[Closed] Voices in your head - follow on from psycho thread

I have the same thing. An endless, raging, debate going on in my mind between various versions of myself constantly deconstructing the past, the present, all my faults, regrets, missed opportunities. I can only sleep at night by drowning it out with audiobooks.

But you don't want advice from me I'm 91% psycho, even though I said I was nice to animals.

No.. 😯

You're scaring me now.

Ummm. I'm not sure that is a particularly common experience.

Raging debates and voices you don't recognise in your head is NOT normal.

'Voices in your head' should be your own internal monologue of should I/shouldn't I do such and such i.e. your thoughts.
Anything else, I would suggest you seek help.

Holy cow! Do let us know how this pans out.

Er.

Other voices having arguments in your head isn't normal.

That's only normal on mushrooms...

I have a constant inner monologue that will not shut up. It's a never ending circle of mostly negative thoughts concerning the fact that I've made a lot of very foolish choices that have lead to some incredibly grim personal circumstances. I'm still paying for the mistakes I made as a foolish youth and I'm stuck in a place and situation that I can't get out of. I've tried everything to get out of this rut including reaching out to everyone and anyone that I think could help me. I've sent begging letters and clutched at straws but nothing ever changes and I torture myself for it.

It's mostly voices, like a conversation between different versions of myself. Mostly between the real me who is run down and out of options and a complete arsehole version of myself who is convinced that everything should have been completely different. These 'conversations' have real physical effects including a raised heart rate, sweating, the desire the strangle somebody. Just as if I was having a real argument with someone.

It's much worse at night. which is why I postpone bedtime as long as possible by coming on here or clicking about on Youtube. No matter how tired I am, as soon as the light goes off it flairs up right away. Then I'm wide awake, pissed off and usually pacing around the room. I use Youtube on my phone to play audiobooks or radio shows to drown it out which helps but I very rarely get a restful nights sleep. Every couple of weeks I'll be so exhausted I'll get a good 12 or 13 hours in one go.

I certainly didn't expect to blurt all that out on a bike forum but there you go. Make of it what you will!

I used to have a lot of thoughts that started 'i wonder if...' Or 'what if.....' and unknown to me i would then ruminate and try and stop/eliminate those anxious.thoughts. This was when i suffered from anxiety. But trying to stop thoughts is like telling yourself to not think about a pink elephant - you cant.

I don't get raging debates, just quiet discussions.

The last one was about the colour to paint my car. I have been thinking a lot about it as it is the finishing touch to a project that has taken months. I am almost certain I want Ruby Red RAL 3003 but have zeal so been considering French racing blue used by Alpine, The dark blue from the Ecosse Jags and BRG. From no where the voice started asking why I was ignoring yellow. This only lasted a few days but a couple of times a day I wouldvhear it, especially if I says a yellow car.

Suddenly if isn't so sinister, right?

Edit - just read shark attacks post and it is like I get a much milder less self abusing version of that. Mainly when I am on my own, mainly late in the evening even if I haven't been drinking.

I am glad at least one other person knows what I am talking aboyt

I used to have a lot of thoughts that started 'i wonder if...' Or 'what if.....' and unknown to me i would then ruminate and try and stop/eliminate those anxious.thoughts. This was when i suffered from anxiety. But trying to stop thoughts is like telling yourself to not think about a pink elephant - you cant.

I'm completely with you on that one for sure

Sounds like you have nothing to worry about. [url= http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z/H/hearing-voices/ ]Some good advice here. [/url]

[url= http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2013/nov/08/voices-head-language-mind ]And some more info here. [/url]

I have a constant inner monologue that will not shut up. It's a never ending circle of mostly negative thoughts concerning the fact that I've made a lot of very foolish choices that have lead to some incredibly grim personal circumstances. I'm still paying for the mistakes I made as a foolish youth and I'm stuck in a place and situation that I can't get out of. I've tried everything to get out of this rut including reaching out to everyone and anyone that I think could help me. I've sent begging letters and clutched at straws but nothing ever changes and I torture myself for it.

It's mostly voices, like a conversation between different versions of myself. Mostly between the real me who is run down and out of options and a complete arsehole version of myself who is convinced that everything should have been completely different. These 'conversations' have real physical effects including a raised heart rate, sweating, the desire the strangle somebody. Just as if I was having a real argument with someone.

