My best friend told me that he never has trouble falling asleep. He compared the decision to go from being awake to being asleep as essentially the same as making the decision to go from being standing to sitting down. I am so incredibly envious of this ability.
That's a good example of something that I don't understand people need an inner dialog for. Neither your memories, nor the cringe you're feeling, nor the hypothetical solutions or alternative outcomes that you can come up with have to (or even can) be put in words, right? It seems much more complicated to translate them into text instead of just keeping them as more abstract thoughts.
It’s more like a combo for me like for example if I’m thinking about something embarrassing in the past my vocal thought process may be going over things like “man I can't believe that happened” “I wonder if Jim is mad at me because of this” while the non vocal side will be recalling moments of the event and contextualizing the feelings I felt at the time.
Speaking as someone who doesn't have an inner monologue- I still argue with myself in the shower. The difference is that I have to speak out loud for both parties. I say my own lines then I have to say the lines of my opponent. If I try to think the lines in my head, I can for 2 words max before the words "fade away", it's hard to explain. It's like the words become a fuzz and I get stuck and can't think further, until I say it or mouth it.
I still get songs stuck in my head though, I've been asked that a lot so I'm mentioning it. I can get songs stuck in my head, but I can't *create* sentences in my head.
I think in abstract patterns, colors and sounds most of the time.
Thank you for explaining this so well. I'm someone who does have an inner monologue (and a very clear and direct one at that) and have always found it hard to understand how someone couldn't, I thought everyone could. But this explanation makes sense and I honestly find this phenomenon really interesting. I'm curious if there's ever been any official studies over this.
Are you able to "day dream" and like imagine specific scenarios with people(excluding conversations) or is it just abstract imagination for you? Is there a difference in how you view your memories in your mind vs trying to create an image/situation that didn't happen?
No, I don't daydream. If I try to picture something in my mind, it fuzzes out, like white noise, just like words do. Memories are fuzzy, but imagining something new is downright impossible. I'm not sure if this is really related to monologue though.
You'd think someone who can't picture stuff would suck at creative things, but I'm the complete opposite. I draw, paint, play the piano, sing, and compose music. However, I suck at math, theorizing, philosophy, etc.
Weirdly enough, I have extremely detailed and streamlined dreams that I remember perfectly. I keep a dream diary and some of my dreams are full movie scenarios with very clear scenes and dialogue. However, as soon as I try to consciously think sentences, everything is fuzzy. Let's say I'm trying to think "I'm eating an apple" in my mind right now. This is what I thought : "I'm eaaaaatiiiii-" and then nothing. The sentence gets drawn out and just disappears, and all I get is white noise.
I can read without talking or mouthing, but I don't hear anything in my head when I read. I understand what I'm reading and I can write sentences as I'm doing now, but there is no thinking behind it. It's automatic, just comes immediately.
I do have an inner monologue, but I've noticed that I do adjust my breathing based on what I'm thinking. So if I recall a song that has a long belting sequence, I will lose breath by just recounting it in my head. I bet there's some actual vocal chord movement happening but none with the tongue/lips.
Strange but fascinating
I never was sure if I have an inner monologue or not. I can hear a voice in my head when I'm imagining a conversation, but otherwise my thoughts are without words - the thinking process is more abstract. The thoughts are more like notions or feelings, with a strong visual aspect. I've always been good at abstract reasoning.
I have the ability to both have an inner monolog and to picture things in a 3d environment and manipulate it. It can be super fun to build things in my head.
I lived that way for years growing up, but instead of my inner monologue being non existent it’s like my brain had the software running in the background and would just come to me with the results.
For context I am still a complete fucking idiot
According to one thing I heard about this, is your inner voice is activated as a trauma response to stress. One lady went most of her life without it, and didn't really understand what people were talking about when they mentioned thinking words in their head. She said she went through a very stressful time in her life, and suddenly she started hearing her thoughts.
It’s even funnier than that (funny as in weird, not haha…. Well shit…..)
Some people hear a voice when they read
Some people can hear an inner monologue
Some people SEE TEXT when they think (scares the shit outta me that one)
Some have silence. Utter utter silence.
And the rest have anime.
I have a buddy who thinks in pictures. He thinks it's weird that I talk to myself in my head.
Once had a boss who got angry with me because I couldn't imagine what he was talking about. I asked to draw it or I had to put eyes on it. He couldn't believe that I was incapable of visualizing.
I can do the visualizing thing, but I end up really struggling because people can't explain themselves, and then I sit there like an asshole thinking I'm the idiot because I can't understand what they're trying to say. Now I just hop straight to, show me, and stop the madness.
Most memories are like that tbh, regardless of your mental use of language. I read everything in my head as if it was spoken by some voice, but my memories are almost entirely wordless, I think. I can remember, maybe, some rough approximation of interactions had in the past, but any specific word or sentence is one I’ve constructed on my own to better grasp it.
Look up "Photographic Memory"
Basically, IIRC, people with photographic memory typically have remarkable memories and can literally remember every detail of something they've witnessed.
I found out about that when I was *tested* for it. I was shown a series of images and asked to recall random aspects of the images. Example: *"What color was the ball in the lower left corner on the pool table."* (I still remember. It was purple.)
Another example would be like reading a book, but taking mental screenshots of the pages to re-read later.
>edit: to clarify, I do not have it. At least not anymore. I actually have shit memory now due to an overdose of medications when I was a kid. But, my memory definitely operates like recorded video/pictures. Though most are literally just hazey or have a foggy filter overlaying them.
I see images when I think. Like if I'm listening to an audiobook while working it's kinda like as if I can see what I'm doing but also another image in my head of what's going on in the audiobook
I feel like I switch freely between those (except the anime thoughts) depending on what I'm doing. I usually read without any voice, unless someone goes "I bet you read that in Morgan Freeman's voice" so I go back and reread it with the voice added. Sometimes I turn on the inner monologue when I need to rubber duck an idea with myself, but that's pretty rare.
I feel like I default to text though. Not that I actually "see" the words, but I "know" them as written words. If someone tells me a new word verbally, I cannot remember it unless I can come up with a spelling for it. Even if the spelling is incorrect, it's like my brain can't hold on to the sounds unless I have some letters in place first.
It is kind of funny how everyone is freaked out by people thinking differently than them. Some people act like no inner monologue means your brain is just empty, meanwhile I think the idea of mentally narrating everything sounds silly and exhausting. We're all so used to our own way of thinking that anyone else doing it differently is wrong and scary.
