Do you have an internal monologue?

[Lemuel]

So I just found out this morning that some people do not have a voice in their head. They don't hear their thoughts in verbal form. My mind is blown, I cannot understand it at all. Is there anyone on here who does not have that internal monologue? Thoughts in verbal form / my voice in my head is always there, I have never not had words going through my head. There is no off button. I simply cannot fathom that voice not being there. Here is an interview that just fucked me up big time.

 

[1337]

I have one. Finding this out hurt my brain trying to think about how someone without one thinks.

 

[little1337]

I have one. Finding this out hurt my brain trying to think about how someone without one thinks.

Hi Jamie

 

[TOAST.]

Didn't watch video yet, but can those people read in their head?

 

[TRVP_ANGEL]

they the same people who use their index fingers to read

 

[JAHpow]

This is whack

 

[thateastcoastski]

I feel like the dude in the video how the fuck does that girl read. I laughed when she talked about sentence structure and how she loves it

 

[xxACIDTRIPxx]

Internal monologue is something that gives me solace.

 

[TOAST.]

Didn't watch video yet, but can those people read in their head?

Watch the video you fricken idiot it's in there

 

[elcheapo]

I have a hard time believing there's people who cant hear themselves think, I'm thinking this is untrue,

 

[xxACIDTRIPxx]

I have a hard time believing there's people who cant hear themselves think, I'm thinking this is untrue,

Now that you mention it, I’d have to agree with you. It is pretty close to impossible to not have personal internal monologue....

 

[Mingg]

I don’t think I have one. I mean, I can have verbal thoughts but they are not constant and I don’t hear the words like a voice. I can think words though? But it is not constant by any means.

 

[JAHpow]

I don’t think I have one. I mean, I can have verbal thoughts but they are not constant and I don’t hear the words like a voice. I can think words though? But it is not constant by any means.

But can you read a book using your "internal voice"? If you can do that, I would be you have an internal monologue to some extent.

 

[Mingg]

But can you read a book using your "internal voice"? If you can do that, I would be you have an internal monologue to some extent.

I don’t hear the words, I see them and I interpret them. Like I can make myself say “hello” in my head but when Im reading I usually don’t. I’m super intrigued about this now lol

 

[Casey]

I took a class in college about dreams that talked about this a little bit. They think that one of the main reasons that you can’t remember most dreams is that they are formed from the imagery parts of the brain that are non verbal, and you can really only remember things that have been coded in the verbal part of the brain.

 

[JmckR]

She say's it's harder for her to fall asleep because she can't think.... well, how exactly would she know? I wouldn't know myself if it's easier to sleep, because I can't even fathom being in this position.

So yeah, this is dogshit. Anyone who doesn't reason in their own head, in their own voice - you could barely describe a fully evolved human- more of a being such as a goldfish

 

[JAHpow]

I don’t hear the words, I see them and I interpret them. Like I can make myself say “hello” in my head but when Im reading I usually don’t. I’m super intrigued about this now lol

K I got another question. Think of a song with lyrics and imagine that artist singing it. Can you hear them saying/singing the words?

 

[xxACIDTRIPxx]

She say's it's harder for her to fall asleep because she can't think.... well, how exactly would she know? I wouldn't know myself if it's easier to sleep, because I can't even fathom being in this position.

So yeah, this is dogshit. Anyone who doesn't reason in their own head, in their own voice - you could barely describe a fully evolved human- more of a being such as a goldfish

This.

 

[Mingg]

K I got another question. Think of a song with lyrics and imagine that artist singing it. Can you hear them saying/singing the words?

Yup

 

[JAHpow]

Yup

Well wtf, but you don't hear your own in general? That is so crazy

 

[Mingg]

Well wtf, but you don't hear your own in general? That is so crazy

I sort of can but it isn’t constant. Like I can translate my thoughts into verbal ones and I can see the words. I can say the words. I don’t know if I hear them. Like I do but I don’t hear a voice?

For example, I can spatially see the date. Like yes you can reason with yesterday was x so today is x+1. I don’t necessarily think the specific day of the week or month though. I have an internal calendar and I know where we fall relative to the entire year. Like I can interpret it as whatever month day or day of week. But that’s not explicit in my head nor does it need to be - just really when translating it verbally. I don’t ever say to myself “today is Monday,” I just see it. But I could tell myself “today is Monday” if I consciously make the effort.

Also with colors I see a rainbow type thing and see where the color is that I’m thinking of. Yes blue=blue but I’m not thinking the word blue. I’m seeing it relative to other colors. But my array of colors does not look like a color wheel. I’m not sure how to explain what it looks like.

Same with numbers. Same with letters. Same with most other topics, there is a visual outline and as long as I know my starting point I can map my way through conceptually/spatially until everything pieces together. I can always tell myself with words but I don’t use words unless I’m translating them verbally. Which is probably why I’m so awful at articulating my thoughts.