Have you ever noticed that little voice narrating your every move — the one that panics during exams, delivers Oscar-worthy shower speeches, and replays that one embarrassing Year 8 moment like a cursed highlight reel? That inner narrator is called an internal monologue and plot twist: not everyone has one.
For many of us, it’s so natural we barely realise it’s there. But some people don’t hear thoughts at all — instead, they think in pictures and emotions. This difference is often linked to aphantasia, a condition where people can’t visualise mental images. Around 2–5% of people are thought to fall into this category, meaning they navigate life without a mind-voice narrating everything. Imagine revising in silence without your brain complaining. Peaceful? Confusing? Honestly, both.
Psychologists have been fascinated by this inner voice for decades. Vygotsky — a Russian psychologist from the early 1900s — suggested that the internal monologue develops alongside language, and research shows even toddlers start using inner speech early on. So yes, mini-you probably spent childhood narrating life like a famous YouTuber.
Even among those who do have an inner voice, it varies wildly. Some of us think in a straightforward stream of self-talk (“Must finish homework”), while others host full internal debates (“Homework… or a spontaneous get away from the pile of work sitting on your desk?”). Some think in quick mental bullet-points, others rehearse speeches like they’re prepping for a surprise TED Talk. And while we often use inner speech to focus or solve problems, sometimes it wanders off like a browser with 37 open tabs and no memory of why they were opened.
Scientists are still figuring out how we “hear” thoughts without speaking. One clue lies in a brain signal called corollary discharge, which is basically a mental echo of our own voice. Another theory points to the Default Mode Network — the brain region that lights up when you daydream or mentally drift. Meaning yes, zoning out in class technically counts as neuroscience exploration (but you’ll be wishing you listened when the teacher asks you a question about it, and you stare at them blankly).
And of course, there are those with no internal monologue at all. Their thoughts may appear as images, concepts, or emotions instead of words. Think of it like different operating systems: some run “Verbal OS,” others “Visual 2.0.” Both work. Both are human. One just narrates life like it’s a Netflix coming-of-age series.
So, whether your thoughts sound like a personal podcast or complete silence with occasional mental emojis, there’s no “correct” way to think. It is just the brain’s way of trying to decode and understand the world in a simpler more understandable demeanour.
I hope you learnt something new and I look forward to seeing you next week for a new question and a new answer!