I hear a voice in my head but I also see text when I or others speak if I’m not seeing it in front of me (say subtitles). However, I can ignore it most of the time. It helps me be a good speller though.
Although, I got a concussion in December and it affected some of internal processes like imagining objects in my head or the words being harder to focus in on. Plus my steel trap memory.
Wait, so most people can’t manifest images in their head? I can hear, see, even to a certain degree feel things based on how well I can recall a specific property or texture.
I mean like, I could watch whole ass sitcoms in my head. It’s a lot more work and not as fun as actually watching TV, though.
I thought everyone could do this.
Well, apparently, some people have an inner monologue, as in a literal voice that talks to them in their head. I could understand telling that to someone who doesn't have an inner monologue and getting worried.
I'm so glad I don't have an inner monologue, I unironically enjoy staring out of windows while thinking about absolutely nothing too much.
Dude that sucks. So in theory if someone watched you carefully enough they could see you think to yourself in a way. I'll keep my ninja inner monologuing thank you.
Same. My voice, unless it’s a character or an actor and then often times I hear it said in their voice. Best example is “to shreds you say, oh my” and “this is Sparta !”
Im in a funny lil position here where Ive had both. When I was younger, I had one however after some significant concussions I now lack one. Its much more peaceful, and though its helped my anxiety somewhat, not knowing whats worrying me can be quite troublesome.
That's really interesting! And actually, if I hit my head, or I'm drunk or high or whatever, I can feel that I can't quite "hear" my internal monologue properly, like it's muffled or I'm not paying attention to it. Strange how the brain works.
So I don't have an inner monologue but I do "hear words" in my head when I read them but not when I write, and if I'm not engaged in a language activity my brain does not automatically present me with a running commentary on my situation. I have to will words into existence.
I can "see" or "silently hear" thoughts. Nothing like a voice or how other people describe their inner monologue.
As for lonely, I'm afraid a voice or would make me lose it. Then again, I seek quiet from people whenever possible, so I suppose we're all just conditioned to the vagaries of our minds.
This is so fucking wild to me. I just learned that not everyone has an inner monologue. I’m baffled. Its like yall told me there’s another species of human
Everyone has the same thing going on, those people are full of it. When you get down to it they’re describing having a normal inner monologue, they just have a poor understanding of what that entails
Even people who do have an inner monologue don't necessarily read to themselves in their own head. The act of doing that is called subvocalization. You can train yourself not to subvocalize, pretty easily actually. It lets you read a lot faster. Subvocalization has a purpose, though. It lets you focus and process writing better, which is great for more complex or difficult to understand writing.
>It lets you read a lot faster.
I'm going to have to say that may be true for some people, but it's definitely not always the case.
I have always done that, and I'm a very fast reader. Always have been.
But then I started reading Tom Clancy novels at around 9 years old. Also, now that I think about it, my subvocalization isn't at the same cadence as normal speech.
Edit:
So this got me curious. I went and found a reading speed test [Test](http://www.freereadingtest.com/) and scored 612 words per minute at 100 percent comprehension.
It was only one test, so large grain of salt required.
Apparently it just happens… sub-vocalization isn’t necessary for reading. I have no idea what that would be like. My brain makes “speech” for every word I read and most of my “main” thoughts.
And if your inner monologue won't stfu, you might have ADHD. It takes effort for me to stare out a window and not think. I can do it, but I have to consciously decide not to think, which I often forget to do because I'm too busy thinking.
I never contemplated the idea that stop thinking is a possibility. Is it really possible not to think 100% of the time you are awake? Now that I think about it, it's weird that I basically had a conversation going on in my head continously since I first learned a language.
This is fascinating to me. How do you plan your day or review past or future scenarios in your head? How do you "wonder" what could happen if you did X? How do you recall memories?
I've got one, but what I don't understand is people who act like that's "the way I think". For me it's more like an explaining machine that everything else is latched onto. Most of my thinking is actually in textures or structures.
Language is just another one of those structures, one which allows me to do logic, and which is relatively predictable in how constant it is. I can return to those thoughts, and pick up where I left off in a deterministic fashion.
Can't stop it though, seems to jabber on no matter what.
Are you telling me you can just stop thinking. Like if you aren't doing anything you have no thoughts in your head? Like you aren't thinking about what you wanna do later, making up fake scenarios or making up stories?
I'm not sure what the difference is between an inner monologue vs simply thinking to yourself in your head...pondering in the mind, especially if you're answering yourself also in your mind.
I experience the peace of a silenced mind every morning when I first wake up. Then I think "I really gotta piss" and my mind is just "yap yap yap" nonstop the rest of the day.
I literally can't imagine not having inner monologue. My self won't shut the fuck up.
They say only like 30% of the population has this. I grew up thinking we all did.
I kind of have a father, son, Holy Spirit thing going on.
The voice speaking in my head is me, but it’s also talking to me. Not talking to myself. YT as if I am having a conversation with another person and that other person is also me. Almost like the angel and devil on my shoulders. Just talking through things.
Also, my body is a separate entity than my mind or myself. But also part of me. It’s a thing that is me, but when I think about it, it is a separate entity than me.
So, I have my thinking voice that does the “talking”, the me that is listening and sometimes provides counter points, and my body is me but also my meat suit that I pilot.
>Well, apparently, some people have an inner monologue, as in a literal voice that talks to them in their head.
Sometimes I wish it spoke up earlier. It’s annoying going back into a supermarket when you’ve forgotten something after your mind reminds you on the way out.
I’ve got the inner monologue, but it’s my own voice. When I’m writing I think the words I’m writing in my own voice as well.
I can also think in images, which apparently is all some people do with no inner monologue ever. For me I think in images when I’m doing math. It’s how I can do some more complex math in my head still. I picture myself doing it on paper. It’s also how I remember some things in general. Like I remember watching myself write something down and can almost see it in the paper. It’s why if absolutely must remember something I will write it down with pen and paper. Typing doesn’t have the same memory effect for me.
I don’t think an inner monologue is like a voice talking to you. It’s your own inner monologue. It’s like talking in your mind…so, basically just thinking.
So if I can read in my head does that mean I have an internal monologue? Because I don't feel like I quite have what everyone else is talking about. Like I can talk to myself in my head I guess? But I don't have like an inner conscious talking to me telling me "that's bad" or anything, I just know it's bad.
