ADHD and that’s my brain, it’s never ever quiet

Isn't that the problem though - that none of us can really know what a "normal brain" is, or what it's like to be in anyone else's mind? I was well into adulthood before I learnt that some people think in words. And the person I was talking to was equally amazed to learn that some people don't.

Yes. No ADHD. I wish it was quieter sometimes. Only ever got quiet at yoga.

I do that in yoga.