Chatty Mind

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Hi,

I was wondering if anybody else experiences a chatty mind? It's as if my mind replays back old thoughts and conversations I've had (or conversations I'm likely to have). I experience it quite often. I usually notice it when it's quiet or when I'm not doing anything. Does anybody have any advice/tips to quieten it down? I know that when I ignore it through distracting myself or keeping busy I don't notice it, but I want to able to eliminate it (or least reduce it to a level so that I don't notice it often).

Thank you

Louder surroundings seem to make my mind louder .. changing to a darker and more peaceful place may quiet my mind.

I tend to do that, too. But in my case it's not that annoying most of the time. So I don't really mind it unless it is some negative stressful experience that makes me stressed or depressed.

As you said, having something else in your mind helps. So you might want to get into the habit of having something practical (such as what you need to buy in the supermarket etc) to think about. If the unwanted thought comes back, you can consciously push it aside and go back to something practical. Once you get into the habit, it becomes more natural/automatic and you don't need to make much effort to be thinking about good things.

My mind is often feeding me long monologues when I'm supposed to fall asleep. I wish there was a way to record them because taking notes is impossible without interupting the flow.

Yeah, I get this. I don't know how to eliminate it though, only distract from it. Sorry.

Mindfulness (making an effort to pay attention to only what you are doing and experiencing at the present moment)

deep breathing when anxious slows down the mind. anxiety revs up the mind making it more chatty.

avoid stimulants (caffeine, sugar, nicotine)

I used to have a very chatty & loud mind at times when I was younger. I remember there were times I would be walking around the playground by my self in elementary school with my thoughts rambling & racing about, never ending. Most of the time I was in a purely observation/contemplative mode,"spacing out", either observing something or in deep thought thinking about patterns or various ideas like inventions...I would become disconnected from the external world at times when I would slip into that sort of frame of mind.


Now approaching 30, my mind/thoughts/internal space is more consistently calm, quiet, & "grounded" ....I rarely have any sort of internal dialog or verbal thoughts going on and have become much better at controlling my thoughts & what's going through my mind.

My mind is excessively chatty. I wonder if it's a Spectrum thing.

My mind is always busy. Sometimes it's annoying. I remember telling it to "shut the f.. up" once or twice.

But for the most part I've learned to appreciate it. Sure, it nags from time to time, but I don't have to try interpreting its mood like I do other people. I've resolved a lot of issues over the years through listening to its ramblings. It's often emotional, but it's also good at analyzing events and issues. I never had an invisible friend, but my mind seems to have covered that lack.

It does dredge up old issues at times - regrets, embarrassing moments, things that still make me angry, things that make my cheeks flush. Sometimes it will drag up an old memory and make me frown, which often prompts a "What?" from my wife or others. People tell me to get over it, or not to bother with regrets, or they remind me that the incident was 20 years ago, but I can't seem to clean out that part of my memory or remove them from my inner dialogue, though some do disappear.

The part that I don't like is when it stops me 'being present' in a conversation. As em_tsuj said, practicing mindfulness is a good way to bridle such thoughts. It's helped me a lot in that way. But don't be wishing them gone altogether - they're there for a reason, and you'll miss them if they disappear.

I think part of their raison d'etre is similar to dreaming, a bit like a debriefing where we sort things into useful piles. Without that, we'd be like 'thought hoarders,' our front and back yards a total mess and the house so full there's nowhere to sit and watch tv.

I really need to start practicing mindfulness. I mean, my brain always has a constant conversation going on and it is just so annoying. I would really like to silence it. Where would you post the mindfulness post? In the general forum?

Yes I have these "Chatty Mind" episodes. The conversations in my head become very fast and fluent and are often about academic things like psychology, politics, economics, or religion. They are usually conversations I am never likely to have with people I don't even speak to.

I don't know what can help get rid of them except to write it all down. Type it on your computer, or in a notebook. That way it is out rather than in.

I sometimes wonder if it is like a mini mania period, like the ones associated with Bipolar.

Chatty minds that won't shut down or slow up are very AS traits.

I have it to. As said above, mindfulness meditation works very well for me.

Reading works well too, it gives my brain a break from the chattiness and helps me relax.

Here is a good book on the subject, written in an easy to follow manner:

The Joy of Living
http://www.amazon.com/The-Joy-Living-Un ... 0307347311