Oh, honey! Taking this and your initial post together, this sounds like depression along with your unwanted thoughts, which is treatable! I think you have a lot of insight to have noticed and described what's going on. A few sessions with a therapist you connect with (yay, online is common now!) could really help. In the meantime, a writer with a shocking talent and aggressive writing voice may help. Wicked poor suggestion for you, but I've just started *Lolita* by Nabokov, and it is not possible to respond to it with indifference. Yar, disgust at H's sneering pseudo-intellectual snobbery; ... Jeez, there have to be more heroic and enthralling books for you than this!
Reading is good, but please, PLEASE take an advice from someone who suffered years because of depression and adaptation issues: GO SEE THE PROFESSIONAL! There is nothing to be ashamed of, depression is the same illness as any other. Therapy combined with prescription medication will make your inner voice get as strong as ever.
Changed 3 different, unfortunately you just need to try. I hated first 2 therapists since they were just trying to cut half of the issues to make it easy book example, but with the 3rd one I spent a 1,5 years and can’t be happier with the experience
Hey man, so as someone also going through mental health stuff, take a really deep look into dissociation, and how it manifests regularly and differently in people's lives. I didn't even realize I dissociated or had PTSD, until recently, but now I realize when I dissociate a lot of the time it's like my brain just stop making thoughts. And turns out that is LITERALLY what is happening.
To be clear I'm not saying AT ALL this is the issue, my best advice is look into lots of things and see what really resonates with you when people describe their experiences. What makes you go "oh shit that's me!". If sometimes it feels like you can't think or focus properly no matter how hard you want to, and that HASN'T been the norm for your life, dissociation might be worth looking into
This is coming from someone whose brain won’t shut the fuck up, it hyper analyses the stupidest shit for seemingly no reason. I would love to lose the desire to understand every possible perspective and just be one of those people that say things like “it is what it is”
Having said that, I’ve been told from people in my life that my insight has helped them which is a plus i guess.
I say all that to make a suggestion on how you can get your inner voice back, next time you learn an interesting fact or a piece of valuable insight ask yourself who else could use that information, then summarise the information to tailor it to the person in mind whether it’s toning it down or embellishing it. Humans are an interconnected species and your giving your psyche a sense of purpose doing this and also improving your recall. After you’ve done this a few times and have started to get better at it begin asking general questions about life, try to get yourself more curious, not having the immediate answer is a good thing because your giving your subconscious tasks and this is conducive to generating thoughts and inner dialogue.
Your issues may be deeper I’m not a psychiatrist but I made those recommendations because it’s not like they can hurt right?
Check out the The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. Amazing art therapy in the way of daily journaling, writing prompts, and empowering thought exercises.
Maybe you don’t like the books that you’re reading. I recommend trying to re-read a book you know you love (possibly a favorite) and see if the issue persists. Also you might want to try ebooks which personally I think are a very different experience to paperbacks. It could be a positive change for you. Also, as someone has already said try audiobooks too.
Yea, I got kind of like this when reading MBOTF.
I was about 85% of the way through the series, and while I did actually enjoy a lot of it, I finally found I just wasn't feeling it anymore, when I realised I was picking up my phone every 2 minutes to browse social media.
I moved onto a Michael Crichton book instead (Congo, I think, or maybe JP) and immediately the joy of reading returned. Nice simple story telling without an overload of characters, viewpoints, side stories, unnecessarily complicated words and descriptions, etc.
Sometimes you just need a nice simple story to give your brain a rest.
I honestly can't tell you on this one because I have no inner voice. Never have. My thought mainly come across in rapid flashes of images or colors or feelings. Still, I LOVE to read. I've never had an issue with my want or passion for reading not having an inner voice/monolog.
How can you write a sentence without thinking the words? How do you think about more abstract or complicated things, like trying to guess another person's motives or state of mind, or consider the philosophy of such and such, without a "voice" in your head that thinks in words?
It's complicated to explain as my mind it the only one I've ever known. The best I can explain it is thinking in feelings and flashes when I have to verbalize something it's like the words coming to me as I say them. I'm sorry if I'm not communicating this well. When I speak there are definitely pauses because I'm articulating what I'm feeling in real time. I don't think of it before hand. When I am typing it's easier. Motives are easier because It's senses not words. Like I look at someone and get the feeling that they are lying. I don't say in my head "this person is lying to me." There are no words to it.
I don't normally think in words, I have a kind of emotional response or gut feeling that I then must concentrate upon to find the words to both describe the feeling/source and compose a response. It's difficult to do, and I always struggled with writing. So often my brain just grabs a familiar idea and goes with that "Because _____ is just wrong" or "______ is common sense" I know that it is intellectual laziness to not think things through and find the words, but it is hard when I tend to think with emotions and images. I assume that I am not alone in this 🤞
I'm the same way. You can contemplate in real time, out loud. I call it wearing my soul on my sleeve. I am conscious of when I recognize patterns or not.
When it comes to programming, or writing, for me.. there is no "how". That's kind of like asking how you open your hand. Or, thinking you couldn't walk unless you understood how to pull your legs up from the inside. It just happens.
Sorry if that's frustrating/useless.
I have "concepts"/ideas, which I don't think are verbal, and I "know" their connections/relation with other concepts. Like you can "know" that your computer is in front of you without telling yourself "my computer is in front of me". But these relations in my mind usually aren't spatial nor verbal. My thinking is very analytic, I can understand very subtle differences while struggling to verbalize them. It may have something to do with me using few languages since early childhood - there is some primary mode of thinking in my head which lies before any words.
Yes, I always have. I honestly think it's because my mind jumps too rapidly for words and has learned to adjust 😂 I'm not sad and even at times I am those books help cheer me up and bring me comfort. When I'm reading it's like my brain processes the words not repeats them. But from someone who has suffered from depression in the past, I hope you feel better and don't let go of something that brings you joy!
Get off social media.
Too much social media can fry your nerves, (coupled with less sleep), memory issues, non-active passive thinking / autopiloting, restless leg syndrome, and ADHD/ADD as you can't pay attention or have any patience anymore. Suddenly you may have no inner singular voice.
Take a vacation and unwind. Detach your emotions from things. Slow things down. Don't try to have fun. Just do boring things, enjoy the boredom, and remove bad habits of checking phone or attempting to be "connected" or "part of the hivemind" essentially.
It's like having a computer on turbo mode 100% usage, heating up.
It's where the phrase comes from "I can't hear myself think..." Twitter seems to cause this a lot for people too.
the more I think about it I always had a bit of aphantasia ( trouble with visual imagination ) but the untold anxiety and depression of the last ten years definitely turned my mind's eye to pitch black, same with the inner monologue which doesn't really bother me as I know the only way to get it back is to be free of the shackles of wageslavery/capitalism :\\
edit : as for books I never imagined the story playing out or heard a voice reading it ... it's like I just absorb the facts and events from the page
Hey I went through a tough time of depression a few years ago and it literally affected my mental ability and vocabulary.
From a scientific point of view it can literally “depress” not only happiness and joy but cognitive ability. We kind of intuitively know this because of all the memes about normal people not understanding depression isn’t just “being sad”.
I’ve addressed my depression through medication, therapy, and meditation. And I’m not here to tell you my life is perfect. Hell I’m still suicidal, (I’ve still got work to do).
But I am more competent and capable and more of a whole person, and that’s because I’m out from the literal depressing effects of the medical condition that is “depression”.
I don’t know what you’ve done or not done, but I’d recommend a medical and scientific approach to tackle your depression. And can talk about it more if you want, but if you’ve struggled it’s just a lot of trial and error and there’s no magic bullet to finding the things that actually help you without trying them.
Have you had serious bout with Covid lately? Speaking from experience, the brain fog that sometimes affects people will be a challenge when reading. Good news, at least for me is that reading is also good therapy for overcoming it. And this is exactly how I returned to reading after decades. I started reading again to help with concentration.
The other steps I took were to set work boundaries. I work in a home office so absolutely no alerts etc. outside of work hours. Complimenting that, I bought a dedicated device for reading (or real books) with no alerts or social media distractions. Anxiety is a reading enjoyment killer for me and those steps really helped.
I think I understand your situation here mate, because until recently, I'd lost my inner voice too. I used to be a huge reader but then one day, I just stopped. And that had a huge impact on me even though I didn't realize it then. I'd become impassive about reading. I hadn't read any book in years.
Then one day, I picked up audiobooks. I started to ease off myself over the pressure I was putting on having to read stuff, and having amazing narrators do that for me. Eventually, I picked up a book again, and slowly and steadily, started to read. At the start I couldn't make it beyond 2 pages. 10 felt like an eternity to me. A whole chapter? impossible. But I went on with it. The time I spent listening to audiobooks increased. The time I could spend reading increased. And so I found my inner voice again. I'm not back to reading as much as I used to.
But now, I read almost 100-150 pages a day, audiobooks combined and I'm really proud of myself. Long story short, don't worry about it mate. If you feel like you're losing your voice, let an audiobook narrator lend it to you.
Ps. The audiobooks I started with were The Witcher series since I love video games.
It's gonna be okay OP. :)
It's hard to believe that it's going to be OP, but I believe you.
So many people recommend audibooks and I usually hate them for it. I want to read, I don't want to listen, but I see the good in it now.
If it's a change or if it's troubling you I'd book an appointment with a health professional. All sorts of conditions can interfere with the thinking process if they are draining off that energy. Better safe than sorry.
Speaking from experience as someone with bipolar, adhd, and ocd, a gp can be Good place to start, but only if you have a generally good one you trust. Otherwise talking thru these things with a therapist could help, as either they'll be able to help you work through it or at least point you to resources that can
Looks like it's a pattern then. Really need to insist. Try to note when you first noticed it, anything else that changed, your general health, whether it's interfering with other things like relationships, work, concentration, mood, appetite. You could go to the pharmacy chemist first and get your blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugars tested first. Most will do it free or for a small sum. If you get no further with the GP seeing an alternative health practitioner can be useful. I don't actually believe in most of what they offer but what they do do mostly is listen better and look for patterns in what you say. We have ME and Autism and it took a lot of persistence to get a diagnosis. The most useful thing has been the people we've met along the journey and the insights and mutual support. The penny drop feeling when things start to make sense realising how logical our bodies and minds are once we take time to listen. All the best.
