Do you have conversations in your head?

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Hello, diagnosed aspie here!

Sometimes it feels like there are two people in my head and that we have conversations and discussions. Basically I feel like at times that I am made up of two separate minds that talk to each other. This also results in my thoughts going off on tangents and so I get distracted when I am trying to do something. We also like to make up stories and con-languages together while listening to music on loop (which is where I feel the most safe).

I first started realising this when I noticed that my internal voice has two distinct voices and that the voices would often go back forth and go on tangents like in a conversation.
For example I might see a daisy or something and then start thinking about the video game character Daisy from the Mario games which may lead to us talking other Nintendo games and then we might start talking about the Japanese language because Nintendo games are Japanese (so just from looking at flowers, I end thinking thinking about Japanese grammar).
I also laugh at jokes that we tell each other, I remember when I was trying to get to sleep and we were passing the time talking about dumb stuff and one of us told a joke and I laughed so hard that I woke my Dad up in the other room!

There used to be times when we get into arguments and I get a cascade of images and noises from arguing in my head and I would not be able to move my body. I used to interpret this as some nightmarish stress response. However, now that I deal with it like it is a argument, I have been able to calm and resolve ourselves and this has never happened again.
So thinking of myself like this has been useful.


Is this normal for autistic people or have I gone insane... because I would quite like to know!

I'm not sure if it's an ASD thing, but yes, I have always been like this.

Well, I'm far from "normal" even for people on the autism spectrum, but I can say that I do the exact same thing - that's been the primary way I think for as long as I can remember.

Do any of you think of yourself in second person in regard to planning or executive functioning such as telling yourself:

"You need to go to the store today." or "Let's take care of that as soon as possible."

The real question: Have you ever referred to yourself in the THIRD person?

I've referred to myself both in the first and the second person rather frequently when "talking to myself."

Once in a while, I refer to myself as "he."

Yes, I refer to myself in both the second person singular and the first person plural.

I think for me, it perhaps emerged as a compensation for never having any friends: "Why would I want friends when the companions in my head are so much more enjoyable company?"

I'm very pleased to meet you. I'm exactly the same way. Second person singular and first person plural. I've always said: I'm my own best friend."

"We need to pull through this together, Prometheus".

I do have one "voice" who refers to me in first person and another in second person, but don't typically refer to myself in third person in my mind. I say that since I know both "voices" are just me, it's not indicative of any kind of mental illness - at least, that's the impression I'm under.

I had to log back into my laptop after shutting it down just to post the following:

I was thinking about an appointment I have later this month which will involve solo travel by vehicle. The appointment will end at 3pm and my drive home will be approximately three hours. I finished the thought out loud to myself: "Which means we'll be travelling some of the way home in the dark."

I never do it aloud, except maybe as a whisper.

Yes, usually lots of "what if" discussions, and stepping outside my analysis and critiquing it (i work as an analyst so this is good).

Well good to know my thinking may not be dangerous. Thanks for the replies!

In regards to executive function thinking we don't think in 1st person plural or 2nd person singular pronouns. It is more like different thoughts competing or agreeing with each other. Those types of pronouns only come out when I am talking to myself when I am doing a task or reflecting.
For example, I might say:
"Why didn't you lock the door?"
"I don't know."

Do people sometimes respond in mental conversations with clips from cartoons and stuff like that? Like if I am trying to solve something in my head and we cannot figure it out and I may respond with a clip of Homer Simpson saying "I don't know" (from the episode 'Mr Plow', Season 4).

[quote="RaumStationMIR"Sometimes it feels like there are two people in my head and that we have conversations and discussions. Basically I feel like at times that I am made up of two separate minds that talk to each other. This also results in my thoughts going off on tangents and so I get distracted when I am trying to do something. We also like to make up stories and con-languages together while listening to music on loop (which is where I feel the most safe).
[/quote]

This can be somewhat normal for Aspies. I have an INTJ personality type and there are thousands of voices, personas in my head. That is actually a gift if you know how to use it properly. They provide me with many different perspectives.

When you said

You were experiencing a meltdown also called a panic attack.

One way to avoid a panic attack is to separate your emotional brain from your logical brain. Turn off your emotional brain and then let your logical brain look for a way out. You feel trapped and that is the last step before sliding into a panic attack. So in this state let your logical brain spin up and let your thousand voices debate solutions. One solution will appear to be the best of the lot. Pick it and then use your stress energy to implement the coarse of action you picked. It keeps you from becoming incapacitated.

Welcome to Wrong Planet.

Thanks for the reply jimmy m. Really helpful!