It's much worse at night. which is why I postpone bedtime as long as possible by coming on here or clicking about on Youtube. No matter how tired I am, as soon as the light goes off it flairs up right away. Then I'm wide awake, pissed off and usually pacing around the room. I use Youtube on my phone to play audiobooks or radio shows to drown it out which helps but I very rarely get a restful nights sleep. Every couple of weeks I'll be so exhausted I'll get a good 12 or 13 hours in one go.

If I was you, I would definitely speak to my GP to start with.
Ongoing negative thoughts will not do you any good.
I work with people in the same situation as you, and it is more common than you think.
Good luck.

I agree with beefheart
Best of luck

I can relate to a bit of what you write about yourself, Sharkattack. I had quite a few years of therapy which was beneficial in a limited way with regard to the inner monologue. If you haven't already sought it, it might be worth a punt.

If you want to have an email chat just let me know on this thread and I'll stick up an address in my profile - just not that keen on being as open as you on a public forum... 🙂

i have a constant discussion going on, but an endless raging debate sounds horrible, especially if it stops you from sleeping
help is there, and you don't have to walk into your doctors and tell the receptionist "i think i might be mad" there are great charities such as Mind.org.uk that are eager to help even with milder cases of imbalance

[quote=sharkattack said]It's much worse at night. which is why I postpone bedtime as long as possible by coming on here or clicking about on Youtube. No matter how tired I am, as soon as the light goes off it flairs up right away. Then I'm wide awake, pissed off and usually pacing around the room. I use Youtube on my phone to play audiobooks or radio shows to drown it out which helps but I very rarely get a restful nights sleep. Every couple of weeks I'll be so exhausted I'll get a good 12 or 13 hours in one go.

I can certainly empathise with that (and with some of the rest of your post), which is why I can often be found on here late at night trying to distract my brain. Can't remember the last time I got a regular 8 hours a night sleep - though I don't think I ever do the 12 or 13 hours in one go either, am pleased when I get 8 or 9, and probably never really properly rested any more.

As long as the voices aren't telling you to eat kids or anything it's all good no? Part of the rich tapestry of life. I always have songs playing in my head. ALWAYS. At the moment it's...

Sorry, I also meant to emphasise that the voices in of themselves aren't necessarily the problem. More about what is the underlying cause. An unresolved issue, problem etc...

Good [url= http://tinyurl.com/ptf5zyn ]book[/url]
And this [url= http://tinyurl.com/p7qh9hf ]one[/url]

Some links [url= http://www.plotinus.com/what_are_subpersonalities.htm ]links[/url]

Probably nothing to worry about. The brain is a strange thing, a lot of people have perfectly good mental health, yet show signs of problems. Symptoms like this could,indicate that the way you think is able to consider other peoples opinions effectively and so now your mind creates third party opinions as if they are real, rather than imagining them. So long as it is having no negative effects on your life, then don't worry about it!

WCA - we're you signing at the Mandela memorial?

Sharkattack - what you describe sounds like classic depression and you should talk to your doctor. I found antidepressants very helpful in calming that kind of self-destructive thinking.

My internal critic always seems to be turned up to 11.

Chatting away resurrecting past events in a negative light or reacting to current ones with a 'I can't believe you just said that!'.

I wouldn't mind but it so often seems to be right.

Vocalising odd noises seems to throw it off track. Which is ok as a coping strategy unless you forget there's other people in the room and do it anyway.

we all talk to ourselves, it would be more odd if you didnt. The trick is to know which voices to shut up and which to listen to in life. If you let the negative ones rule the roost it isnt healthy and maybe you should indeed talk to sombody about it if it really does worry you enough.

The human mind is a quite amazing thing. I know that one trick many of us play is the 'I'm right' trick. Even if we made a mistake, even if we're guilty of hurting somebody, upsetting them, we re-write the facts so that from our persepctive we didnt do anything to bad. The truth can be very different from the other persons view but we re-write it so we are justified in what we do. Our brain also choses very often to rose tint the past, awful events can be chosen to be forgotten, subconciously, we rebuild our worlds and our past in our heads regularly.

fascinating stuff, always wondered if I should have done phsycology degree... even if i cant spell the word 😉

No voices but my own 😆

I do talk to myself when riding though, often encouraging remarks, or as I'm attacking a climb or lumpy bit I often shout "Phil Gilbert" but then only when I'm on my own, wouldn't do it in public like, cos that would be a bit wrong wouldn't it.