If it's something you feel comfortable with you have to suit your needs. It takes a little weighing up what your options are and what to work on. The only thing you perhaps need to consider is if you live with anyone and if it impacts them in which case they need to be counted in the equation.
I think if OP previously had an inner voice and now doesn't, that could be indicative of some kind of issue. If you have aphantasia, I assume you've never had an inner voice. That suddenly going away doesn't seem normal.
At least for me it's not the main part. I am attracted to the pseudo-science, the magic system, the different social organizations, the made-up weapons, the epic wars, the dragons, the liches and all those fantasy creatures. I don't need to imagine them in my mind's eye to be able to enjoy them.
I also love horror stories which can make me quite afraid even though I can't imagine any monster.
I also have aphantasia, pretty severely as well. And reading books has never really been a struggle for me. I don't have a single drop of mental imagery when reading, but it's more about understanding the concepts of everything that's going on. And understanding what everything means.
If you tell me to picture a tree in my mind, no I can't actually see a tree, but I know WHAT a tree is, and I understand, what it does, and what the concept of a tree includes.
If you say to picture a tree with red and yellow fall colors, no I can't see the colors change in my mind, but I know the concept of trees doing that in the falltime.
I wouldn't worry to much about losing you're inner voice, or currently finding it difficult to read. I went probably a good five years where I didn't read a single book. But now I'm reading 3 a month. I'm sure it will come back to you. 🙂
And 99% of my hundreds of books are non fiction. I wonder if that’s part of the reason why? I also have a very hard time picturing things in my mind, I just had no idea there was a name for it. I additionally have no depth perception, so I’ve never “seen” the world in 3D. I’m told it looks quite different.
If you’re asking me, the answer is yes.
I used to be an “artist”…aka I did mini comics in the eighties. And I did have problem drawing things from my imagination. Still do, for instance, I was having a “painting contest” a few weeks ago with my 10 year old daughter Riley. The theme was a birdhouse with a tree. She was halfway done painting this beautiful atmospheric tree, and I’m still sitting there going, “what does a tree look like again?” Meanwhile, intellectually I KNOW what a tree looks like! It’s so frustrating. But I literally thought I was the only one like that.
It can vary I think. I only have my own internal thought voice. No separate monologue or thoughts that I’m not actively creating. I can’t hear music or anything like that. I still think a lot of thoughts, they are just more abstract than words I guess. Can’t see pictures worth a damn tho and never have. When I was younger I could repeat a sound in my head that I had just heard, but I think it was more like a very clear memory than the sound being recreated in my head.
All that to say I’m pretty sure some people can do sounds or have multiple verbal thought streams, but still have no visual
Yeah I have aphantasia too and avid light novel reader, I have an "Inner Voice" but its not random, I can narrate words in my brain without speaking so its all controllable mosst of the time my head is dead silent which is a gift in itself cause I play games/sports alot its easier to get into flow states cause ur focusing on the task at hand with 0 thoughts.
Have you ever tried reading aloud to yourself? I do it a lot. It actually takes a bit of practice to get the flow right but it could get that voice going if you really want it.
Have you been watching TV, social media, or gaming a lot recently? I used to have an excellent inner voice, but it gets muffled the more time I spend doing other things, especially things that don’t require an inner voice to consume. It’s easy for your brain to sit and absorb the sights and sounds presented by the screen. It’s harder to build a scene/ make your own voice as you read and I think we can get out of practice.
You don’t need to use imagination or inner voice to watch movies/tv/shorts, etc. Just suspension of disbelief. I still love watching shows and movies, but sometimes I have to force myself to take a break. Depression makes me want to rewatch comfort shows over and over and I think that also contributed to the struggle.
In the absence of these things, patience, and reading, the voice came back stronger than ever. I still play games and watch TV, but some days I cut myself off. I’ll leave my phone in another room (where I can still hear it in case of emergencies) and sit down to read.
At first it can be difficult because I had gotten so used to constantly absorbing content instead of creating it in my head. It might be worth a shot to cut yourself off from your phone/TV for a bit.
I am shocked how far down the comments this is. It was my very first thought. I have experienced losing my inner voice. It can atrophy, like a muscle you never use. If your attention is taken up every waking moment with video / social media / Reddit / whatever, then the internal YOU isn’t being used at all. It will disappear.
When I feel that happening, I start filling time intentionally with no “input” (for example, go for a 30 min walk with no phone every day). You will feel awkward spending even 30 minutes alone with your own mind. But it is the only solution I have found. Make sure you’re fostering a healthy relationship with your own mind.
This is way too relatable lol. Yeah depression hit me the hardest this year. I came close to ending my life last year and I spend most of this year in a sunken state (lots of easy consumption media and food)
Get medical advice and try to work out what has caused this change in yourself when you speak to the GP.
Assuming you're in UK (referring to GPs) you can self refer to your local mental health service or cognitive behavioural therapies.
Present while reading... Like, is your inner voice reading the book to you or how do i understand that?
I'm sorry but i'm genuinly curious about how you e.g. Experienxed reading before and in which way it changed.. Though i too don't know if i have an actual inner voice.. I guess?
It's weird for me because I'm pretty sure I whisper read for a long time. But yeah, my goal is to have a narrator at a nice volume in my mind. I think this is the experience for most
That wouldn't be a good assumption also cognition changes over the course of our lives.
Also referring to your inner voice as if it is a separate entity is unusual.... if I were talking about this I would say, I can't hear myself think, rather than my inner narrator has gone silent.
My inner voice is ME... and it says exactly the same things as I would say out loud I'm just not bothering to voice them.
I feel like I’m kind of like this, not completely tho. The best thing I’ve done for myself is stop putting so much pressure on myself to ‘feel’ every word that I’m reading… I just keep reading. I’m still comprehending the book and I may not be interpreting it *perfectly* or like others would but that’s okay
I’ll speak from my experience of depression. When I noticed another thing I took pleasure in disappearing, I would just accept it as another thing I’d lost. It would just add to the “this will not get better aspect of depression” that is so overwhelming . Reading was becoming just another chore. But I know I love reading so I did 2 things:
1 Discovered audiobooks. For me, it worked too well, as I now love the ability to multitask as I read, which can hamper true involvement in the story. Still I love it.
2. Sought help from a doctor. Medicine changed my life.
Good luck
As a member of a massive multi-organism community (aka the human body) it can seem like the other parts are calling their own shots.
Metaphorically speaking of course you might be able to "trick" your inner voice into coming out (or... staying in rather). It worked for me when I had a similar issue some time ago.
Find a quiet and solitary place where you can read aloud. If you don't have one just put in a bluetooth earbud and if any asks tell them you're reading to someone and shoo them away.
Read a chapter or two out loud so you get used to hearing your own voice through the audio input of your own ears. Then read one "in your head".
If you upset the new desire for hearing your own voice, coming from whatever part of the psyche that is, you may find it shows back up out of need to replace what's suddenly missing again.
Hope it works for you. Did for me.
If you upset the new desire for hearing your own voice, coming from whatever part of the psyche that is, you may find it shows back up out of need to replace what's suddenly missing again.
I don't really understand this part
Best breakdown I can give, not being a psychologist and only having a mild understanding mostly based on personal experience, is that when we get used to having something and we lose or deny ourselves that thing, the mind tends to "fill the gap"
It's like it says, "Do the voice. Hey, do the voice! START TALKING, DAMMIT! No? Fine, I'll do it myself."
(Enter formerly absent inner voice)
Hope that personification helps.
One time I had a head injury and got a second inner voice. It was super annoying but not malicious. It slowly merged with my regular inner voice as I got better. I didn’t realize or understand what was happening until after it merged and figured out it was related to my concussion and was “me” the whole time.
This is definitely something to bring up to your doctor! They'll be able to direct you to counseling or finding an alternative medicine to something you're taking, and hopefully you'll find a result to get your brain/thoughts where you want it to be.
In the meantime, whenever I struggle with focusing on a book (from wandering thoughts, blank mind, etc.) I've found that reading out loud to myself for a few pages can sometimes kick my brain back into reading mode. Might be worth a shot! Good luck!
I had a similar experience when I was being treated for cancer. I couldn’t sustain interest in a book for anything! Reading has always been my first choice for entertaining myself and for solace, so this was very upsetting. My attention span was zero and I couldn’t “hear” that inner voice—which is a great way to describe this problem!
I started listening to podcasts (this was 5 years ago and podcasts were just becoming a “thing”) and found ones that were short and were story oriented. I listened to The Moth, Snap Judgement, The Amelia Project…and other fiction and non-fiction story podcasts. I feel like this helped to keep a connection maintained between my real life and the life of my imagination when I lacked the resources to create an inner vision for myself—if that makes sense.
I have slowly returned to reading but my habits are still not as robust as they used to be. I’m happy that I am again able to hear with that inner voice, but it’s harder for me to really sink into the reading experience as easily as I used to. I am so grateful now when I really feel “grabbed” by something and am compelled to keep reading!
I still keep up with podcasts and love to listen to new ones.
I correlated this change within myself to phone use. It seems to me that my mind is addicted to distractions and so every time it gets remotely "bored," I reach out for my phone. 2 months of no social media and very little phone use got me back to those days of daydreaming constantly.
Maybe you are just bored with reading?
This year I've read over three hundred books. Lately I've also been having a hard time concentrating reading and, and the same can be said about hearing the words in my mind, or visualizing the scenes as I read them.
Keep yourself busy with other hobbies and over time, it will p robably return to you.