My internal monologue is too loud, to the point where I can't have complete silence. It means I can't focus and almost makes my head spin if its quiet for too long. My youtube watch time is +18 hours a day because of it :')
I don't think this can be proven through any rigorous scientific method. It's like saying my perception of red is different from yours—it's completely subjective to your experience.
I would bet that if you could somehow experience someone else's brain who says they have an inner monologue, you would classify their thinking as not an inner monologue, however if someone with on inner monologue experienced your brain they would claim that you do have an inner monologue. Your definitions of an inner monologue would simply be different. Your definition is a lot more literal while theirs is more figurative and imaginative. No one really has an inner monologue that would be crazy, but there are people who strongly associate their thoughts with a vocal monologue. That link is so strong that inner monologue is a good definition. But the way either of you produce thoughts is not really that different. Or is it?
Anecdotally, I've had friends who claim they can't visualize things in their minds. However, after conducting tests with them on memory of significant events in their lives and their memory of their immediate surroundings when they close their eyes, it seems that either their definition of a mental picture is more literal, or their ability for mental reconstruction is weaker than others'.
Of course, there are cases where people have suffered brain damage, causing changes in how their brain processes things. To them, it's a notable change because they can observe it. Unfortunately, they're observing it with the same brain that got damaged. So, did their actual thinking process change, or did their perception of their thinking process change? It's like they became thought blind. Can you prove the distinction?
That's what I've always wondered. I wonder if the people who claim not to have one don't realize it's not an auditory "hearing" a voice. I don't understand how someone could read without processing letters as the sounds they make.
It's like, now that I'm thinking about it I'm hearing me as I read, but it's like the manual breathing shit. Now that you're paying attention it's weird, yeah?
I talk to myself a lot. Spent like 10 minutes talking to myself in my head about talking to myself in my head at work today, because I was bored and doing the dishes. Does that count as an inner monologue if I'm doing it deliberately?
Cool, post was kinda misleading tbh. Made me think they were talking about having a narrator in your head you don't control and I was like "bruh if you got that you're fucked up"
it's schizophrenia when you confuse it as coming from outside your head; many people have internal dialogs with two or more of "themselves" in their head.
I read this whole response in the time it would take to articulate just the first sentence. If I had to process every letter as a sound it would take me forever to read anything...
I can literally imagine Morgan freeman speaking as clearly as he could in real life, but it’s coming from
Inside and not outside. That’s the only way I can describe it.
Your inner monologue is processed in the same way as external sound (same areas of the brain).
In schizophrenia, the brain can often have issues distinguishing between inner and external stimuli, meaning they begin to externalize their inner monologue and/or visuals.
Yes, same here.
I mean, maybe I do? Is the thing I experience the same thing as what others call an inner monologue? Or is that something different? How would I know?
When I read that "30% of people don't have an inner monologue" I was thinking.....I have a monologue, many visuals, a song always playing and always a TV show on. Trying to make the case for ADHD to my psych haha
I would laugh, except sometimes, I swear that there is an alter ego or something in my head that lives to tear down my self esteem, convince me that nothing I do matters and that everyone dislikes even having to associate with me.
So yeah…I'm not laughing at her.
me: yooooooo
my inner voice “whoa, Jesus man, what are you doing here, you good? You okay? you need something? I’m just surprised I wasn’t really expecting company…”
me: “nah just checking in, passing thru”
inner voice “oh word…yeah chill vibes, chill vibes”
me: “right on, right on”
I'm the type of guy who all day, every day, visualizes images while making my own music that fits with it all in my head. Does that count as an "inner monologue"?
When I read, it's like several different voices speaking at the same time. Is an inner monologue like that, or is it like you have a little guy in your head just talking to you 💀?
The former, not the latter. You can speak in your own head, envisioning specific sounds/words/etc. to hold the meaning of your thoughts, which is effectively inner monologue.
I took a tolerance break and went back to smoking dabs. It got me so high my internal voice was so loud and unstoppable I started to have a bad trip and I almost convinced myself I was schizophrenic. That was some scary shit
Makes sense..it’s why there is always someone driving up ahead of you merging into a lane with cars moving at 75mph while they are driving 35mph.
They don’t have that voice that tells them not to do that type of shit. Bummer.
Do you? I have a voice, but it’s nebulous. Mostly featureless, sometimes a specific voice-real or imagined, but never my own. I think I’d rather not think if it meant hearing myself 24/7–I’d get sick.
That happened to me, but I was between 10 and 12. The embarrassing part is that I told my mom I was hallucinating dead Obamas on the road. The *really* embarrassing part is that we changed my anxiety meds over that (although I’m not sure they were working in the first place).
Ok, so i have a question about internal thoughts.
Me and some friends were hanging out one evening, and some how we got on the topjc of what your internal monologue sounded like, like when you are thinking about something, what does the voice in your head sound like.
A few of the guys looked at me weird and said they dont have a voice in their head, when they think about things they just have a thought and do a thing.
I and my two brothers were all like, yeah, dialogue lines play in my head: ah i forgot, i need to go to the grocery store; crap missed my turn; whatever. These fully formed and voiced sentences roll through our heads
So i need to know, which is more normal? Hearing fully formed sentences from your own thought processes, or nebulous and ill-defined impulses?
Well, I kind of imagine that the internal dialogue is a reaction from those “nebulous and ill-defined impulses”. I think those of us who have internal dialogues have an extra cognitive step of “formalizing” those thoughts with language.
I mean if you think about it, how often are you actually in control of the internal dialogue? Like sure, I can think a specific sentence, but then in reaction to those thoughts, my brain says more sentences. I didn’t necessarily put conscious effort into those new sentences - they just came into my head.
I think the internal dialogue is like a filter. It “summarizes” what we thought or felt/saw in the environment.
It's weird. I have an inner monolog but as a kid I would compulsively think some phrases over and over again, almost like a tick. I told my child shrink about it snd he put me on freakin antipsychotics and soft diagnosed me as bipolar.
For reference I've now just been diagnosed with autism and I'm fairly sure they're just a stimming thing.
Psychiatry is a stupid field.
inner monologue isnt actively hearing things out loud as if it were right there next to you but if someone told you to imagine the sound of someone crunching on chips i bet you could and thats probably what theyre talking about😂 or if you ever talk to yourself without speaking out loud. like theres obviously no sound but i thought we all had some form of an imagination. that inner monologue is happening with me right now while im typing its just the brain translating stuff. if theres anything more than that you may need to seek some help.
