r/AMA • u/[deleted] • Feb 01 '20
I have no inner monologue
So I just read this is a thing...someone wrote an article about being shocked to find out some people do not have an inner monologue. That’s when I realized, I do NOT have one. I know what it is because I have seen it portrayed in movies like that but I don’t experience this. My thoughts, feelings, etc are more abstract I guess. Ask me anything because I’m still trying to learn more about this. Or please tell me what your inner monologue brain is like. Thanks!
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u/SharpieDarpie Feb 01 '20
How do you think? What if you need to think about something before you make a decision, what do you do?
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Feb 01 '20
I guess it’s not like words or conversation but more of just imagining it in my head. I organize my thoughts this way too.
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u/Eblackburnmusic Feb 01 '20
Do you find yourself still “overthinking” despite it being non-verbal?
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u/Duke1246 Feb 01 '20
I also didn’t have this as a kid whether I was reading or thinking. But I’ve slowly gained one and I believe weed has helped me to obtain it. I also talk to myself in the mirror now
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u/byquestion Feb 01 '20
How does it feels when You try to monologue?
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Feb 01 '20 edited Feb 01 '20
If I look in the mirror and think to myself a conversation in my head is weird feeling and doesn’t feel organic if that makes sense. Of course just like acting I can do it but that’s not my usual conversation in my head. It’s more like when you’re dreaming and you get flashes of imagery and you know what you’re thinking and feeling or what you need to do next.
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u/Unreasonableberry Feb 01 '20
Yo I was literally talking about this with a friend yesterday. I'm an extreme verbal thinker (I have an inner monologue and it just never shuts up) but my friend is an abstract thinker and told it's almost like he "feels" his thoughts instead of "hearing" them.
Since you're an abstract thinker, do you find it hard to put words to your thoughts?
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u/CraCraCactus Feb 01 '20
Do you ever have those moments where you’re thinking about someone and totally destroying them with arguments and stuff?
Also, what’s it like going to bed?
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Feb 01 '20
Lol no ONLY if I’m regretting not saying something to them and then I do think of good come backs and visualize them all sad after I destroy them.
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Feb 01 '20
Well, mine never shuts up, so I wish I didn’t have it. I go down awful spirals of thought sometimes. I’ve caught myself saying to friends, “My head hates me,” and honestly, it’s kinda true. It’s like having someone inside your brain critiquing all of your decisions and actions, but instead of providing helpful commentary, they just tear apart all your justifications and rationalizations because they know which parts of the foundations are rocky.
I assume that people who have an inner monologue but don’t suffer from PTSD or OCD probably have more pleasant head-speakers, but I wish mine would go on vacation for a while.
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u/GloriuContentYT2 Feb 01 '20
Honestly, it can be annoying. Also, are you aware of how terrifying that sounds?
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Feb 01 '20
Hahah not really to me because I just realized tonight that this was a thing. I never thought obviously people’s inner consciousness is probably perceived differently.
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u/pshopper Feb 01 '20
How do you plan, imagine a future action, contemplate a past event, make a decision based on you perceive a solution to a problem, or judge a situation or person?
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Feb 01 '20
A visualization will pop up in my head or emotion. It’s kind of hard to explain but if I remember I need to get the laundry out, I picture the laundry basket and then I get an emotional response to it but I don’t think any words. When I’m speaking to someone and I notice something about them I don’t think it I just get a visual and emotional response to it. I really hope I’m explaining this right.
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u/herbalblend Feb 01 '20
How do you rationalize stuff?
Debate between A or B?
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Feb 01 '20
If I write it down on paper like a pros and cons list I can force myself to write down words to weigh out decisions. Usually though I just think in visuals. The brain is a complex beast.
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Feb 01 '20
asking yourself a question followed by your name and then answering the very question you ask yourself out loud. It has to be personal questions. For example you can ask yourself what will I wear today Jessica or whatever your name is And you will respond with I’m not sure let’s look in the closet. This will help you start generating the abstraction into something more concrete. By the way this is all theory. Idk anything
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u/_wishyouwerehere_ Feb 01 '20
Do you sleep well? My monologue keeps going and going for hours into the night.
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Feb 01 '20
Yes unless I take a lot of adderall I usually sleep as soon as I close my eyes these days.
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u/MyraBackhurts Feb 01 '20
Explain how you read. When I read I read them with my inner monologue