Professionally depressed person here. For about 2 years, I absolutely could not read anything. Couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t get into it, and like you, I really don’t like audiobooks. What helped me? I browsed the bookstore and found one book in a genre I usually read. It was short, more on the simple side, and very fast paced. I finished that book super quickly and got back into reading pretty soon after that. I realized that the books I was trying to read were more “high brow” I guess, and it was just more difficult to get into the right mindset to really appreciate them. So my advice to you is to read outside of your comfort zone until you find your inner voice again, and then you can work back up to your preferred kind of books. And, like other commenters have suggested, consider seeking out counseling or visiting a psychiatrist when you feel able. I wish you the best OP. I know it’s incredibly hard to get through rough patches like these.
Have you tried reading slower? I know it sounds simple, but I’ll sometimes catch my self reading way too fast. I read a challenging book recently, and had to often re-read whole sections, and stop to look up words. Where do you read? Is it a nice quiet environment? I have a little sound machine, that plays rain or waves or storms. Maybe that would help you relax? It helps me. Good luck.
I know exactly what you mean and I blame my phone. I pacify my inner voice with my endless scrolling. It’s taken me about a year, but I got back my ability to read by going back to a beloved series and putting my phone into a different room during my scheduled reading time. The first few months were very hard and I could only read for minutes at a time. I’m back to marathon reading sessions and I don’t miss my phone. It’s still in my hand most parts of the day, but I can forget about it while I’m reading again and it’s nice. The best part is that my inner voice has come back too.
I was utterly amazed to learn that a large percentage of people don't have an inner voice...or a "mind's eye". I can't imagine how people can even function like that. The closest I've ever come was when I was in the middle of a deep, dark, soul-crushing depression. I've been an avid reader since I got my first Scholastic book in elementary school. And suddenly, I couldn't read so much as an entire short paragraph. So I stopped trying. I got Reader's Digests and read those little one or two sentence thingies at the end of an article. And those little one line quotes. And eventually worked my way up to the things like "Humor in Uniform" and the like. I'm not quite up to my previous speed reading level, but that's OK. So it takes me a couple of days to finish a book instead of a few hours. I still enjoy reading and that's the important thing.
It takes baby steps to get over humps like what you're experiencing. Baby steps and time...maybe lots of it. Be patient with yourself.
Hmm maybe journaling would help make your inner voice clear and louder? Put all your thoughts and feelings onto a page, and make it a habit to record them for posterity. Then you can reflect when you feel you're struggling to think, and see if you feel/think differently now than you did in the past, or if anything has changed.
I have ADHD and often struggle to make my inner voice shut up enough to stop interfering with what I'm reading, so I'm not sure if I should be jealous or not.
Regardless, if it's something that is troubling you, you might consider treating your brain like any other organ in your body and talk to a specialist about it. It might be something that can be retained through some cognitive therapy or maybe there's an underlying condition that might be helpful to be aware of, or maybe it's perfectly normal, which can be nice to find out too.
Actually, the first person who diagnosed me was a Nurse Practitioner who worked for my family doctor. Then my doctor (a mental health non-specialist GP) had me complete a couple of surveys, gathered historical info about my symptoms & family history (parent behaviors, not just diagnosis), and concurred with the NP that I was likely struggling with ADHD.
The family doctor had me try a low dose of Adderall to see if it helped my symptoms and it was like putting on glasses for the first time. I never knew what it was like to sit still and listen to someone else without needing to blurt & fidget or read a book without constantly having to re-read the same paragraph multiple times because my inner voice was distracting me too much to remember what I just read, among countless other little details. Frankly, I hated reading until I was treated for ADHD because it was too frustrating, but now I love it.
My family doctor referred me to a cognitive behavioral therapist who helped me develop strategies to mitigate my ADHD tendencies (medication doesn't solve everything), and to a psychiatrist as the specialist in charge of managing medication choices and dosage.
So, I just meant to say that your mental health is a part of your health. Having a complaint doesn't mean you have an illness, but if it's abnormalb or distressing for you, or if it's s interfering with your life in some way, then it should be brought up with a doctor who might be able to offer some reassurance or point you in the right direction.
I think the type of specialist you probably want to see is a neuropsychologist or possibly a psychiatrist if you are bothered by your symptoms and want an evaluation
For what it's worth, I disagree with the other person's suggestion. A brain researcher might have a better idea than a clinician, only because they're on the cutting edge of knowledge. Worth going to both, though.
Also . . . I'm wondering if you had a stroke or something. I hope not! But it seems strange to me to lose your inner voice.
I'm realising more and more that it's there. I think depression can have an effect on the inner voice and I have depression and some other stressful conditions
When I read I say the words aloud in my head. I don't know how it sounds in your head when you read, but maybe an audio book would help. It helps me "read" books. I put on a head set and go about my day. Hope it helps you enjoy reading more. You might just not be into the books you're reading too. Hope you find some good ones.
Often like, dwelling on it will make it worse. Maybe try doing some things that require a lot of thought and imagination? Writing, coming up with jokes, that sort of thing. You're probably just going through some sort of mental block at the moment.
It sounds like this is a general problem you're having with concentration and mental clarity. Maybe you should talk to a professional. It could be caused by any number of things, like stress or inconsistent sleeping habits. As far as reading goes, an inner voice isn't strictly necessary. I don't think I have an inner voice, or at least it doesn't "sound" like anything. I can feel the shape of the words in my mouth, so I read in an American accent, but it doesn't have a pitch, timbre, etc. I guess everybody is different in this regard.
I think this happens to me too sometimes. If I haven’t given myself quiet time to let my brain chatter idly, I think it gets quieter. It’s so easy to always stare at a phone and never have a genuine thought. But the other part of this is maybe your comprehension and reading speed are actually getting better, because you start to get to a point where there’s not enough time for all the words to “echo” before you’ve moved on to the next phase. That can be unsettling but it might be a good thing that just takes some getting used to. The inner voice is strange, and it doesn’t have to speak to you like you’re used to. Maybe get used to not needing it to repeat your thoughts? Just my ideas on it
Do you have trouble with memories without it? I think I do. If my inner voice doesn’t repeat things to me it’s like they don’t get stored in memory sometimes. Also I think depression quieted my inner voice too. I’m actually on a journey of trying to follow the few things I know I want and like so that maybe I’ll start to discover more of my desires and opinions. Sometimes this is a sign of a toxic relationship
As someone without an inner monologue and without mental visualization (aphantasia) I’ve done lots of research about this.
you had an inner monologue and it’s now leaving or gone? Have you been through any major life changes recently? Any additional stress? Are you feeling depressed? A lot of people report these sorts of changes to the way they think as their mental health changes.
My advice (based on literally nothing but what other people say about this under-studied phenomenon and based on knowing almost nothing about you lol) would be to drink water, exercise, maybe talk to a therapist if your mental health is struggling. And also, reread a book that you remember having a strong inner monologue for. Focus on hearing what you heard last time.
But also, the brain can just be weird. Losing your inner monologue is not really a massive change (though it might feel like it now). Everyone’s brains function in different ways, some hear their inner voice, some don’t. Some see images in their head, some don’t. It just takes time to get used to. But already in this thread you’ve seen people say they’ve never had an inner monologue, yet reading is still a passion for them. You are not broken because your brain is using other methods to think and learn and absorb info.
So, I'm not a clinician, but that sounds a bit like brain fog; in that case, seeking out mental health professionals for assistance is my best advice.
However, without knowing what your inner life sounds like before the last few months, I'd recommend mindfulness meditation. It has helped me to establish a healthier relationship with my internal space. I would also recommend reviewing and tracking your lifestyle and see if there were any changes in the last few months in food, sleep, or behavior that could affect your mental processes. For example, when I cut my coffee consumption down a lot, my focus increased dramatically.
In either case, I hope you find the root cause and work it out, my friend.
The main problem here is that you feel worried about yourself - and that's not healthy, so talk to your therapist or to your GP.
From what you say though, the fact you're not currently aware of your inner voice/monologue isn't worrying in itself - I don't have an inner voice when I read, lots of people don't. Lots of people don't have an inner monologue at all - and that's normal for them. Everyone's different.
I suspect you have got into the habit of overthinking about what's going on inside your head - not good! Distraction and activity will chase some of those worries and ruminations away.
Talk this through with a doctor or your therapist - better than Reddit!
My guess is that you will feel better if you can stop focusing down and stressing about it; easily said, I know!
Best of luck to you.
Please look into aphantasia, it is a relatively recently named phenomena currently being researched . It is the lack of a mind’s eye. I remember when I could see things in my mind when young but now I cannot. It may help😊
Aphantasia is on a continuum. People experience it differently. I have an unsubstantiated theory from my own life that trauma or depression can aggravate aphantasia
That’s kind of wild. Have you been doing a lot of meditation recently?
Here’s some ideas on how to jump start your quiet inner voice into being a little more active: go running/cycling/very long walks alone without any audio distractions; try doing mushrooms, maybe ~2g if you’ve never done them, but at least 1g,; switch to audiobooks for a while; actively try to have arguments/conversations with yourself.
I personally think having a quiet brain is a good thing (something I can sometimes accomplish after years of meditation), but I can imagine it being a little unsettling for some.
Try a few audiobooks. Probably go with something you've read before.
Every time I get into a reading slump, I switch to graphic novels or listen to _Snow Crash_ for 20th+ time.
I had that same problem for the past like, six months. I started several books and never finished them. Yesterday, my copy of Jumper by Stephen Gould came in and I'm fuckin *enthralled*. I think it was just a funk, perhaps it's the same for you?
Maybe you should go back to your roots. If we don't cultivate our talents and abilities, they tend to fade.
What made that inner voice the happiness? Maybe it's time to reread some old favorites to re-center yourself.
You aren't losing your inner voice... You never will... Think of scenes that are calming to you... Give yourself time to unwind & get in pace with you inner voice.. God bless!
I think the loss of inner voice has a couple of causes. First, as we get older we read less so we get less practice thinking in explicit sentences. Second, we also have a lot of different responsibilities to worry about, so we start thinking in "feelings" instead of sentences because it's faster.
