I have always had an internal voice like a narrator in my head of my own voice

The most shocking thing to me - more shocking than the possibility that there may be alien life out there - is that there are people who do *not* have an internal monologue. I can't wrap my head around that. I spend every day (and most of the night) bickering with myself and over-analysising and ruminating and conjuring the worst and the best case scenarios. Being autistic is exhausting.

The most shocking thing to me - more shocking than the possibility that there may be alien life out there - is that there are people who do *not* have an internal monologue. I can't wrap my head around that. I spend every day (and most of the night) bickering with myself and over-analysising and ruminating and conjuring the worst and the best case scenarios. Being autistic is exhausting.

I agree with this statement Neil and yes I find being autistic exhausting. 

So generally are we saying that NT’s don’t self talk or have I misunderstood that? I have had my own voice in my head for as long as I can remember. This is usually re runs of past events and going through a story of what may happen at a social event or get together. As Rainbow said it’s my voice but in my head. I am alone most days when at work and very often talk to myself a lot. I’m just wondering if I’m actually having a conversation with that internal voice now. Think I must look into this and pay a bit more attention. The voice is very repetitive as well which can be annoying and can get stuck on the same thing for quite some time. I do the same with music I like all the time, I will play over and over until I’ve exhausted myself and then I can move on.

I agree Neil, I wonder how people process their thoughts, without self talk? Do they not mentally repeat the steps needed to complete a new task that they've learnt or are learning how to do?

I don't think it's a sign of a schitzoid illness, not always, anyway, although they can be, I think it depends on whether the hearer precives them as coming from outside of the self, that tends to be more problematic than when you know they come from within the self. I've spoken to many people who've been worried sick by their self talk, afraid they've got a serious mental illness. But even if the voices are percieved as coming from outside the self it dosen't automatically mean that "it's bad", the person could be a medium or something similar? I know the purely scientific among you will start jumping up and down, but it does happen and some people genuinely do pick up on things outside of "normal" perception.