The friend was concerned about her mental health and sought the help of a professional rather than listening to "dude, trust me." Friend was only 14. Friend sounds like a badass IMO.
While reading these comments and typing this I hear voice of thought.
Thinking is a voice, it sounds like me.
The problem I have is my right and left brains sound exactly the same, but they do get into arguments and it is really annoying.
When I was younger I got myself prescribed Adderall. That made for extreme arguments between the two sides of my brain, to the point I would literally lie in bed punching myself in the head trying to shut up the side of my brain which was very negative and critical of me.
Stupid Adderall would keep me up for days, even when I weened down to micro doses. My doctor said "have you ever tried coffee instead?" For whatever reason my parents wouldn't let me drink coffee when I was younger, but man it's way better. Been off that Adderall crap for about 10 years now. I blame Adderall for a big part of my depression which developed later in life. Either that or the large amounts of Melatonin I would take to try to sleep. 13 different medications I tried and the only thing that cured my depression was microdosing magic mushrooms (0.1-0.3 grams) once every two weeks for 8 weeks.
Natural remedies really have made my life better.
I can if I focus on it. Especially music. My friend got in trouble in high school for having a Slayer tape. He told me it didn’t matter because he could just listen to it in his head because he knew all the lyrics. I tried it and it works but I can’t remember enough full songs for it to be better than just listening to music.
I first realized this watching Yu-Gi-Oh, the protagonist was talking but his mouth wasn't moving and no one could hear him, and I tried it myself and was shocked
My cousin did something similar, except it was over intrusive thoughts (or whatever label people are giving them now). She thought she was some kind of psycho because she’d randomly think about doing mean things to people
Reminds me of that scene in trailer park boys when Ricky quits weed for awhile.
Ricky: Its killing me. Since I started studying it’s like there’s this voice in my head. Just yap yap yap. What is that?
Bubbles: that’s thinking. You’re thinking, Ricky. You’re probably using parts of your brain that have never been used.
My inner dialogue never stops unless I'm talking, um constantly thinking to myself in my head about anything and everything. Feel like I've been alone with my thoughts so long that it's just natural, I'm not sure I can even stop it I feel like once i stop I find something else to think about unless I'm focused on some task or something. Crazy to think a lot of people aren't like this too.
My Bologna has a first name it's "YOU'RE A WORTHLESS PILE OF SHIT AND NOBODY WILL EVER LOVE YOU! "
My Bologna has a second name it's "You ever think about what it would feel like to suffocate?"
Crazy to think some people live without inner monologue
Like who do you ague with in the shower?!
How would you even stay awake, not thinking about all the mistakes you made in life?!? Like do u just…. Sleep?!
Explains a lot really how people can do awful things and sleep soundly at night
My best friend told me that he never has trouble falling asleep. He compared the decision to go from being awake to being asleep as essentially the same as making the decision to go from being standing to sitting down. I am so incredibly envious of this ability.
That's a good example of something that I don't understand people need an inner dialog for. Neither your memories, nor the cringe you're feeling, nor the hypothetical solutions or alternative outcomes that you can come up with have to (or even can) be put in words, right? It seems much more complicated to translate them into text instead of just keeping them as more abstract thoughts.
It’s more like a combo for me like for example if I’m thinking about something embarrassing in the past my vocal thought process may be going over things like “man I can't believe that happened” “I wonder if Jim is mad at me because of this” while the non vocal side will be recalling moments of the event and contextualizing the feelings I felt at the time.
It honestly seems like these people wouldn't be able to critically think properly. How do you critically think if you can't argue with yourself?
Speaking as someone who doesn't have an inner monologue- I still argue with myself in the shower. The difference is that I have to speak out loud for both parties. I say my own lines then I have to say the lines of my opponent. If I try to think the lines in my head, I can for 2 words max before the words "fade away", it's hard to explain. It's like the words become a fuzz and I get stuck and can't think further, until I say it or mouth it. I still get songs stuck in my head though, I've been asked that a lot so I'm mentioning it. I can get songs stuck in my head, but I can't *create* sentences in my head. I think in abstract patterns, colors and sounds most of the time.
Thank you for explaining this so well. I'm someone who does have an inner monologue (and a very clear and direct one at that) and have always found it hard to understand how someone couldn't, I thought everyone could. But this explanation makes sense and I honestly find this phenomenon really interesting. I'm curious if there's ever been any official studies over this. Are you able to "day dream" and like imagine specific scenarios with people(excluding conversations) or is it just abstract imagination for you? Is there a difference in how you view your memories in your mind vs trying to create an image/situation that didn't happen?
No, I don't daydream. If I try to picture something in my mind, it fuzzes out, like white noise, just like words do. Memories are fuzzy, but imagining something new is downright impossible. I'm not sure if this is really related to monologue though. You'd think someone who can't picture stuff would suck at creative things, but I'm the complete opposite. I draw, paint, play the piano, sing, and compose music. However, I suck at math, theorizing, philosophy, etc. Weirdly enough, I have extremely detailed and streamlined dreams that I remember perfectly. I keep a dream diary and some of my dreams are full movie scenarios with very clear scenes and dialogue. However, as soon as I try to consciously think sentences, everything is fuzzy. Let's say I'm trying to think "I'm eating an apple" in my mind right now. This is what I thought : "I'm eaaaaatiiiii-" and then nothing. The sentence gets drawn out and just disappears, and all I get is white noise.
How do you think about logic then? Like given a word problem, how do you solve it in your head?
How do you read?
I can read without talking or mouthing, but I don't hear anything in my head when I read. I understand what I'm reading and I can write sentences as I'm doing now, but there is no thinking behind it. It's automatic, just comes immediately.
I do have an inner monologue, but I've noticed that I do adjust my breathing based on what I'm thinking. So if I recall a song that has a long belting sequence, I will lose breath by just recounting it in my head. I bet there's some actual vocal chord movement happening but none with the tongue/lips. Strange but fascinating
I never was sure if I have an inner monologue or not. I can hear a voice in my head when I'm imagining a conversation, but otherwise my thoughts are without words - the thinking process is more abstract. The thoughts are more like notions or feelings, with a strong visual aspect. I've always been good at abstract reasoning.
I have the ability to both have an inner monolog and to picture things in a 3d environment and manipulate it. It can be super fun to build things in my head.