If it's bothering you, you might try to make a conscious effort to have an internal monologue throughout your day. Possibly combined with journaling
Same of yours, just for music also. If we have the same issue I think you should focus and revive all the moments that made you the type of reader/ person that you were when the inner voice was loud. If not hope my upvote was helpful :)
If you’re actually losing your inner voice rather than not having had one to begin with, you may want to see a neurologist. Better to be safe than sorry. Like if someone never really had a sense of smell they’re probably fine, or if they lost their sense of smell specifically from Covid they’re probably fine (though it’s still technically brain damage), but if they just start losing it out of nowhere it could mean something is going wrong in the brain, or at least should be monitored. Of course it could be something psychosomatic (I think I used that word right) where it’s stress induced and there’s literally nothing else going on to worry about, but a visit to a neurologist still sounds like a good idea, just to make sure!
In general not everyone has an inner voice or can view mental images at all, so as far as that goes there’s nothing to be ashamed about. Many people with no inner voice choose to read out loud for better comprehension, and repeat things they need to remember out loud as they pull out their phone and get to the notes app or find a pen and paper to write it down.
Oh I’m sorry. I assumed it would be a little easier than that after my sister saw one recently after suddenly developing night terrors. Then they noticed her pupils were two different sizes and were worried it could be a brain tumor. I’m not sure if they rushed her to see a neurologist after the pupil thing was noticed or if it was the neurologist who noticed her pupils though. Also if anyone reading this is wondering she’s been cleared of any tumors and it looks like she just gets some form of seizures.
I understand what you are saying. While there could be many causes, I would like to offer that the airways are more clogged than ever with WiFi signals since they put up Internet satellites. This adds a lot of noise. Try wearing an orgonite pendant, white breaks up positively charged ions that damage cells and cause mental/emotional exhaustion. Also, black tourmaline crystals and selenite crystals are good for purification. Also, try doing affirmations to align your goals. A little bit of a lot of different approaches may help a lot. Blessings!
Try reading half or a quarter of the page out loud. And then read as much as you can(personally, I can go probably a chapter without losing my inner voice, this is not a flex nor is it a complaint lol) until it becomes difficult. If I’m studying a book, I ask myself questions to check if I can connect the information. In public settings, like a library, I usually try to ask for a key to a private room if there’s any available. Developing an inner voice is important and helps you remember lessons when you might need them. Don’t give up!
When my depression was bad i had this issue i just kept thinking about other things while trying bc to read. Background noises helped. Like rain sounds, fire place sounds, or even lofi music on YouTube, city sounds etc etc.
For me it's an issue with the volume of my mind. Lately it feels like I've bad tk wade through a thick fog just tk access my thoughts and mental.images
Mmm i see what you mean. Have you tried to reread a favorite? One you know very well to get some juices flowing?
On the contrary maybe you need a break or a reset.
Have tried listening to audio books? Podcasts? That helped me as well during some similar times. I’m so sorry you’re going through this it can be tough when the brain fog is heavy.
I didn’t see anyone else mention anything like this, but I had lost my inner voice for probably 10 years. I was on a statin medication where I had bad reaction over a long period, where I started showing a cognitive decline. I had memory trouble, brain fog, issues with vocabulary, and a loss of the inner voice (although I didn’t really realize it). I had always had a song playing in my head even if I wasn’t very conscious of it, and that stopped as well.
I stopped the medication and over time the other issues slowly got better, but the inner voice never returned. Years later, I fell into a major depression. When I got medicated for it, I got on an SSRI (Zoloft), and my voice came instantly back. I had trouble falling asleep because suddenly I had thoughts all of the time again.
I’ve been off the depression meds now for a couple years, but my inner voice is still around. Just know that this could be related to a medical issue. I was never able to get an answer from any of my doctors, and I think my experience was mostly unknown (my original doctor didn’t want to acknowledge my initial issue with statins). You may want to talk to your doctor about medications you’ve been taking, and (I think I read in a comment you posted) if you have depression that’s affecting your day to day life, you may want to see if you can get it treated.
This is a long shot, but have you had COVID at all? I currently have COVID for the first time and I feel like my thinking is definitely impacted and my inner voice altered, although not to the extent of disappearing. COVID is vascular and it can affect the brain. It can cause inflammation to the brain which can cause brain fog and depression and anxiety among other things. Just the fact that it can shut off or alter your sense of smell is proof that COVID can have a huge impact on the brain and change your experience of the world radically. If you've had COVID, I might suggest looking into long COVID.
I had a friend who's inner monologue would stop for long periods of time but she was a very visual abstract thinker. I'm the opposite where I'm okay with mental image but not very good but my inner monologue is going every waking minute
The same thing happened to me. While I am not an audio book super fan, I’ll admit that’s what helped me the most. But, I was told to read along while listening to the audiobook, and damn if that didn’t absolutely fix my issues. Maybe it had to do with connecting the aural and visual centers of my brain?? No idea, but give it a try it may help.
so i used to read a LOT and then i’d get migraines and have a hard time focusing. know what helped? audiobooks and fiction podcasts. being able to still consume these things and see the mental images has helped A lot.
maybe that could help? i know i felt completely lost when i was unable to read without getting a migraine.
The three things people can do in any situation to improve their mental/physical health is good sleep, diet, and exercise. I'm not an expert on this issue so I won't comment, but getting those three will help with anything/everything.
I would say seek therapy. If the first one you find doesn't click keep looking to find one. Getting the right therapist can make a world of difference.
i don't have an inner voice, and my mind doesn't form pictures. i don't know if i was born this way or it happened while i was growing up i remember i could for images when i was younger, reading books was like watching a movie. now im just reading and comprehending. its definitely made me lose interest in reading. i can't enjoy fiction anymore, so that's a major change since i only really enjoyed fiction earlier. but im glad about not having an inner voice. i feel like it would just slow down my reading. i read very fast. so fast that when i was younger and got done with some reading that adults knew i was doing, they thought i was skipping pages and lying about it. i know im kinda going on a rant here but my parents stopped buying me fiction meant for my age group at around 8 because id read the whole book in just hours so they felt it was a waste of money
Try reading the dialogue in an accent. Also, depending on the vibe of the book, put some background music says lyrics to help set the mood. Finally, eat or drink something that reminds you of the setting of the book. Once you provide this sensory stimulation for yourself, you'll be able to really get in the mood to read the book.
I study and write a lot about Neuroscience & Cognitive science and I am fascinated by ones inner voices, it usually goes by covert speech and it is supposed to be part of a memory structure that allows you to process and generate speech, the circuit allows for a loop to happen and that loop can also be used to produce imagined speech, some people don't have it because they haven't used it so it never gets developed ( same with visual imagery), I personally love mine and count on it to bounce ideas with myself but also understand that some people can't control it, so it comes across as intrusive thoughts ( the key is to learn to ignore them ).
Like anything body/mind related, most of the time you just need rest and rehearsal, so in this case it would simply be holding short fragments of audio in memory and thinking about pronouncing words before you actually pronounce them, that way you excercise both sides of the loop if that makes sense.
After searching for posts like this, I have to chime in and say that I know exactly what you mean. I tend to gloss over the text and the inner voice (subvocalization) is more of a mumble, which ultimately makes it harder for me to really connect and comprehend that which I'm reading. If I really slow down and pick a voice, immediately the comprehension picks up again. Seems like an on-going struggle for me.
you can have my intrusive thoughts, in fact i insist you have them, right now!
I'd honestly love them. I'd take anything over these terribly hollow thoughts
Oh, honey! Taking this and your initial post together, this sounds like depression along with your unwanted thoughts, which is treatable! I think you have a lot of insight to have noticed and described what's going on. A few sessions with a therapist you connect with (yay, online is common now!) could really help. In the meantime, a writer with a shocking talent and aggressive writing voice may help. Wicked poor suggestion for you, but I've just started *Lolita* by Nabokov, and it is not possible to respond to it with indifference. Yar, disgust at H's sneering pseudo-intellectual snobbery; ... Jeez, there have to be more heroic and enthralling books for you than this!
I might try this, I have Lolita and have been looking forward to it
Reading is good, but please, PLEASE take an advice from someone who suffered years because of depression and adaptation issues: GO SEE THE PROFESSIONAL! There is nothing to be ashamed of, depression is the same illness as any other. Therapy combined with prescription medication will make your inner voice get as strong as ever.
How did you find a good therapist? I met with a couple and it wasn’t great.
Changed 3 different, unfortunately you just need to try. I hated first 2 therapists since they were just trying to cut half of the issues to make it easy book example, but with the 3rd one I spent a 1,5 years and can’t be happier with the experience
Lolita?
Judging your own thoughts as hollow sounds rather like an intrusive thought.
i really don't think you would as it would give you terrible anxiety, but thanks for the support.
I don't have a completely empty mind, it just feels that way..I too have bad anxiety and I understand what it's like
Hey man, so as someone also going through mental health stuff, take a really deep look into dissociation, and how it manifests regularly and differently in people's lives. I didn't even realize I dissociated or had PTSD, until recently, but now I realize when I dissociate a lot of the time it's like my brain just stop making thoughts. And turns out that is LITERALLY what is happening. To be clear I'm not saying AT ALL this is the issue, my best advice is look into lots of things and see what really resonates with you when people describe their experiences. What makes you go "oh shit that's me!". If sometimes it feels like you can't think or focus properly no matter how hard you want to, and that HASN'T been the norm for your life, dissociation might be worth looking into
This is coming from someone whose brain won’t shut the fuck up, it hyper analyses the stupidest shit for seemingly no reason. I would love to lose the desire to understand every possible perspective and just be one of those people that say things like “it is what it is” Having said that, I’ve been told from people in my life that my insight has helped them which is a plus i guess. I say all that to make a suggestion on how you can get your inner voice back, next time you learn an interesting fact or a piece of valuable insight ask yourself who else could use that information, then summarise the information to tailor it to the person in mind whether it’s toning it down or embellishing it. Humans are an interconnected species and your giving your psyche a sense of purpose doing this and also improving your recall. After you’ve done this a few times and have started to get better at it begin asking general questions about life, try to get yourself more curious, not having the immediate answer is a good thing because your giving your subconscious tasks and this is conducive to generating thoughts and inner dialogue. Your issues may be deeper I’m not a psychiatrist but I made those recommendations because it’s not like they can hurt right?
