Do you guys hear several inner voices or just one?

[felecula]

Hi! I was curious- do you guys hear several inner voices or just one? After a recent traumatic event I noticed there was more than one. There's three separate ones, four if you count my original inner voice. One is very critical, one sounds like a little girl, and one sounds like a man. But they can talk to each other and often do, the critical one talks a lot. I'm unsure if that's just the inner critic or something else. Does anyone else experience this? Not sure if they're parts or what.

 

[whiteraven]

Hi! I know this may be an older thread, but I was curious- do you guys hear several inner voices or just one? After a recent traumatic event I noticed there was more than one. There's three separate ones, four if you count my original inner voice. One is very critical, one sounds like a little girl, and one sounds like a man. But they can talk to each other and often do, the critical one talks a lot. I'm unsure if that's just the inner critic or something else. Does anyone else experience this? Not sure if they're parts or what.

Hi @felecula. I don't anymore, but I used to. I was diagnosed with DID in 1998 - and I used to hear several internal voices, all different.

 

[spinningmytires]

Hi! I know this may be an older thread, but I was curious- do you guys hear several inner voices or just one? After a recent traumatic event I noticed there was more than one. There's three separate ones, four if you count my original inner voice. One is very critical, one sounds like a little girl, and one sounds like a man. But they can talk to each other and often do, the critical one talks a lot. I'm unsure if that's just the inner critic or something else. Does anyone else experience this? Not sure if they're parts or what.

Hi @felecula My simplest answer is no. I've always only heard my own inner voice -- however, I'll try to explain.

My PCP added Dissociative Episodes to my medical records a few years ago, after my brain surgery hospitalized (5wks). Someone removed schizophrenia from my records at that time (why schizophrenia was ever in my records is beyond me) — I suspect my brain surgery rehab doctor removed it. PTSD and suspected victim of sexual abuse were then added to my records. Since that time, PTSD has been removed and replaced with Dissociative Episodes. I don’t know what my official diagnosis might be beyond mood disorder and general anxiety disorder.

As for hearing several inner voices — No, I’ve never heard any other internal voices other than my own.

This being said, during two of my traumatic experiences leading up to my dissociative state, I was arguing with myself, as to the validity of what I was then experiencing. Would this arguing with myself suggest the presents of two internal voices rather than one.

Looking back in retrospect, I’m aware that I was then unable to draw any valid logical conclusions. The illogical conclusions, I could only momentarily accept as being true before I’d again begin to question it. This back and forth debate, I remember well.

I can recall another experience where I was questioning the validity of what I was seeing. During this incident, it was, as if, half of me shut-down or seemingly refused to engage. I could then only repeatedly say to myself, ‘What is that? What is that?’ There was only silence -- no conclusion, nothing rational nor irrational. This experience immediately resulted in amnesia which had enduring for three years. Then came the flashbacks!

So I’m wondering, would this silencing of an internal voice, during my dissociation, suggest the presents of two internal voices where one of these voices had refusing to engage (if by choice) in the dialog. In other words, silence, in itself, could be a form of communication.

 

[Friday]

Mod Note : This thread has been Moved from Hallucinations with dissociative symptoms, as it really rates its own discussion, if anyone wishes to catch up on what sparked this question.

 

[NoWhereKnowWhere]

Yeah I’ve got like 3 and a backing track. It’s very busy in here. I think I probably have undiagnosed ADHD. A lot that a wrote off as “dissociative symptoms” I think is probably more along the executive dysfunction lines. Yet I still do definitely have dissociative symptoms undeniably. What you gonna do, it is what it is.

 

[Friday]

Hi! I was curious- do you guys hear several inner voices or just one?

♾ Possibly an infinite number? … but I also / I’m also

- a writer/artist, so that’s just situation normal with a vibrant imagination
- have ADHD-c, which often comes along with several “thought streams”, sometimes more, sometimes less, but never just one, unless there’s some kind of emergency or moment requiring hyperfocus
- think in pictures, so dialogue’ing is a way to slooooooow that process down &/or explore individual -or conflicting- aspects of what I’m thinking about
- have a stellar memory, most of the time
- miss people / keep them present in my heart & thoughts
- have to talk myself down on a fairly regular basis
- have a variety of moods & headspaces I operate out of
- have spent some significant periods of time alone
- enjoy reading

 

[Survivor3]

I only ever hear one voice.