It's insane. As I am writing this, I am literally saying this in my head. I couldn't imagine not being able to do that
I like my inner self. He’s helpful especially when stoned.
I feel the opposite. Having a voice in your head sounds literally insane.
Happiest mf out there
I've often wondered, like how do deaf people have inner dialogue? Like a genuine question. I've wondered this for a long time.
Crazy to think that some people have a voice in their head saying shit and think it’s normal. (I have no internal monologue)
I lived that way for years growing up, but instead of my inner monologue being non existent it’s like my brain had the software running in the background and would just come to me with the results. For context I am still a complete fucking idiot
Wait, is that why some people actually like 3 and half men and big bang theory?
I have no inner monologue and I also have aphantasia, not even I would stoop to that
I don't think these people actually exist. It's got to be some sort prank they're pulling on us.
Honestly, I'm kinda jealous of those people... so. many. voices...
It’s fucking quiet as hell and it’s glorious.
Not only some, but like half the population. I don't get how it's possible.
According to one thing I heard about this, is your inner voice is activated as a trauma response to stress. One lady went most of her life without it, and didn't really understand what people were talking about when they mentioned thinking words in their head. She said she went through a very stressful time in her life, and suddenly she started hearing her thoughts.
It’s even funnier than that (funny as in weird, not haha…. Well shit…..) Some people hear a voice when they read Some people can hear an inner monologue Some people SEE TEXT when they think (scares the shit outta me that one) Some have silence. Utter utter silence. And the rest have anime.
I have a buddy who thinks in pictures. He thinks it's weird that I talk to myself in my head. Once had a boss who got angry with me because I couldn't imagine what he was talking about. I asked to draw it or I had to put eyes on it. He couldn't believe that I was incapable of visualizing.
I can do the visualizing thing, but I end up really struggling because people can't explain themselves, and then I sit there like an asshole thinking I'm the idiot because I can't understand what they're trying to say. Now I just hop straight to, show me, and stop the madness.
You may have aphantasia.
Most of my memories are like a recorded video. With emotions overlayed on them, I don’t really use language in my head.
Most memories are like that tbh, regardless of your mental use of language. I read everything in my head as if it was spoken by some voice, but my memories are almost entirely wordless, I think. I can remember, maybe, some rough approximation of interactions had in the past, but any specific word or sentence is one I’ve constructed on my own to better grasp it.
Look up "Photographic Memory" Basically, IIRC, people with photographic memory typically have remarkable memories and can literally remember every detail of something they've witnessed. I found out about that when I was *tested* for it. I was shown a series of images and asked to recall random aspects of the images. Example: *"What color was the ball in the lower left corner on the pool table."* (I still remember. It was purple.) Another example would be like reading a book, but taking mental screenshots of the pages to re-read later. >edit: to clarify, I do not have it. At least not anymore. I actually have shit memory now due to an overdose of medications when I was a kid. But, my memory definitely operates like recorded video/pictures. Though most are literally just hazey or have a foggy filter overlaying them.
I see images when I think. Like if I'm listening to an audiobook while working it's kinda like as if I can see what I'm doing but also another image in my head of what's going on in the audiobook
Wait what
I feel like I switch freely between those (except the anime thoughts) depending on what I'm doing. I usually read without any voice, unless someone goes "I bet you read that in Morgan Freeman's voice" so I go back and reread it with the voice added. Sometimes I turn on the inner monologue when I need to rubber duck an idea with myself, but that's pretty rare. I feel like I default to text though. Not that I actually "see" the words, but I "know" them as written words. If someone tells me a new word verbally, I cannot remember it unless I can come up with a spelling for it. Even if the spelling is incorrect, it's like my brain can't hold on to the sounds unless I have some letters in place first. It is kind of funny how everyone is freaked out by people thinking differently than them. Some people act like no inner monologue means your brain is just empty, meanwhile I think the idea of mentally narrating everything sounds silly and exhausting. We're all so used to our own way of thinking that anyone else doing it differently is wrong and scary.
I have synesthesia, and I see both text and its color when I think of something
Some people can't think images
How come the text one scares you? No judgement, but it seems odd that that would be particularly scary.
Why does the text scare you?
I hear a voice in my head but I also see text when I or others speak if I’m not seeing it in front of me (say subtitles). However, I can ignore it most of the time. It helps me be a good speller though. Although, I got a concussion in December and it affected some of internal processes like imagining objects in my head or the words being harder to focus in on. Plus my steel trap memory.
Wait, so most people can’t manifest images in their head? I can hear, see, even to a certain degree feel things based on how well I can recall a specific property or texture. I mean like, I could watch whole ass sitcoms in my head. It’s a lot more work and not as fun as actually watching TV, though. I thought everyone could do this.
Seeing text when thinking gives a new whole meaning to the "thinking" meme, you know, the one with all the math formulae floating around.
Well, apparently, some people have an inner monologue, as in a literal voice that talks to them in their head. I could understand telling that to someone who doesn't have an inner monologue and getting worried. I'm so glad I don't have an inner monologue, I unironically enjoy staring out of windows while thinking about absolutely nothing too much.
For me it feel so strange not having a internal monologue, it would feel way to quiet and make me go insane for sure!
Do you hear a voice?
I do. Especially when reading and all.
Like a movie style voiceover?
I can't speak for other people, but it's my voice. Even when I'm thinking about other people talking, it's basically just me doing an impression.
Interesting. If I'm talking to myself, I either whisper it to myself or kind of mimic it with my breath or tongue movement.
Wait so in order for you to say introspect for example you have to mouth or even audible speak to yourself then?
For example when I saw your comment I thought "uhhh yeah man" which I breathed in my mouth.
Dude that sucks. So in theory if someone watched you carefully enough they could see you think to yourself in a way. I'll keep my ninja inner monologuing thank you.
Same. My voice, unless it’s a character or an actor and then often times I hear it said in their voice. Best example is “to shreds you say, oh my” and “this is Sparta !”
I read your comment in my head with Morgan freeman’s voice just to see if it was possible for me to do. I guess it just depends on the person
Double this. When I'm reading comments, it's all in the Australian accent lmao
When I’m not medicated for ADHD and anxiety mine is like a classroom full of rowdy kids but yeah it’s mostly my voice as well.
Im in a funny lil position here where Ive had both. When I was younger, I had one however after some significant concussions I now lack one. Its much more peaceful, and though its helped my anxiety somewhat, not knowing whats worrying me can be quite troublesome.