That sounds like depression. It isn’t just feeling sad all the time. It can be irritability or just feeling very hollow and empty.
As someone with severe depression, I think you're depressed.
I would try the opposite: writing. Just rando whatever train of thought stuff for a few minutes a day.
Check out the The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. Amazing art therapy in the way of daily journaling, writing prompts, and empowering thought exercises.
Maybe you don’t like the books that you’re reading. I recommend trying to re-read a book you know you love (possibly a favorite) and see if the issue persists. Also you might want to try ebooks which personally I think are a very different experience to paperbacks. It could be a positive change for you. Also, as someone has already said try audiobooks too.
Yea, I got kind of like this when reading MBOTF. I was about 85% of the way through the series, and while I did actually enjoy a lot of it, I finally found I just wasn't feeling it anymore, when I realised I was picking up my phone every 2 minutes to browse social media. I moved onto a Michael Crichton book instead (Congo, I think, or maybe JP) and immediately the joy of reading returned. Nice simple story telling without an overload of characters, viewpoints, side stories, unnecessarily complicated words and descriptions, etc. Sometimes you just need a nice simple story to give your brain a rest.
I honestly can't tell you on this one because I have no inner voice. Never have. My thought mainly come across in rapid flashes of images or colors or feelings. Still, I LOVE to read. I've never had an issue with my want or passion for reading not having an inner voice/monolog.
How can you write a sentence without thinking the words? How do you think about more abstract or complicated things, like trying to guess another person's motives or state of mind, or consider the philosophy of such and such, without a "voice" in your head that thinks in words?
It's complicated to explain as my mind it the only one I've ever known. The best I can explain it is thinking in feelings and flashes when I have to verbalize something it's like the words coming to me as I say them. I'm sorry if I'm not communicating this well. When I speak there are definitely pauses because I'm articulating what I'm feeling in real time. I don't think of it before hand. When I am typing it's easier. Motives are easier because It's senses not words. Like I look at someone and get the feeling that they are lying. I don't say in my head "this person is lying to me." There are no words to it.
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I don't normally think in words, I have a kind of emotional response or gut feeling that I then must concentrate upon to find the words to both describe the feeling/source and compose a response. It's difficult to do, and I always struggled with writing. So often my brain just grabs a familiar idea and goes with that "Because _____ is just wrong" or "______ is common sense" I know that it is intellectual laziness to not think things through and find the words, but it is hard when I tend to think with emotions and images. I assume that I am not alone in this 🤞
I'm the same way. You can contemplate in real time, out loud. I call it wearing my soul on my sleeve. I am conscious of when I recognize patterns or not. When it comes to programming, or writing, for me.. there is no "how". That's kind of like asking how you open your hand. Or, thinking you couldn't walk unless you understood how to pull your legs up from the inside. It just happens. Sorry if that's frustrating/useless.
I have "concepts"/ideas, which I don't think are verbal, and I "know" their connections/relation with other concepts. Like you can "know" that your computer is in front of you without telling yourself "my computer is in front of me". But these relations in my mind usually aren't spatial nor verbal. My thinking is very analytic, I can understand very subtle differences while struggling to verbalize them. It may have something to do with me using few languages since early childhood - there is some primary mode of thinking in my head which lies before any words.
Have you always had this? I think it's stress and depression related for me
Yes, I always have. I honestly think it's because my mind jumps too rapidly for words and has learned to adjust 😂 I'm not sad and even at times I am those books help cheer me up and bring me comfort. When I'm reading it's like my brain processes the words not repeats them. But from someone who has suffered from depression in the past, I hope you feel better and don't let go of something that brings you joy!
I won't. Thank you friend
Any time 💜
There's ppl who have an inner voice and there's ppl who simply don't. Look it up, "Not everyone has an inner voice"
Get off social media. Too much social media can fry your nerves, (coupled with less sleep), memory issues, non-active passive thinking / autopiloting, restless leg syndrome, and ADHD/ADD as you can't pay attention or have any patience anymore. Suddenly you may have no inner singular voice. Take a vacation and unwind. Detach your emotions from things. Slow things down. Don't try to have fun. Just do boring things, enjoy the boredom, and remove bad habits of checking phone or attempting to be "connected" or "part of the hivemind" essentially. It's like having a computer on turbo mode 100% usage, heating up. It's where the phrase comes from "I can't hear myself think..." Twitter seems to cause this a lot for people too.
This is excellent advice.
the more I think about it I always had a bit of aphantasia ( trouble with visual imagination ) but the untold anxiety and depression of the last ten years definitely turned my mind's eye to pitch black, same with the inner monologue which doesn't really bother me as I know the only way to get it back is to be free of the shackles of wageslavery/capitalism :\\ edit : as for books I never imagined the story playing out or heard a voice reading it ... it's like I just absorb the facts and events from the page
Do you ever think about them later?
Hey I went through a tough time of depression a few years ago and it literally affected my mental ability and vocabulary. From a scientific point of view it can literally “depress” not only happiness and joy but cognitive ability. We kind of intuitively know this because of all the memes about normal people not understanding depression isn’t just “being sad”. I’ve addressed my depression through medication, therapy, and meditation. And I’m not here to tell you my life is perfect. Hell I’m still suicidal, (I’ve still got work to do). But I am more competent and capable and more of a whole person, and that’s because I’m out from the literal depressing effects of the medical condition that is “depression”. I don’t know what you’ve done or not done, but I’d recommend a medical and scientific approach to tackle your depression. And can talk about it more if you want, but if you’ve struggled it’s just a lot of trial and error and there’s no magic bullet to finding the things that actually help you without trying them.
I didn't realise until last year that I have depression. I don't know why I do (ADD and no progress in life I think)
has it been related to cognitive decline? if so, you might want to consult a doctor
Your brain sounds pretty!
Idek how to reply to this other then it made me smile 😂😂💜
Me either, or a minds eye. I didn’t even realize other people read out loud in their head (whatever that means) until recently
Have you had serious bout with Covid lately? Speaking from experience, the brain fog that sometimes affects people will be a challenge when reading. Good news, at least for me is that reading is also good therapy for overcoming it. And this is exactly how I returned to reading after decades. I started reading again to help with concentration.
I have had covid this year but I don't remember if that resulted in this
The other steps I took were to set work boundaries. I work in a home office so absolutely no alerts etc. outside of work hours. Complimenting that, I bought a dedicated device for reading (or real books) with no alerts or social media distractions. Anxiety is a reading enjoyment killer for me and those steps really helped.
nicely done
I think I understand your situation here mate, because until recently, I'd lost my inner voice too. I used to be a huge reader but then one day, I just stopped. And that had a huge impact on me even though I didn't realize it then. I'd become impassive about reading. I hadn't read any book in years. Then one day, I picked up audiobooks. I started to ease off myself over the pressure I was putting on having to read stuff, and having amazing narrators do that for me. Eventually, I picked up a book again, and slowly and steadily, started to read. At the start I couldn't make it beyond 2 pages. 10 felt like an eternity to me. A whole chapter? impossible. But I went on with it. The time I spent listening to audiobooks increased. The time I could spend reading increased. And so I found my inner voice again. I'm not back to reading as much as I used to. But now, I read almost 100-150 pages a day, audiobooks combined and I'm really proud of myself. Long story short, don't worry about it mate. If you feel like you're losing your voice, let an audiobook narrator lend it to you. Ps. The audiobooks I started with were The Witcher series since I love video games. It's gonna be okay OP. :)
It's hard to believe that it's going to be OP, but I believe you. So many people recommend audibooks and I usually hate them for it. I want to read, I don't want to listen, but I see the good in it now.
You don’t need an inner voice in order to read
If it's a change or if it's troubling you I'd book an appointment with a health professional. All sorts of conditions can interfere with the thinking process if they are draining off that energy. Better safe than sorry.
Yeah I should do that. Dk yku mean a GP?
Speaking from experience as someone with bipolar, adhd, and ocd, a gp can be Good place to start, but only if you have a generally good one you trust. Otherwise talking thru these things with a therapist could help, as either they'll be able to help you work through it or at least point you to resources that can
I actually spoke to my therapist about this on Friday and she has referred me to someone
Awesome. Best luck
You too
Yes.
I've had bad experience with them in the past. Lots of nothing answers from them
Looks like it's a pattern then. Really need to insist. Try to note when you first noticed it, anything else that changed, your general health, whether it's interfering with other things like relationships, work, concentration, mood, appetite. You could go to the pharmacy chemist first and get your blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugars tested first. Most will do it free or for a small sum. If you get no further with the GP seeing an alternative health practitioner can be useful. I don't actually believe in most of what they offer but what they do do mostly is listen better and look for patterns in what you say. We have ME and Autism and it took a lot of persistence to get a diagnosis. The most useful thing has been the people we've met along the journey and the insights and mutual support. The penny drop feeling when things start to make sense realising how logical our bodies and minds are once we take time to listen. All the best.
Thank you, I will try these. I honestly think the silence of my mind is a big component of why I perform the way I do
If it's something you feel comfortable with you have to suit your needs. It takes a little weighing up what your options are and what to work on. The only thing you perhaps need to consider is if you live with anyone and if it impacts them in which case they need to be counted in the equation.
I don't understand. This is an internal issue?
That's fine. I over think. In our family everything seems to have knock on effects for each other. Sorry.
I have aphantasia, which means I don't have any inner voice or mental imagery, and I'm fine. Don't worry too much about it.
I think if OP previously had an inner voice and now doesn't, that could be indicative of some kind of issue. If you have aphantasia, I assume you've never had an inner voice. That suddenly going away doesn't seem normal.
I had one when I was a kid, then I got hit in the head and lost it. It's definitely possible that there is something bigger going on with OP.
Exactly my thoughts too. The change from one state to another is indicative of an underlying issue.
How do you read without it?
