Constant mind chatter/conversations with self?

[greg123]

Does anybody have this symptom? it seems to be happening constantly to me. I get stuck in my head without even realizing it.

It is like I am constantly talking to myself in my head, imagining scenarios or conversations with people or imagining scary things, the things are pretty random like they don't seem to make sense. It makes me feel a little crazy.

It is just me talking to myself, i am not hearing voices.

I am worried I have bi-polar or something else other than anxiety. I can't seem to switch off, it can become pretty distressing especially if i am trying to sleep and my brain will not shut up!

Forgot to add that i'm not having conversations out loud with myself, it's all going on in my head!

Anyone?

[gypcyg]

I'm exactly the same Greg - I am always falling into a "daydream" and find myself playing out scenarios in my mind that I know will never occur in real life. It's especially difficult at night because it stops me from falling asleep.

I don't consider myself mad for doing it, it's just a part of me. Yes it's annoying and I feel it impedes me from concentrating on things properly but I have to accept that it will always be like this.

[Annie0904]

I am the same too. I sometimes argue with myself. :D My therapist said that is a good thing because I am seeing the rational and irrational and arguing which is right :)

[Mark13]

Me too I'm afraid.

Constantly going over past minor events getting worked up worrying about this that and everything, playing out possible scenarios....it's very wearing :ohmy:

When I was on duloxetine it quitened my mind and it was quite a relief. Didn't last though.

[meche]

I'm the same but I never associated it with anxiety. I'm an over thinker - always have been, always will be. It's just the way I am. Very annoying at times when I just want to switch off but my mind won't let me! xx

[mummyanxious]

I'm the same as Annie. I've always talked to myself lol and often worried whether that was normal!

[Rory1993]

This is so familiar to me as well. I find myself conversing in my head about completely random things like maybe something I saw on TV years ago. I also find myself repeating conversations I've had with other people or imaging conversations that haven happened.

Or weird scenarios. Most of the time I don't even realise it is happening until I sort of 'snap' out of it and realise I have been completely inside my mind and don't really know what I have been doing that whole time.

I never had it before anxiety so it's definitely a symptom but it is unnerving. To be able to disappear into your own head and not even notice.

[snookiebookie]

I get this all the time. It's like I can't switch my brain off and whatever I think it is always negative. I sometimes get annoyed at myself at the negative mental chatter that I have.

I replay conversations in my head, even from years (or decades ago). I imagine little scenarios of what may happen (always negative) or I imagine what other people must be thinking. If I am having a problem in my life, the constant mental chatter kicks up a gear and my anxiety goes up, I get very depressed and end up unable to sleep and cry all the time.

This is probably one of my most pervasive symptoms. I think it stems from anxiety and really poor self esteem. My self worth is based on what other people think about me. The irony is that you never truly know what others opinions are, so my mind runs riot with what I think they must think, which because of my low send esteem is always a negative opinion. This then causes a downward spiral. I feel bad, I imagine people dislike/hate/judge me, this effects my self esteem so I feel bad.. and the cycle goes on.

The key is to break the cycle - and that's the hard part. CBT can help as it can teach you to challenge the thoughts. I still get the constant chatter, but I suppose it's just a case of practicing what CBT taught me and recognizing the negative intrusive thoughts for what they are - just thoughts, not real.

[Magic]

Me too. I wish my thoughts would settle down. I just want to be normal !
I wonder if it's being lonely and having no one to talk to--like me.
I have my husband, but I need friends

[greg123]

Thank you for the replies everyone, glad to see that i'm not alone! sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I'm still having problems with this, don't really know what to do about it. *sigh*

[nosweat]

I've had this before, I would have mock conversations with people for no reason. I took it as a symptom of anxiety. I might look into meditation until it goes away. One goal of meditation is to have no thoughts which would alleviate your problem. Your mind is just a little overactive right now. Try not to engage the thoughts, just observe them and let them run their course. I hope this helps :)

[Tessar]

I get exactly the same, Greg. I am certain that many, many people do.
For me, if its a negative thing then I try to spot when I am doing it and distract myself with something real. Like my surroundings.
Sometimes though, it could be a helpful thing because it might be you can run certain scenarios through your mind and visualise a positive outcome to a situation you feel is going to be difficult.
It's important to keep the negatives in check and allow the positive visualisations to flow. Day dreaming can be very heathy, it's how some people map their lives out.
I do appreciate though it can be negative and a very powerful downward spiral. For instance, I struggle with a really miserable and critical colleague at work. I get all sorts f stuff going round in my head about them. There's also other situations I find myself caught up in, all in my mind.
But as I say, u can use this as a helpful and constructive tool.
It's a case of focusing your mind where you want it to be,
i.e. the positive thinking and spot when u are in that downward negative cycle.
It can be distressing but isn't necessarily an indicator for a serious mental illness. It's something that can be managed & brought under control.
At one time, when deeply depressed, I used to talk back at the voice. Like you, not out loud! But I would acknowledge it. Realise it was just the negative voices of people in my life who had been or were being critical and negative about me.
Anyway, hopefully my ramblings will prove of some use and help you.

[SADnomore]

It doesn't even have to be negative. It is often a situation of long-standing that worked out well. It's like I need to put a cap on it. First to go over how it was, (usually worrisome), then what happened (often over years of time), and how it ended up (often positive). It's good, I think, that I can think about these silver linings, but it is something I seem to have to put into words and retell from the start.

Unfortunately, my husband doesn't want to hear it. Any of it. He always interrupts me and says "You don't have to rationalize it, Marie." Or, "Yeah, we can see that". That really brings me down. Things really were very bad for quite a few years, and it comforts and reassures me and puts me in a positive headspace about the future to enjoy the victories we've had as a family lately. He won't give me the time of day to talk these through, and they don't concern anyone else. We don't have "family friends" or anyone who has been close with us, and now that the kids have moved away, it's just him and me. So I talk to myself, yes. I used to do it out loud, when I am alone or driving somewhere. But ... my mother had dementia when she passed, and we all remember how she had talked to herself out loud for years, even when she was still engaged in life. So, I don't allow that now, but I still have to force myself to concentrate on some task or other or what someone else is interested in or what have you to get any peace from the chatterbox in my head who still wants to talk, and I'm the only one she has to talk to. Ugh.

I think this is where I end up being anxious sometimes, focusing on others, especially my grown children when I get to be with them. Have they eaten yet? What are they going to do to resolve this situation at work? When are they going to take care of this matter or that? Have they prepared or planned for every outcome (of relatives coming to visit or what have you)? Really aggravating stuff. I can see that. I hate it myself when it's happening, but I can't seem to stop it! Or "her", I guess. When she has an audience, it's like she has to get "involved" with what's going on. But always with the fretting ... :(

Actually, my mom used to do that too. To be honest, this all has me very worried. ... I do have one positive to share for those of us on SSRI meds - I read where they've discovered that the drugs have a way of creating new connections in our brains, and some are exploring whether this may be helpful against Alzheimers. Silver lining.
Marie