Talking To People In Your Head?

[OKRADLAK]

What is the difference between going into "that state" whilst talking to yourself and going into it whist talking to people like saints?

Is one just socially acceptable and the other not? Or can talking to saints also be dissassociation?

 

[Heather]

and going into it whist talking to people like saints?

What do you mean by talking to people like saints? I need clarification.

 

[Srain]

Not clear on that. I know I have always carried on "confrontations or conversations that can lead to them" with people in my head, sometimes verbally that weren't there, it's most notable while I'm alone. Is this what you are referring to?

Rain

 

[OKRADLAK]

Well, scenerio one:

In head......lots of conversation with self from self. Usually rather derogatory, "You suck" kind of messages. Sometimes it is 2 ways, not just someone degrading me.

"You are such an idiot!"
"Well I did not see YOU do anything to help"
"F you"
etc

Scenerio Two:

Then to saints or someone else, like talking to someone who really did exist, or may still exist? It could be an aunt or an uncle, too, or a grandparent or it could be anyone.

"Hello, I hope that you will be with me today when I go to the store. We can go together..."

Does that help?

 

[Brontie]

Here are some types I’m personally aware of. I post this in the hope that it might answer some of your questions.

Talking to dead people. Sounds weird I know but it's no different than talking at a loved one's graveside. It's comforting. I'm in England and my mum is buried in Scotland. I buy some roses on her birthday and place them on the table and say, "There, mum, just for you." It's comforting. I think this is also like praying to God. You don't really expect a reply.

Talking to myself. Telling myself to go do up those bloody dishes. Get the laundry out of the machine. Reminding myself about things to do and shopping to get. All normal as far as I'm concerned. I also argue with myself and tell myself off. Nothing too harsh - I'm such a softy I'd probably make myself cry.

I have another little quirk that I'm not really supposed to talk about on here. I have been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Been dealing with it a long time and it's all in hand. But in my twenties when it was at it's worst and yet to be diagnoses, there were some actual conversations that had me believing I was going mad. I heard voices. With time and a lot more understanding, I often describe it as being like a bunch of warring siblings; lots of arguments but more like the bark being louder than the bite. Today, it only bothers me when I'm really down and struggling with some stress.

I'm also a spiritual person and very intuitive. I sense spirit, angels, guides etc. I believe we are helped through signs and dreams, and synchronicities, if we care to pay attention to these things. When being discussed, I'm not sure which one makes me sound the craziest but I'm comfortable in my metaphysical beliefs. And DID is almost none existent now. Today, I'm either arguing with myself or I'm meditating and connecting to that which is beyond the physical taking care of my spiritual life.

 

[OKRADLAK]

Thank you for the replies. That does help clear matters up. Our brains and minds are rather complex. I like the roses for your mom, too. That is so nice and I think she knows. :)

Nothing too harsh - I'm such a softy I'd probably make myself cry.

Haha. That is quite a description!

I have another little quirk that I'm not really supposed to talk about on here.

Why can't you talk about it on here?

 

[Kintsugi]

ORAK, I don't know the answer here. It's something I have been wondering about in past months, too. I have historically even believed that I was talking to someone else to the point, as a child, of believing I could see this other self manifestation in my bedroom (he, yes he, talked to me before I went to sleep). I've often seen my mind as a dark dungeon arena with about half a dozen selves debating and arguing. They aren't me but they speak to each other on my behalf from each of their perspectives (there is a sadistic, angry one, a depressive and pensive one, a cold-logic one, and a lot of them have faceted personalities. Often less insular or usual selves will make cameos to settle something when other selves can't reach a conclusion/solution/agreement. This is sounding really weird.

But whether I'm talking to a self that was uncreated by me, a character created in my childhood, the many selves I've created to organize my thoughts, God, or a god I made up, it all feels like the same thing. I don't know what this is, but it's powerful and sometimes feels very real. I decided at a young age that my affinity for imagination was too strong and socially unacceptable, so I started writing incessantly instead. I even have a journal full of the arguments in my head, written out like a play with each name heading the dialogue when a different self speaks. Maybe I have an overactive imagination? Maybe I am compartmentalizing? Dissociating? I have no idea.