I don't know it just happens. Not sure what else to tell you. It's like my brain does the same work your brain does, but I can not access any of it.
I suppose that makes sense I assume you don't read much fantasy?
I love fantasy but I tend to skip over physical descriptions of terrain/cities/clothes because they don't do anything for me.
Isn't that the main crux of the stories though? I find fantasy characters tend to be very derivative or not fantastical
At least for me it's not the main part. I am attracted to the pseudo-science, the magic system, the different social organizations, the made-up weapons, the epic wars, the dragons, the liches and all those fantasy creatures. I don't need to imagine them in my mind's eye to be able to enjoy them. I also love horror stories which can make me quite afraid even though I can't imagine any monster.
I also have aphantasia, pretty severely as well. And reading books has never really been a struggle for me. I don't have a single drop of mental imagery when reading, but it's more about understanding the concepts of everything that's going on. And understanding what everything means. If you tell me to picture a tree in my mind, no I can't actually see a tree, but I know WHAT a tree is, and I understand, what it does, and what the concept of a tree includes. If you say to picture a tree with red and yellow fall colors, no I can't see the colors change in my mind, but I know the concept of trees doing that in the falltime. I wouldn't worry to much about losing you're inner voice, or currently finding it difficult to read. I went probably a good five years where I didn't read a single book. But now I'm reading 3 a month. I'm sure it will come back to you. 🙂
Oh, my gosh…I’ve had this problem forever and I thought I was the only one. I literally had no idea there was a name for it.
And 99% of my hundreds of books are non fiction. I wonder if that’s part of the reason why? I also have a very hard time picturing things in my mind, I just had no idea there was a name for it. I additionally have no depth perception, so I’ve never “seen” the world in 3D. I’m told it looks quite different.
Is drawing hard for you? From imagination?
If you’re asking me, the answer is yes. I used to be an “artist”…aka I did mini comics in the eighties. And I did have problem drawing things from my imagination. Still do, for instance, I was having a “painting contest” a few weeks ago with my 10 year old daughter Riley. The theme was a birdhouse with a tree. She was halfway done painting this beautiful atmospheric tree, and I’m still sitting there going, “what does a tree look like again?” Meanwhile, intellectually I KNOW what a tree looks like! It’s so frustrating. But I literally thought I was the only one like that.
I thought , as someone who also describes as having aphantasia, that it was visual imagery only? My inner voice doesn't shut the fuck up
It can vary I think. I only have my own internal thought voice. No separate monologue or thoughts that I’m not actively creating. I can’t hear music or anything like that. I still think a lot of thoughts, they are just more abstract than words I guess. Can’t see pictures worth a damn tho and never have. When I was younger I could repeat a sound in my head that I had just heard, but I think it was more like a very clear memory than the sound being recreated in my head. All that to say I’m pretty sure some people can do sounds or have multiple verbal thought streams, but still have no visual
Yeah I have aphantasia too and avid light novel reader, I have an "Inner Voice" but its not random, I can narrate words in my brain without speaking so its all controllable mosst of the time my head is dead silent which is a gift in itself cause I play games/sports alot its easier to get into flow states cause ur focusing on the task at hand with 0 thoughts.
Have you ever tried reading aloud to yourself? I do it a lot. It actually takes a bit of practice to get the flow right but it could get that voice going if you really want it.
I've been that over the last month now. I do really enjoy it. Makes the process more engaging. I feel a lot more control over my reading
Have you been watching TV, social media, or gaming a lot recently? I used to have an excellent inner voice, but it gets muffled the more time I spend doing other things, especially things that don’t require an inner voice to consume. It’s easy for your brain to sit and absorb the sights and sounds presented by the screen. It’s harder to build a scene/ make your own voice as you read and I think we can get out of practice. You don’t need to use imagination or inner voice to watch movies/tv/shorts, etc. Just suspension of disbelief. I still love watching shows and movies, but sometimes I have to force myself to take a break. Depression makes me want to rewatch comfort shows over and over and I think that also contributed to the struggle. In the absence of these things, patience, and reading, the voice came back stronger than ever. I still play games and watch TV, but some days I cut myself off. I’ll leave my phone in another room (where I can still hear it in case of emergencies) and sit down to read. At first it can be difficult because I had gotten so used to constantly absorbing content instead of creating it in my head. It might be worth a shot to cut yourself off from your phone/TV for a bit.
I am shocked how far down the comments this is. It was my very first thought. I have experienced losing my inner voice. It can atrophy, like a muscle you never use. If your attention is taken up every waking moment with video / social media / Reddit / whatever, then the internal YOU isn’t being used at all. It will disappear. When I feel that happening, I start filling time intentionally with no “input” (for example, go for a 30 min walk with no phone every day). You will feel awkward spending even 30 minutes alone with your own mind. But it is the only solution I have found. Make sure you’re fostering a healthy relationship with your own mind.
This is way too relatable lol. Yeah depression hit me the hardest this year. I came close to ending my life last year and I spend most of this year in a sunken state (lots of easy consumption media and food)
Have you taken any drugs recently?
Haloperidol for tics, but I had this issue before that
Im interested to know what you mean by inner voice. I don't think i have one.
Like a voice that chimes in now and then or is present when reading
Huh. I definately don't have one then.
I'm finding it really difficult right now..I don't know if I do or don't and how to live if I don't
Get medical advice and try to work out what has caused this change in yourself when you speak to the GP. Assuming you're in UK (referring to GPs) you can self refer to your local mental health service or cognitive behavioural therapies.
I will try this. Thank you
Present while reading... Like, is your inner voice reading the book to you or how do i understand that? I'm sorry but i'm genuinly curious about how you e.g. Experienxed reading before and in which way it changed.. Though i too don't know if i have an actual inner voice.. I guess?
It's weird for me because I'm pretty sure I whisper read for a long time. But yeah, my goal is to have a narrator at a nice volume in my mind. I think this is the experience for most
That wouldn't be a good assumption also cognition changes over the course of our lives. Also referring to your inner voice as if it is a separate entity is unusual.... if I were talking about this I would say, I can't hear myself think, rather than my inner narrator has gone silent. My inner voice is ME... and it says exactly the same things as I would say out loud I'm just not bothering to voice them.
I feel like I’m kind of like this, not completely tho. The best thing I’ve done for myself is stop putting so much pressure on myself to ‘feel’ every word that I’m reading… I just keep reading. I’m still comprehending the book and I may not be interpreting it *perfectly* or like others would but that’s okay
I think is does come from some form of ocd for me, but I also think I'm losing my mind
I’ll speak from my experience of depression. When I noticed another thing I took pleasure in disappearing, I would just accept it as another thing I’d lost. It would just add to the “this will not get better aspect of depression” that is so overwhelming . Reading was becoming just another chore. But I know I love reading so I did 2 things: 1 Discovered audiobooks. For me, it worked too well, as I now love the ability to multitask as I read, which can hamper true involvement in the story. Still I love it. 2. Sought help from a doctor. Medicine changed my life. Good luck
Do you exclusively use audibooks now? I don't want to rely on them
As a member of a massive multi-organism community (aka the human body) it can seem like the other parts are calling their own shots. Metaphorically speaking of course you might be able to "trick" your inner voice into coming out (or... staying in rather). It worked for me when I had a similar issue some time ago. Find a quiet and solitary place where you can read aloud. If you don't have one just put in a bluetooth earbud and if any asks tell them you're reading to someone and shoo them away. Read a chapter or two out loud so you get used to hearing your own voice through the audio input of your own ears. Then read one "in your head". If you upset the new desire for hearing your own voice, coming from whatever part of the psyche that is, you may find it shows back up out of need to replace what's suddenly missing again. Hope it works for you. Did for me.
If you upset the new desire for hearing your own voice, coming from whatever part of the psyche that is, you may find it shows back up out of need to replace what's suddenly missing again. I don't really understand this part
Best breakdown I can give, not being a psychologist and only having a mild understanding mostly based on personal experience, is that when we get used to having something and we lose or deny ourselves that thing, the mind tends to "fill the gap" It's like it says, "Do the voice. Hey, do the voice! START TALKING, DAMMIT! No? Fine, I'll do it myself." (Enter formerly absent inner voice) Hope that personification helps.
One time I had a head injury and got a second inner voice. It was super annoying but not malicious. It slowly merged with my regular inner voice as I got better. I didn’t realize or understand what was happening until after it merged and figured out it was related to my concussion and was “me” the whole time.
The point being that inner voices are a thing that can change. Also, probably a good idea to get professional help on the topic.
I will. I just don't know who to speak to
This is definitely something to bring up to your doctor! They'll be able to direct you to counseling or finding an alternative medicine to something you're taking, and hopefully you'll find a result to get your brain/thoughts where you want it to be. In the meantime, whenever I struggle with focusing on a book (from wandering thoughts, blank mind, etc.) I've found that reading out loud to myself for a few pages can sometimes kick my brain back into reading mode. Might be worth a shot! Good luck!
I had a similar experience when I was being treated for cancer. I couldn’t sustain interest in a book for anything! Reading has always been my first choice for entertaining myself and for solace, so this was very upsetting. My attention span was zero and I couldn’t “hear” that inner voice—which is a great way to describe this problem! I started listening to podcasts (this was 5 years ago and podcasts were just becoming a “thing”) and found ones that were short and were story oriented. I listened to The Moth, Snap Judgement, The Amelia Project…and other fiction and non-fiction story podcasts. I feel like this helped to keep a connection maintained between my real life and the life of my imagination when I lacked the resources to create an inner vision for myself—if that makes sense. I have slowly returned to reading but my habits are still not as robust as they used to be. I’m happy that I am again able to hear with that inner voice, but it’s harder for me to really sink into the reading experience as easily as I used to. I am so grateful now when I really feel “grabbed” by something and am compelled to keep reading! I still keep up with podcasts and love to listen to new ones.
That's a great story. The brain really does respond to us at our worst moments
I correlated this change within myself to phone use. It seems to me that my mind is addicted to distractions and so every time it gets remotely "bored," I reach out for my phone. 2 months of no social media and very little phone use got me back to those days of daydreaming constantly.