SO the voice(s) are my own and mostly encouraging.. I thnk that rather healthy 😀

1. Being a psychopath and being psychotic are two different things;
2. Speak to your GP if you're worried.

There are some CRAZY BASTARDS on here! 😀
However did you manage [b]88%[/b] psycho?!?!?! Please don't tell me that you ticked the "do you like seeing animals hurt" box?
I feel pretty normal now.

Good call miketually.

I worked for a brief time in the mental health world, and continue to take more than an amateur interest in mental health issues. In light of my observations, I would say that we all experience mental illness to one degree or another, in a way that is comparable to how we all experience physical illness.

In other words, some people have asthma, some get frequent colds, and some, tragically, get cancer. There are degrees of affliction, and if we can live with the symptoms and they don't debilitate us, then there is no real need to worry about it. Above all, no one should ever feel like they are 'not normal' or that they should be ashamed of what they experience.

But please, don't confuse psychosis - mild or severe - with being a psychopath!

I have a constant inner monologue that will not shut up. It's a never ending circle of mostly negative thoughts concerning the fact that I've made a lot of very foolish choices that have lead to some incredibly grim personal circumstances. I'm still paying for the mistakes I made as a foolish youth and I'm stuck in a place and situation that I can't get out of. I've tried everything to get out of this rut including reaching out to everyone and anyone that I think could help me. I've sent begging letters and clutched at straws but nothing ever changes and I torture myself for it.

It's mostly voices, like a conversation between different versions of myself. Mostly between the real me who is run down and out of options and a complete arsehole version of myself who is convinced that everything should have been completely different. These 'conversations' have real physical effects including a raised heart rate, sweating, the desire the strangle somebody. Just as if I was having a real argument with someone.

Sounds like you would benefit from CBT and / or anti-depressants. My inner mind is much much calmer form taking SSRIs (Citalopram). I used to wind myself up 24/7 with general angst prior to taking them. I also used to imagine bludgeoning to death just about anyone I passed in the street who in any way annoyed me eg made me change direction to avoid walking into them. 20mg of Citalopram a day and I sleep very well (7+ hours a night) and the inner angst / arguments have almost vanished.

Anyone else get similar things?

The only voices I hear are the constant stream of verbal diarrhoea from some people at work and the fricken racket from the TV/radio.

So nice to push off outside and leave it all behind

wca, having voices is abnormal, but not necessarily problematic, so I wouldn't worry about it - if you find the internal debates a fairly pleasant experience, then vive la difference

sharkattack, please, talk to your GP about getting some help, the negative stuff is very destructive, but there is help out there. I am not sure the other voices [i]per se[/i] are the problem bit, but the negative stuff definitely is

the external help can be important, a third party will just provide a very different perspective and opinions to your own

as we're on the web, www.mind.org.uk is as good a place as any to start, but go see your GP as well

all the best with sorting it

There's internal monologue, and intrusive thoughts. Everyone has an internal monologue. Everyone has different degrees of intrusive thoughts. Its perfectly normal. Voices in your head, fine. Voices from around you, coming from the TV, messages directed to you in code on the radio or special messages in the newspaper that only you can see or decode, worrying but can be fixed. Not wanting to discuss peoples mental health on a public forum but if anyone wants advice or to sound off drop me an email. I'm a mental health clinical nurse / ward coordinator. Live in oz so if you do email me don't worry if I don't reply right away there's a time difference.

[i] intrusive thoughts[/i]

That's the phrase I was looking for earlier - it came up on that 'Bedlam' documentary on C4 recently.

[url= http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/hearing-voices/ ]MIND also has some specific info on hearing voices. [/url]

My answer would always be to seek medical help. It may be "normal for you", or it may need more help. But go and see a doc first and they can help you decide.

Good luck.

More importantly, what sized wheels do these voices say to use?????

(if they say 27.5s, you're fricking mental mate 😉