Why does it matter whether we have an accurate understanding of what’s going on in our brains when we use inner speech?

This is a completely natural phenomenon. Some people might experience it more than others. It’s also possible not to experience internal monologue at all. Having an inner monologue is like having an inner voice narrate your thoughts throughout the day. This inner voice is more frequent in some people and seems weird to those who don’t have it at all. Sadia S, Carbon CC. Sadia S, et al. Behav Sci (Basel). 2023 Oct 19;13(10):858. doi: 10.3390/bs13100858. Behav Sci (Basel). 2023. PMID: 37887508 Free PMC article.Jones SR, Fernyhough C. Jones SR, et al. Clin Psychol Rev. 2007 Mar;27(2):140-54. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2006.10.001. Epub 2006 Nov 22. Clin Psychol Rev. 2007. PMID: 17123676 Review. If you’ve been told that you’re too hard on yourself, you may consider focusing on what your inner voice tells you. While occasional self-criticism is to be expected from time to time, a consistently critical inner voice isn’t considered healthy. The results were stable over time, with subjects scoring similar levels of inner voice activity in questionnaires administered months apart, and gave the researchers an opportunity to study its relationship with other aspects of their thinking. When we ask computers to communicate, at first they communicate like we tell them, but if they're intelligent enough, they'll start to say, ‘that's too slow.’”

Music, another great relaxation strategy, can do more than help ease stress. Some people also find it helps tune voices out. Mo Gawdat is my life guru. His writing, his ideas and his generosity in sharing them has changed my life for the better in so many ways. Everything he writes is an enlightening education in how to be human -- Elizabeth Day Alderson-Day B, et al. (2015). Inner speech: Development, cognitive functions, phenomenology, and neurobiology.Internal monologue means more than just pondering over your own thoughts. It consists of inner speech, where you can “hear” your own voice play out phrases and conversations in your mind. Morrison AP, et al. (2000). Intrusive thoughts and auditory hallucinations: A comparative study of intrusions in psychosis. Alderson-Day B, Fernyhough C. Alderson-Day B, et al. Psychol Bull. 2015 Sep;141(5):931-65. doi: 10.1037/bul0000021. Epub 2015 May 25. Psychol Bull. 2015. PMID: 26011789 Free PMC article. Review. If you don't take control over it, the little voice will destroy your emotional life piece by piece. And because emotion is the fuel for your entire life, it will then take your relationships, your career, your health and everything else that you hold dear. It's time to stop this now