 

[NoWhereKnowWhere]

This is very interesting. I saw something recently that some people don’t even have an inner dialogue like they think it’s a metaphor. They think something and there’s no running commentary? That blows my mind.

writer/artist, so that’s just situation normal with a vibrant imagination

think in pictures

That’s so cool brains are crazy. I’m a musician so the constant backing track and often counter melodies makes sense. Even my dreams have a backing track sometimes original sometimes not. I also love reading but prefer audiobooks nowadays. It’s easier to focus on.

unless there’s some kind of emergency or moment requiring hyperfocus

Yes creative flow is about the only thing that quiets my mind. Basically only when I’m writing music sometimes when performing, not always.
Or yeah emergency situations but I will be this close to punching someone in the supermarket because they’re texting someone and have left the the clickity clack sound on their keyboard and it’s the final straw.

I have 3 different types of headphones and a selection of ear plugs/noise reducers…for other peoples safety.

 

[coraxxx]

I was assessed for ADHD but at the end pdoc thought it's more dissociative. I typically have more than one internal voice but they don't manifest all the time. They can argue or comment on things. Sometimes they're muffled and sometimes they're very clear. Hearing them sometimes feel like adjusting an antenna on an old TV so you can see the image through the noise.

I just thought that was normal and the case of everyone until I discovered that err, actually not. It's not like several strains of thoughts, it's really like slightly different people manifesting their opinions and feelings and that can be communicated through images or sensations as well. There is also quite a lot of interaction and internal dialogue. It's different than when I make scenarios in my head to invent stories, which I also do. But I'm well aware it's an internal process so it doesn't bother me too much. I also seldom get bored.

 

[Sideways]

I have DID and hear multiple voices. But...

After a recent traumatic event I noticed there was more than one.

This wasn't my personal experience. I've heard multiple voices my whole life, and it wasn't until I was working with a therapist who specialised in complex trauma and DID that it came to my attention that this was weird. Because I always knew they weren't "someone else", but rather, different versions of me. Which is probably why I've always avoided diagnoses that include psychosis.

That said, once I started working with the voices in therapy, my internal experience did change. I started hearing voices of parts that I hadn't heard before. Parts I didn't know I have.

Not saying that's the standard experience of DID, but there is probably a clinically relevant distinction: it was never a "oh my god, what are all these voices I'm now hearing?" Because I'd coexisted with them since I was a young child (which is when DID develops).

I don't pretend to know what the situation is for you, but hoping that maybe it might help you tease out what's happening for you.

 

[felecula]

Thank you all for the replies!

I'm not entirely sure what it is yet- I know I was meditating and during the meditation I was able to hear more than one inner voice, although I never paid attention to thoughts before then really. It could be that parts finally felt safe enough to start talking or it could be something else entirely. I do know that when one wants attention I'll have physical flashbacks relating to the voices (one makes it feel like my wrists or thighs are getting cut again, another makes my spine hurt where I was thrown against a bed frame, another gives hunger pains.) Thank you guys for sharing!

 

[spinningmytires]

I’d suspect that, the artist’s inner voice is quite necessary to guide them through the creative process. This inner voice might also help the artist develop the skills to manage their many conflicting inner voices and opinions.

As one who paints, I realize that a decision must be made at some point. Is the apple painted red or should I paint it green?’ Some opinions must obviously be disgarded.

So I might paint the apple green.Then, my inner voice might say, ’No, paint the apple red.’ These conflicts happen almost continuously when I’m painting, and yet, all of these inner voices are mine. If they weren’t, I’d likely be lost and unable to paint, as if, to question, ‘Whose painting is this anyway?’

If my inner voice might say, ’No one will like this’ and I then, attempt to follow this advice, I’ll sometimes realize the impossibilty of this task. Why? Because these inner voices aren’t grounded in reality. They’re purely imaginary.

There’s an old saying that, it takes two artists to create a painting — one artist to paint the picture and a second artist to forcefully make the first artist stop painting. Why? Perhaps because these criticizing inner voices never stop criticizing. At times, I’ve abandoned my artwork due to these relentless criticizing inner voices.

So again, I might ask myself, ‘Whose painting is this anyway?’ And how can I possibly express myself when confronted with so many conflicting opintions. Sometimes, an intuitive leap of faith is my only way out of this dilemma

In regards to my dissociation, I’ve often found myself debating these conflicting inner voices over the validity of my perceived threat. Here, my inner voice might say, ‘This can’t possibly be real’ or ‘No you’re only imagining this.’ So then, I might say, ‘Then what is it?’ And when this inner voice fails to engage in any further dialgue, I suspect, my dissociation has finally taken over my conscious mind.

Apparently, I can’t sustain this ambiguous state of uncertainty for any length of time before I’ll begin to lose awareness with a possible memory laps if, not amnesia. It just becomes too difficult to tolerate feeling unsafe.

As for my inner voices, I doubt that they’ve ever trigger me. As for any emotional expressions spoken by others, directed towards me, yes.