 

[SimplyComplex]

See, my therapist said talking to myself in my head is totally normal. I am missing the problem? My dad had full blown screaming fights with himself...he was pretty sick though. Are we talking about thinking about stuff, talking it out? Talking about talking to different personalities? Internal dialogue? Seems normal as long as you aren't doing it out loud in public...but I could be totally wrong...because I love to talk to myself.

 

[OKRADLAK]

Anti and Simply----You both are like mind readers!

Anti- Oh my gosh.....your whole post......Even the cameo appearances ---that is so what happens! It is like a whole theater.

Simply----I am beginning to think that, yes, it is indeed normal. I suppose it is only not normal if you believe one that is not "generally" believed. For instance, it is OK to believe that a saint is really helping you. So if I were in a Catholic church and said I had a two-way communication with St Francis, some of the more mainstream would think me nuts maybe, but really should not voice it, while others who were more mystical might actually experience the same thing.

So if I have a two way relationship with someone like St. Francis, who is to say if it is true or in my head? Many of the saints, to include Francis, were considered insane. So either they and we are not crazy or we both were and are? And if they were, we are in good company!:D

And to be clear, I am not just talking about saints, but anyone. Einstein, a favorite dog, an uncle........These are just a lot less "acceptable."

I guess it is only dangerous if "someone" tells you to hurt someone or yourself. Otherwise, no harm t'all.

 

[Kintsugi]

I hear you on this. That one b*tch I can't control is always telling me to hurt myself, but the rest of the host, the ones I look to for guidance, usually kick the sh*t out of her before anything gets too far. I've just gotta kick her out somehow.

 

[Brontie]

Thank you for the replies. That does help clear matters up. Our brains and minds are rather complex. I like the roses for your mom, too. That is so nice and I think she knows. :)



Haha. That is quite a description!



Why can't you talk about it on here?

The board is for discussing PTSD.
DID is still quite controversial and I don’t want to get into any debates about it.
I only mention it from time to time so others know where I’m coming from while I try to share my experiences.

Thanks for the thread. It makes for an interesting read.

 

[Muzikluvr]

MissAnti - I had a part of me that kept wanting me to hurt myself and then I honestly, opened myself up to her answer when I asked "Why?" I said, "What did I do?" I got back mental images of my failures. And I said, "I did the best I could." and "What should I have done?" and I imagined other possible scenarios, most wouldn't have worked either, but if I did come up with a better way to handle what had happened; then I'd say "I didn't know that then. I did the best that I could" and "I'm trying to make it right now. Do you think I should die, now, when I'm starting to live a better life?" "You'll die too. You are me. You're not separate or better."

I no longer feel like those thoughts are coming from another person or another part of me. When I hear myself say "I hate you. I f-ing hate you. Oh my god, you are such an idiot. You're such a f-ing idiot. I can't believe you did that. What is wrong with you. You f-ing moron" I could go on, but you get the drift. I do this to myself often. But, I know it's coming from me. I know why I think that stuff. I say "You" because I am talking to myself and I know I'm talking to myself. It would be weird to say "I am such a f-ing idiot" to myself because that feels like commentary one would make to others rather than the insulting statements that I am trying to make to myself. If I say "I am such an idiot" to myself it's like I'm just realizing it, and I answer it with "Duh, I know that." It's not that I'm realizing it, its that I want to lash out at myself and it's really only appropriate to call myself "you" when I'm lashing out. Does that make any sense to anyone else?

I hope you will consider taking responsibility for the voices in your head, they are you, and they have important things to tell you. They have valid perspectives, and sometimes they are logical and sometimes they are illogical, so you need to explore what they believe and reconcile it with the reality of your situation.

If they are the abuser's words or notions continuing to abuse you, then you need to shut him down with logic and then lock him in the vault. I had that problem with my abusers, they taunted me in my head long after the abuse had ended. I finally stopped arguing with them (and listening to them), like "Talk to the hand" because they are so illogical and controlling, and I locked them away in my mental vault. Eventually, I imagined cleaning up my vault and putting my memories away in a filing cabinet. So, now I can even walk in there and pull out the memory I want to review without fearing that the abuser will shove the door open on me and spill out all the poison that I worked so hard to lock away. Visualization is a neat technique.