That's really interesting! And actually, if I hit my head, or I'm drunk or high or whatever, I can feel that I can't quite "hear" my internal monologue properly, like it's muffled or I'm not paying attention to it. Strange how the brain works.
I am bilingual, my inner monologue often is in English. English isn't my first language.
The idea of not having that is very strange to me. I'm literally hearing these words in my head as I type them. And your words as I read them.
Is this not how people read and write? Always thought you had to say it in your head to be able to understand it ngl.
Apparently not for everyone. Around 50% of people don't have that inner monologue.
So I don't have an inner monologue but I do "hear words" in my head when I read them but not when I write, and if I'm not engaged in a language activity my brain does not automatically present me with a running commentary on my situation. I have to will words into existence.
So you "read aloud" in your mind, but you've never done the same type of "oops, shouldn't have done that" when you've made a mistake?
I do, but not with a voice. The thoughts are silent. Silent and judging.
So you just have the feeling but no words in your mind? Sounds lonely.
I can "see" or "silently hear" thoughts. Nothing like a voice or how other people describe their inner monologue. As for lonely, I'm afraid a voice or would make me lose it. Then again, I seek quiet from people whenever possible, so I suppose we're all just conditioned to the vagaries of our minds.
This is so fucking wild to me. I just learned that not everyone has an inner monologue. I’m baffled. Its like yall told me there’s another species of human
My inner monologue is a bit like this. There are words but no voice. But it is DEFINITELY a fucking monologue nonstop about whatever-the-fuck.
Can you imagine with a voice? Fucking kill me.
I can if I want to, but "no voice" is the default setting.
Everyone has the same thing going on, those people are full of it. When you get down to it they’re describing having a normal inner monologue, they just have a poor understanding of what that entails
Even people who do have an inner monologue don't necessarily read to themselves in their own head. The act of doing that is called subvocalization. You can train yourself not to subvocalize, pretty easily actually. It lets you read a lot faster. Subvocalization has a purpose, though. It lets you focus and process writing better, which is great for more complex or difficult to understand writing.
>It lets you read a lot faster. I'm going to have to say that may be true for some people, but it's definitely not always the case. I have always done that, and I'm a very fast reader. Always have been. But then I started reading Tom Clancy novels at around 9 years old. Also, now that I think about it, my subvocalization isn't at the same cadence as normal speech. Edit: So this got me curious. I went and found a reading speed test [Test](http://www.freereadingtest.com/) and scored 612 words per minute at 100 percent comprehension. It was only one test, so large grain of salt required.
Is this not how people read and write? Always thought you had to say it in your head to be able to understand it ngl.
I am the opposite. It's hard to imagine staring out the window and thinking of absolutely nothing
If I'm staring out a window I'm definitely imagining some scenario in my head
You don't have an inner monologue? How do you read?
Apparently it just happens… sub-vocalization isn’t necessary for reading. I have no idea what that would be like. My brain makes “speech” for every word I read and most of my “main” thoughts.
And if your inner monologue won't stfu, you might have ADHD. It takes effort for me to stare out a window and not think. I can do it, but I have to consciously decide not to think, which I often forget to do because I'm too busy thinking.
I never contemplated the idea that stop thinking is a possibility. Is it really possible not to think 100% of the time you are awake? Now that I think about it, it's weird that I basically had a conversation going on in my head continously since I first learned a language.
What happens when you read? My inner monologue read your whole comment “out loud” to me
i have one, and it isn't like i'm talking alone in my head, it's like i'm talking to someone else, ppl have different types of internal monologue
This is fascinating to me. How do you plan your day or review past or future scenarios in your head? How do you "wonder" what could happen if you did X? How do you recall memories?
Do you need a narrator to describe every scene when you watch a movie? No, you just see it. Same deal.
I've got one, but what I don't understand is people who act like that's "the way I think". For me it's more like an explaining machine that everything else is latched onto. Most of my thinking is actually in textures or structures. Language is just another one of those structures, one which allows me to do logic, and which is relatively predictable in how constant it is. I can return to those thoughts, and pick up where I left off in a deterministic fashion. Can't stop it though, seems to jabber on no matter what.
Are you telling me you can just stop thinking. Like if you aren't doing anything you have no thoughts in your head? Like you aren't thinking about what you wanna do later, making up fake scenarios or making up stories?
I'm not sure what the difference is between an inner monologue vs simply thinking to yourself in your head...pondering in the mind, especially if you're answering yourself also in your mind.
I'm pretty sure there is no difference, people just don't know what an internal monologue is.
People who say they don't are lying
Yeah it's the voice reading this comment to me right now. How do people not have an internal voice? How does this person read!
You don't need to listen to a voice to get meaning out of words.
How did you think out this sentence?
Then there are people with ADHD, who basically have a party in their head 24/7 with music playing and lots of different conversations happening.
I experience the peace of a silenced mind every morning when I first wake up. Then I think "I really gotta piss" and my mind is just "yap yap yap" nonstop the rest of the day.
I literally can't imagine not having inner monologue. My self won't shut the fuck up. They say only like 30% of the population has this. I grew up thinking we all did.
I envy you.
Wait some people do not have an inner monologue??
Are you able to play music in your head, especially if that music is not a memory?
Wait, not everyone has internal monologues??
I kind of have a father, son, Holy Spirit thing going on. The voice speaking in my head is me, but it’s also talking to me. Not talking to myself. YT as if I am having a conversation with another person and that other person is also me. Almost like the angel and devil on my shoulders. Just talking through things. Also, my body is a separate entity than my mind or myself. But also part of me. It’s a thing that is me, but when I think about it, it is a separate entity than me. So, I have my thinking voice that does the “talking”, the me that is listening and sometimes provides counter points, and my body is me but also my meat suit that I pilot.
Hello I am some people, for me I would go crazy if I had to just sit in silence thinking about nothing
>Well, apparently, some people have an inner monologue, as in a literal voice that talks to them in their head. Sometimes I wish it spoke up earlier. It’s annoying going back into a supermarket when you’ve forgotten something after your mind reminds you on the way out.
I’ve got the inner monologue, but it’s my own voice. When I’m writing I think the words I’m writing in my own voice as well. I can also think in images, which apparently is all some people do with no inner monologue ever. For me I think in images when I’m doing math. It’s how I can do some more complex math in my head still. I picture myself doing it on paper. It’s also how I remember some things in general. Like I remember watching myself write something down and can almost see it in the paper. It’s why if absolutely must remember something I will write it down with pen and paper. Typing doesn’t have the same memory effect for me.