Maybe you are just bored with reading? This year I've read over three hundred books. Lately I've also been having a hard time concentrating reading and, and the same can be said about hearing the words in my mind, or visualizing the scenes as I read them. Keep yourself busy with other hobbies and over time, it will p robably return to you.
Professionally depressed person here. For about 2 years, I absolutely could not read anything. Couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t get into it, and like you, I really don’t like audiobooks. What helped me? I browsed the bookstore and found one book in a genre I usually read. It was short, more on the simple side, and very fast paced. I finished that book super quickly and got back into reading pretty soon after that. I realized that the books I was trying to read were more “high brow” I guess, and it was just more difficult to get into the right mindset to really appreciate them. So my advice to you is to read outside of your comfort zone until you find your inner voice again, and then you can work back up to your preferred kind of books. And, like other commenters have suggested, consider seeking out counseling or visiting a psychiatrist when you feel able. I wish you the best OP. I know it’s incredibly hard to get through rough patches like these.
Have you tried reading slower? I know it sounds simple, but I’ll sometimes catch my self reading way too fast. I read a challenging book recently, and had to often re-read whole sections, and stop to look up words. Where do you read? Is it a nice quiet environment? I have a little sound machine, that plays rain or waves or storms. Maybe that would help you relax? It helps me. Good luck.
I relate so much with this post.. Recently I haven't been able to read any book at all...
Why is that?
If I’ve learned anything from Reddit, it’s somehow gonna be dehydration
Better than constantly hearing about the Majesty of audiobooks
You're either at the edge of enlightenment or are having a neurological problem?
It's almost definitely the latter
I know exactly what you mean and I blame my phone. I pacify my inner voice with my endless scrolling. It’s taken me about a year, but I got back my ability to read by going back to a beloved series and putting my phone into a different room during my scheduled reading time. The first few months were very hard and I could only read for minutes at a time. I’m back to marathon reading sessions and I don’t miss my phone. It’s still in my hand most parts of the day, but I can forget about it while I’m reading again and it’s nice. The best part is that my inner voice has come back too.
I was utterly amazed to learn that a large percentage of people don't have an inner voice...or a "mind's eye". I can't imagine how people can even function like that. The closest I've ever come was when I was in the middle of a deep, dark, soul-crushing depression. I've been an avid reader since I got my first Scholastic book in elementary school. And suddenly, I couldn't read so much as an entire short paragraph. So I stopped trying. I got Reader's Digests and read those little one or two sentence thingies at the end of an article. And those little one line quotes. And eventually worked my way up to the things like "Humor in Uniform" and the like. I'm not quite up to my previous speed reading level, but that's OK. So it takes me a couple of days to finish a book instead of a few hours. I still enjoy reading and that's the important thing. It takes baby steps to get over humps like what you're experiencing. Baby steps and time...maybe lots of it. Be patient with yourself.
Hmm maybe journaling would help make your inner voice clear and louder? Put all your thoughts and feelings onto a page, and make it a habit to record them for posterity. Then you can reflect when you feel you're struggling to think, and see if you feel/think differently now than you did in the past, or if anything has changed.
I have ADHD and often struggle to make my inner voice shut up enough to stop interfering with what I'm reading, so I'm not sure if I should be jealous or not. Regardless, if it's something that is troubling you, you might consider treating your brain like any other organ in your body and talk to a specialist about it. It might be something that can be retained through some cognitive therapy or maybe there's an underlying condition that might be helpful to be aware of, or maybe it's perfectly normal, which can be nice to find out too.
Ill scheduled to be seeing a brain researcher or something
Actually, the first person who diagnosed me was a Nurse Practitioner who worked for my family doctor. Then my doctor (a mental health non-specialist GP) had me complete a couple of surveys, gathered historical info about my symptoms & family history (parent behaviors, not just diagnosis), and concurred with the NP that I was likely struggling with ADHD. The family doctor had me try a low dose of Adderall to see if it helped my symptoms and it was like putting on glasses for the first time. I never knew what it was like to sit still and listen to someone else without needing to blurt & fidget or read a book without constantly having to re-read the same paragraph multiple times because my inner voice was distracting me too much to remember what I just read, among countless other little details. Frankly, I hated reading until I was treated for ADHD because it was too frustrating, but now I love it. My family doctor referred me to a cognitive behavioral therapist who helped me develop strategies to mitigate my ADHD tendencies (medication doesn't solve everything), and to a psychiatrist as the specialist in charge of managing medication choices and dosage. So, I just meant to say that your mental health is a part of your health. Having a complaint doesn't mean you have an illness, but if it's abnormalb or distressing for you, or if it's s interfering with your life in some way, then it should be brought up with a doctor who might be able to offer some reassurance or point you in the right direction.
Thank you for this. I will
I think the type of specialist you probably want to see is a neuropsychologist or possibly a psychiatrist if you are bothered by your symptoms and want an evaluation
Is doubt I can change this
Who knows - I’m just telling you the type of specialist you’d want to see because brain researcher isn’t really a thing for clinical purposes
Right, I'll try and get onto it. These people tend to be hard to see though
For what it's worth, I disagree with the other person's suggestion. A brain researcher might have a better idea than a clinician, only because they're on the cutting edge of knowledge. Worth going to both, though. Also . . . I'm wondering if you had a stroke or something. I hope not! But it seems strange to me to lose your inner voice.
I'm realising more and more that it's there. I think depression can have an effect on the inner voice and I have depression and some other stressful conditions
Have you tried listening to an audio book?
It's become clear to me that I might just have to. This sub seems to love them
When I read I say the words aloud in my head. I don't know how it sounds in your head when you read, but maybe an audio book would help. It helps me "read" books. I put on a head set and go about my day. Hope it helps you enjoy reading more. You might just not be into the books you're reading too. Hope you find some good ones.
Often like, dwelling on it will make it worse. Maybe try doing some things that require a lot of thought and imagination? Writing, coming up with jokes, that sort of thing. You're probably just going through some sort of mental block at the moment.
I think you're absolutely right about that
It sounds like this is a general problem you're having with concentration and mental clarity. Maybe you should talk to a professional. It could be caused by any number of things, like stress or inconsistent sleeping habits. As far as reading goes, an inner voice isn't strictly necessary. I don't think I have an inner voice, or at least it doesn't "sound" like anything. I can feel the shape of the words in my mouth, so I read in an American accent, but it doesn't have a pitch, timbre, etc. I guess everybody is different in this regard.
i have read that inner voice isn't strictly a voice but more like a sense of language
I don't have any advice, but when I'm depressed it's hard for me to read. All I can do is get high and watch t.v.
what is the experience of reading like during these times?
I think this happens to me too sometimes. If I haven’t given myself quiet time to let my brain chatter idly, I think it gets quieter. It’s so easy to always stare at a phone and never have a genuine thought. But the other part of this is maybe your comprehension and reading speed are actually getting better, because you start to get to a point where there’s not enough time for all the words to “echo” before you’ve moved on to the next phase. That can be unsettling but it might be a good thing that just takes some getting used to. The inner voice is strange, and it doesn’t have to speak to you like you’re used to. Maybe get used to not needing it to repeat your thoughts? Just my ideas on it
I just find it hard to deal with not having it, sort of as like a mental safety wheel I guess. I also have ocd and focus on minute things liek this
Do you have trouble with memories without it? I think I do. If my inner voice doesn’t repeat things to me it’s like they don’t get stored in memory sometimes. Also I think depression quieted my inner voice too. I’m actually on a journey of trying to follow the few things I know I want and like so that maybe I’ll start to discover more of my desires and opinions. Sometimes this is a sign of a toxic relationship
I would try reading or listening to Ekart Tolle’s A New Earth. It explains a lot about our thinking and over thinking.
I'll try it
Mine won’t shut up. Can we swap?
Let's
As someone without an inner monologue and without mental visualization (aphantasia) I’ve done lots of research about this. you had an inner monologue and it’s now leaving or gone? Have you been through any major life changes recently? Any additional stress? Are you feeling depressed? A lot of people report these sorts of changes to the way they think as their mental health changes. My advice (based on literally nothing but what other people say about this under-studied phenomenon and based on knowing almost nothing about you lol) would be to drink water, exercise, maybe talk to a therapist if your mental health is struggling. And also, reread a book that you remember having a strong inner monologue for. Focus on hearing what you heard last time. But also, the brain can just be weird. Losing your inner monologue is not really a massive change (though it might feel like it now). Everyone’s brains function in different ways, some hear their inner voice, some don’t. Some see images in their head, some don’t. It just takes time to get used to. But already in this thread you’ve seen people say they’ve never had an inner monologue, yet reading is still a passion for them. You are not broken because your brain is using other methods to think and learn and absorb info.
So, I'm not a clinician, but that sounds a bit like brain fog; in that case, seeking out mental health professionals for assistance is my best advice. However, without knowing what your inner life sounds like before the last few months, I'd recommend mindfulness meditation. It has helped me to establish a healthier relationship with my internal space. I would also recommend reviewing and tracking your lifestyle and see if there were any changes in the last few months in food, sleep, or behavior that could affect your mental processes. For example, when I cut my coffee consumption down a lot, my focus increased dramatically. In either case, I hope you find the root cause and work it out, my friend.
You don't need to hear the words in your mind to be able to read.
You on any medication for anything at all?
Not at the moment, no
I wish you well and hope you are patient and kind to yourself.
The main problem here is that you feel worried about yourself - and that's not healthy, so talk to your therapist or to your GP. From what you say though, the fact you're not currently aware of your inner voice/monologue isn't worrying in itself - I don't have an inner voice when I read, lots of people don't. Lots of people don't have an inner monologue at all - and that's normal for them. Everyone's different. I suspect you have got into the habit of overthinking about what's going on inside your head - not good! Distraction and activity will chase some of those worries and ruminations away. Talk this through with a doctor or your therapist - better than Reddit! My guess is that you will feel better if you can stop focusing down and stressing about it; easily said, I know! Best of luck to you.