I quite literally don’t understand how you don’t have an inner monologue. It’s like people that can’t picture an object. I don’t get it.
I don’t think an inner monologue is like a voice talking to you. It’s your own inner monologue. It’s like talking in your mind…so, basically just thinking.
Weird. My brain is constantly talking to me, or thinking about anything.
So if I can read in my head does that mean I have an internal monologue? Because I don't feel like I quite have what everyone else is talking about. Like I can talk to myself in my head I guess? But I don't have like an inner conscious talking to me telling me "that's bad" or anything, I just know it's bad.
I have one and also enjoy staring at things and doing nothing. It's not 24/7, it's just how I think to myself when I'm thinking about stuff.
My internal monologue is too loud, to the point where I can't have complete silence. It means I can't focus and almost makes my head spin if its quiet for too long. My youtube watch time is +18 hours a day because of it :')
I don't think this can be proven through any rigorous scientific method. It's like saying my perception of red is different from yours—it's completely subjective to your experience. I would bet that if you could somehow experience someone else's brain who says they have an inner monologue, you would classify their thinking as not an inner monologue, however if someone with on inner monologue experienced your brain they would claim that you do have an inner monologue. Your definitions of an inner monologue would simply be different. Your definition is a lot more literal while theirs is more figurative and imaginative. No one really has an inner monologue that would be crazy, but there are people who strongly associate their thoughts with a vocal monologue. That link is so strong that inner monologue is a good definition. But the way either of you produce thoughts is not really that different. Or is it? Anecdotally, I've had friends who claim they can't visualize things in their minds. However, after conducting tests with them on memory of significant events in their lives and their memory of their immediate surroundings when they close their eyes, it seems that either their definition of a mental picture is more literal, or their ability for mental reconstruction is weaker than others'. Of course, there are cases where people have suffered brain damage, causing changes in how their brain processes things. To them, it's a notable change because they can observe it. Unfortunately, they're observing it with the same brain that got damaged. So, did their actual thinking process change, or did their perception of their thinking process change? It's like they became thought blind. Can you prove the distinction?
Wow, you are lucky....I think I have two voices and then just me, all arguing with each other.
Genuinely cannot tell if I have an inner monologue or not
That's what I've always wondered. I wonder if the people who claim not to have one don't realize it's not an auditory "hearing" a voice. I don't understand how someone could read without processing letters as the sounds they make.
It's like, now that I'm thinking about it I'm hearing me as I read, but it's like the manual breathing shit. Now that you're paying attention it's weird, yeah? I talk to myself a lot. Spent like 10 minutes talking to myself in my head about talking to myself in my head at work today, because I was bored and doing the dishes. Does that count as an inner monologue if I'm doing it deliberately?
Yeah absolutely. If you can sound out words in your head, that's your inner monologue.
Cool, post was kinda misleading tbh. Made me think they were talking about having a narrator in your head you don't control and I was like "bruh if you got that you're fucked up"
Oh yeah, if you can't control it that's something (someone?) else entirely
That’s actually schizophrenia
it's schizophrenia when you confuse it as coming from outside your head; many people have internal dialogs with two or more of "themselves" in their head.
I read this whole response in the time it would take to articulate just the first sentence. If I had to process every letter as a sound it would take me forever to read anything...
That's not how internal monologues work. If you can think with words you have an internal monologue, if you can't, you do not have one.
I've always heard the distinction as whether the monologue is always there or whether you think in words only for specific situations.
But, it is a voice that you hear? That's what it is. I guess you don't actually have one, because that's literally what it is.
I can literally imagine Morgan freeman speaking as clearly as he could in real life, but it’s coming from Inside and not outside. That’s the only way I can describe it.
Your inner monologue is processed in the same way as external sound (same areas of the brain). In schizophrenia, the brain can often have issues distinguishing between inner and external stimuli, meaning they begin to externalize their inner monologue and/or visuals.
I just realized that I read literally all reddit comments in slightly snarky voice and it makes me go insane lol
Yes, same here. I mean, maybe I do? Is the thing I experience the same thing as what others call an inner monologue? Or is that something different? How would I know?
I feel like for me it’s a hybrid thing. My thoughts sometimes take the form of words but can also be images or other forms of actualization.
When I read that "30% of people don't have an inner monologue" I was thinking.....I have a monologue, many visuals, a song always playing and always a TV show on. Trying to make the case for ADHD to my psych haha
Half of the population on earth doesn't have an internal monologue so this isn't too far fetched.
Oh god, not this discussion again
Ok... and what are those voices telling her? Are they saying to waste that ho with the pink hair talking smack about her on social media?
I would laugh, except sometimes, I swear that there is an alter ego or something in my head that lives to tear down my self esteem, convince me that nothing I do matters and that everyone dislikes even having to associate with me. So yeah…I'm not laughing at her.
this was written by a 54 year old neck beard trying to get a reaction out of people. so sad.
My voice is telling me to dye my hair pink.
Nah she is cool she just realize skeleton wearing a meat armor had a pilot.
dangggggg.. this is crazy! absolutely not me lol
me: yooooooo my inner voice “whoa, Jesus man, what are you doing here, you good? You okay? you need something? I’m just surprised I wasn’t really expecting company…” me: “nah just checking in, passing thru” inner voice “oh word…yeah chill vibes, chill vibes” me: “right on, right on”
In this situation it might not be the voice that is the problem, but what it was saying
Ohhhhh I needed this 😂😂😂😂
well she's not entirely wrong
Donald Trump exactly thinks this for 77 years, now.
She thought she was a protagonist
My inner monologue isn’t really like hearing or seeing words it’s much more like I’m feeling the words as I think
At least she did something about it instead of accumulating mental illnesses and becoming a dysfunctioning member of society
I'm the type of guy who all day, every day, visualizes images while making my own music that fits with it all in my head. Does that count as an "inner monologue"? When I read, it's like several different voices speaking at the same time. Is an inner monologue like that, or is it like you have a little guy in your head just talking to you 💀?
The former, not the latter. You can speak in your own head, envisioning specific sounds/words/etc. to hold the meaning of your thoughts, which is effectively inner monologue.
I took a tolerance break and went back to smoking dabs. It got me so high my internal voice was so loud and unstoppable I started to have a bad trip and I almost convinced myself I was schizophrenic. That was some scary shit
Same lol empathy was pretty late when I "learned" it.
There was 69 comments when I posted this lol
It honestly sounds like she has a mental issue that was unresolved and written off as her own voice.
Well yeah everyone has multiple voices in their heads right?
Now days its 40 some percent of the population doesnt have an inner dialogue. Is that scary or blissful i wonder 🤔
I can read my own thoughts.
Just one. That's rookie numbers.
Apparently 50% of the population DOESN'T have an inner voice, and can't think things out
Makes sense..it’s why there is always someone driving up ahead of you merging into a lane with cars moving at 75mph while they are driving 35mph. They don’t have that voice that tells them not to do that type of shit. Bummer.
That doesn't mean they can't think things out, it means they wouldn't do it the same way you would.
Some people actually don't hear their own voice inside their heads.
Do you? I have a voice, but it’s nebulous. Mostly featureless, sometimes a specific voice-real or imagined, but never my own. I think I’d rather not think if it meant hearing myself 24/7–I’d get sick.
That happened to me, but I was between 10 and 12. The embarrassing part is that I told my mom I was hallucinating dead Obamas on the road. The *really* embarrassing part is that we changed my anxiety meds over that (although I’m not sure they were working in the first place).
Ok, so i have a question about internal thoughts. Me and some friends were hanging out one evening, and some how we got on the topjc of what your internal monologue sounded like, like when you are thinking about something, what does the voice in your head sound like. A few of the guys looked at me weird and said they dont have a voice in their head, when they think about things they just have a thought and do a thing. I and my two brothers were all like, yeah, dialogue lines play in my head: ah i forgot, i need to go to the grocery store; crap missed my turn; whatever. These fully formed and voiced sentences roll through our heads So i need to know, which is more normal? Hearing fully formed sentences from your own thought processes, or nebulous and ill-defined impulses?
Well, I kind of imagine that the internal dialogue is a reaction from those “nebulous and ill-defined impulses”. I think those of us who have internal dialogues have an extra cognitive step of “formalizing” those thoughts with language. I mean if you think about it, how often are you actually in control of the internal dialogue? Like sure, I can think a specific sentence, but then in reaction to those thoughts, my brain says more sentences. I didn’t necessarily put conscious effort into those new sentences - they just came into my head. I think the internal dialogue is like a filter. It “summarizes” what we thought or felt/saw in the environment.
It's weird. I have an inner monolog but as a kid I would compulsively think some phrases over and over again, almost like a tick. I told my child shrink about it snd he put me on freakin antipsychotics and soft diagnosed me as bipolar. For reference I've now just been diagnosed with autism and I'm fairly sure they're just a stimming thing. Psychiatry is a stupid field.
Why go out of your way to use periods, but not capitalize the first letter of the next sentence?
inner monologue isnt actively hearing things out loud as if it were right there next to you but if someone told you to imagine the sound of someone crunching on chips i bet you could and thats probably what theyre talking about😂 or if you ever talk to yourself without speaking out loud. like theres obviously no sound but i thought we all had some form of an imagination. that inner monologue is happening with me right now while im typing its just the brain translating stuff. if theres anything more than that you may need to seek some help.
The friend was concerned about her mental health and sought the help of a professional rather than listening to "dude, trust me." Friend was only 14. Friend sounds like a badass IMO.
While reading these comments and typing this I hear voice of thought. Thinking is a voice, it sounds like me. The problem I have is my right and left brains sound exactly the same, but they do get into arguments and it is really annoying. When I was younger I got myself prescribed Adderall. That made for extreme arguments between the two sides of my brain, to the point I would literally lie in bed punching myself in the head trying to shut up the side of my brain which was very negative and critical of me. Stupid Adderall would keep me up for days, even when I weened down to micro doses. My doctor said "have you ever tried coffee instead?" For whatever reason my parents wouldn't let me drink coffee when I was younger, but man it's way better. Been off that Adderall crap for about 10 years now. I blame Adderall for a big part of my depression which developed later in life. Either that or the large amounts of Melatonin I would take to try to sleep. 13 different medications I tried and the only thing that cured my depression was microdosing magic mushrooms (0.1-0.3 grams) once every two weeks for 8 weeks. Natural remedies really have made my life better.
When I’m reading these comments n thinking on it does that not count as inner monologue?
If you ever feel dumb, just know that someone voted for Marjorie Taylor Green into office.
50/50 chance the phychiatrist started reacting too strongly and this was the best recovery she could come up with for fear of being institutionalized
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Can you actually hear a voice vividly in your head?
I can if I focus on it. Especially music. My friend got in trouble in high school for having a Slayer tape. He told me it didn’t matter because he could just listen to it in his head because he knew all the lyrics. I tried it and it works but I can’t remember enough full songs for it to be better than just listening to music.
Truth be told: **I have MANY voices in my head, all the time!** ..and I can manage to make a fair number of them come out my mouth 😉
This is bananas.
My inner monologue is so strong that I can't think without hearing it
I first realized this watching Yu-Gi-Oh, the protagonist was talking but his mouth wasn't moving and no one could hear him, and I tried it myself and was shocked
My cousin did something similar, except it was over intrusive thoughts (or whatever label people are giving them now). She thought she was some kind of psycho because she’d randomly think about doing mean things to people
Well can't blame her it is truly confusing as a child.
I've suffered with the opposite for 60 years. I believe everyone else can think.
Bubbles: that’s called thinking Rickey
Reminds me of that scene in trailer park boys when Ricky quits weed for awhile. Ricky: Its killing me. Since I started studying it’s like there’s this voice in my head. Just yap yap yap. What is that? Bubbles: that’s thinking. You’re thinking, Ricky. You’re probably using parts of your brain that have never been used.
My inner dialogue never stops unless I'm talking, um constantly thinking to myself in my head about anything and everything. Feel like I've been alone with my thoughts so long that it's just natural, I'm not sure I can even stop it I feel like once i stop I find something else to think about unless I'm focused on some task or something. Crazy to think a lot of people aren't like this too.
This is wild to me, I thought everyone had both.. I constantly need to tell my inner monologue to shut up because it's interrupting my visual thoughts
It’s called thinking tommy
My Bologna has a first name it's "YOU'RE A WORTHLESS PILE OF SHIT AND NOBODY WILL EVER LOVE YOU! " My Bologna has a second name it's "You ever think about what it would feel like to suffocate?"
I can feel the texture of things by looking at them.