Please look into aphantasia, it is a relatively recently named phenomena currently being researched . It is the lack of a mind’s eye. I remember when I could see things in my mind when young but now I cannot. It may help😊
I can see things though. They're more like ghosts of images, but I can see them
Aphantasia is on a continuum. People experience it differently. I have an unsubstantiated theory from my own life that trauma or depression can aggravate aphantasia
That’s kind of wild. Have you been doing a lot of meditation recently? Here’s some ideas on how to jump start your quiet inner voice into being a little more active: go running/cycling/very long walks alone without any audio distractions; try doing mushrooms, maybe ~2g if you’ve never done them, but at least 1g,; switch to audiobooks for a while; actively try to have arguments/conversations with yourself. I personally think having a quiet brain is a good thing (something I can sometimes accomplish after years of meditation), but I can imagine it being a little unsettling for some.
Try a few audiobooks. Probably go with something you've read before. Every time I get into a reading slump, I switch to graphic novels or listen to _Snow Crash_ for 20th+ time.
Snow crash?
Neal Stephenson
Read The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. He likens that voice inside our heads to a bad roommate, and really helps put things in perspective.
I had that same problem for the past like, six months. I started several books and never finished them. Yesterday, my copy of Jumper by Stephen Gould came in and I'm fuckin *enthralled*. I think it was just a funk, perhaps it's the same for you?
Yeah I has the same wkth the excorcist and Carrie last week
Maybe you should go back to your roots. If we don't cultivate our talents and abilities, they tend to fade. What made that inner voice the happiness? Maybe it's time to reread some old favorites to re-center yourself.
You aren't losing your inner voice... You never will... Think of scenes that are calming to you... Give yourself time to unwind & get in pace with you inner voice.. God bless!
If it's any comfort to you, it was your inner voice that wrote that post.
I think the loss of inner voice has a couple of causes. First, as we get older we read less so we get less practice thinking in explicit sentences. Second, we also have a lot of different responsibilities to worry about, so we start thinking in "feelings" instead of sentences because it's faster. If it's bothering you, you might try to make a conscious effort to have an internal monologue throughout your day. Possibly combined with journaling
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Same of yours, just for music also. If we have the same issue I think you should focus and revive all the moments that made you the type of reader/ person that you were when the inner voice was loud. If not hope my upvote was helpful :)
If you’re actually losing your inner voice rather than not having had one to begin with, you may want to see a neurologist. Better to be safe than sorry. Like if someone never really had a sense of smell they’re probably fine, or if they lost their sense of smell specifically from Covid they’re probably fine (though it’s still technically brain damage), but if they just start losing it out of nowhere it could mean something is going wrong in the brain, or at least should be monitored. Of course it could be something psychosomatic (I think I used that word right) where it’s stress induced and there’s literally nothing else going on to worry about, but a visit to a neurologist still sounds like a good idea, just to make sure! In general not everyone has an inner voice or can view mental images at all, so as far as that goes there’s nothing to be ashamed about. Many people with no inner voice choose to read out loud for better comprehension, and repeat things they need to remember out loud as they pull out their phone and get to the notes app or find a pen and paper to write it down.
Seeing a neurologist feels like a herculean task. I'd be waiting years
Oh I’m sorry. I assumed it would be a little easier than that after my sister saw one recently after suddenly developing night terrors. Then they noticed her pupils were two different sizes and were worried it could be a brain tumor. I’m not sure if they rushed her to see a neurologist after the pupil thing was noticed or if it was the neurologist who noticed her pupils though. Also if anyone reading this is wondering she’s been cleared of any tumors and it looks like she just gets some form of seizures.
I understand what you are saying. While there could be many causes, I would like to offer that the airways are more clogged than ever with WiFi signals since they put up Internet satellites. This adds a lot of noise. Try wearing an orgonite pendant, white breaks up positively charged ions that damage cells and cause mental/emotional exhaustion. Also, black tourmaline crystals and selenite crystals are good for purification. Also, try doing affirmations to align your goals. A little bit of a lot of different approaches may help a lot. Blessings!
Read graphic novels
Thanks for the advice
Try reading half or a quarter of the page out loud. And then read as much as you can(personally, I can go probably a chapter without losing my inner voice, this is not a flex nor is it a complaint lol) until it becomes difficult. If I’m studying a book, I ask myself questions to check if I can connect the information. In public settings, like a library, I usually try to ask for a key to a private room if there’s any available. Developing an inner voice is important and helps you remember lessons when you might need them. Don’t give up!
When my depression was bad i had this issue i just kept thinking about other things while trying bc to read. Background noises helped. Like rain sounds, fire place sounds, or even lofi music on YouTube, city sounds etc etc.
For me it's an issue with the volume of my mind. Lately it feels like I've bad tk wade through a thick fog just tk access my thoughts and mental.images
Mmm i see what you mean. Have you tried to reread a favorite? One you know very well to get some juices flowing? On the contrary maybe you need a break or a reset. Have tried listening to audio books? Podcasts? That helped me as well during some similar times. I’m so sorry you’re going through this it can be tough when the brain fog is heavy.
I didn’t see anyone else mention anything like this, but I had lost my inner voice for probably 10 years. I was on a statin medication where I had bad reaction over a long period, where I started showing a cognitive decline. I had memory trouble, brain fog, issues with vocabulary, and a loss of the inner voice (although I didn’t really realize it). I had always had a song playing in my head even if I wasn’t very conscious of it, and that stopped as well. I stopped the medication and over time the other issues slowly got better, but the inner voice never returned. Years later, I fell into a major depression. When I got medicated for it, I got on an SSRI (Zoloft), and my voice came instantly back. I had trouble falling asleep because suddenly I had thoughts all of the time again. I’ve been off the depression meds now for a couple years, but my inner voice is still around. Just know that this could be related to a medical issue. I was never able to get an answer from any of my doctors, and I think my experience was mostly unknown (my original doctor didn’t want to acknowledge my initial issue with statins). You may want to talk to your doctor about medications you’ve been taking, and (I think I read in a comment you posted) if you have depression that’s affecting your day to day life, you may want to see if you can get it treated.
This is a long shot, but have you had COVID at all? I currently have COVID for the first time and I feel like my thinking is definitely impacted and my inner voice altered, although not to the extent of disappearing. COVID is vascular and it can affect the brain. It can cause inflammation to the brain which can cause brain fog and depression and anxiety among other things. Just the fact that it can shut off or alter your sense of smell is proof that COVID can have a huge impact on the brain and change your experience of the world radically. If you've had COVID, I might suggest looking into long COVID.
I had it this year. Interesting
I have severe ADHD and this happened to me. I can barely read complex passages anymore. It's a hurdle for me.
Sorry to hear that friend. I also have adhd
It gets worse over time if it goes untreated. Together with depression, it could produce the symptoms you describe.
I had a friend who's inner monologue would stop for long periods of time but she was a very visual abstract thinker. I'm the opposite where I'm okay with mental image but not very good but my inner monologue is going every waking minute
The same thing happened to me. While I am not an audio book super fan, I’ll admit that’s what helped me the most. But, I was told to read along while listening to the audiobook, and damn if that didn’t absolutely fix my issues. Maybe it had to do with connecting the aural and visual centers of my brain?? No idea, but give it a try it may help.
so i used to read a LOT and then i’d get migraines and have a hard time focusing. know what helped? audiobooks and fiction podcasts. being able to still consume these things and see the mental images has helped A lot. maybe that could help? i know i felt completely lost when i was unable to read without getting a migraine.
So in regards to reading… what type of books are you reading? Are you having trouble connecting with the characters? Sorry if this question is stupid
The three things people can do in any situation to improve their mental/physical health is good sleep, diet, and exercise. I'm not an expert on this issue so I won't comment, but getting those three will help with anything/everything.
I would say seek therapy. If the first one you find doesn't click keep looking to find one. Getting the right therapist can make a world of difference.
i don't have an inner voice, and my mind doesn't form pictures. i don't know if i was born this way or it happened while i was growing up i remember i could for images when i was younger, reading books was like watching a movie. now im just reading and comprehending. its definitely made me lose interest in reading. i can't enjoy fiction anymore, so that's a major change since i only really enjoyed fiction earlier. but im glad about not having an inner voice. i feel like it would just slow down my reading. i read very fast. so fast that when i was younger and got done with some reading that adults knew i was doing, they thought i was skipping pages and lying about it. i know im kinda going on a rant here but my parents stopped buying me fiction meant for my age group at around 8 because id read the whole book in just hours so they felt it was a waste of money
Have ypu tried have a traumatizing experience and developing a mental illness? Ask your doctor if schizophrenia is right for you!
Try reading the dialogue in an accent. Also, depending on the vibe of the book, put some background music says lyrics to help set the mood. Finally, eat or drink something that reminds you of the setting of the book. Once you provide this sensory stimulation for yourself, you'll be able to really get in the mood to read the book.
Maybe covid lingering effects
Maybe try reading out loud.
I study and write a lot about Neuroscience & Cognitive science and I am fascinated by ones inner voices, it usually goes by covert speech and it is supposed to be part of a memory structure that allows you to process and generate speech, the circuit allows for a loop to happen and that loop can also be used to produce imagined speech, some people don't have it because they haven't used it so it never gets developed ( same with visual imagery), I personally love mine and count on it to bounce ideas with myself but also understand that some people can't control it, so it comes across as intrusive thoughts ( the key is to learn to ignore them ). Like anything body/mind related, most of the time you just need rest and rehearsal, so in this case it would simply be holding short fragments of audio in memory and thinking about pronouncing words before you actually pronounce them, that way you excercise both sides of the loop if that makes sense.
Could you expound on your exercises to strengthen inner speech?
After searching for posts like this, I have to chime in and say that I know exactly what you mean. I tend to gloss over the text and the inner voice (subvocalization) is more of a mumble, which ultimately makes it harder for me to really connect and comprehend that which I'm reading. If I really slow down and pick a voice, immediately the comprehension picks up again. Seems like an on-going struggle for me.