Am I a nut case?

[Trytostaydead]

Sometimes as I lay down to sleep, I hear "background" chatter in the back of my head. Like almost-crystal clear voices that are speaking like in the middle of a sentence or conversation.. can't quite exactly make out what they're saying.. but it's definate, clear, and I wasn't imagining a conversation.

I'd be afraid I was schizo if I actually understand what they were saying or possibly speaking to me, but it only comes out certain times when I'm on the brink of sleep. Kinda freaky.

[haas mark]

Sometimes as I lay down to sleep, I hear "background" chatter in the back of my head. Like almost-crystal clear voices that are speaking like in the middle of a sentence or conversation.. can't quite exactly make out what they're saying.. but it's definate, clear, and I wasn't imagining a conversation.

I'd be afraid I was schizo if I actually understand what they were saying or possibly speaking to me, but it only comes out certain times when I'm on the brink of sleep. Kinda freaky.

Insomnia and sleep deprivation in general, as well as just plain being tired, can sometimes lead to hallucinations. Though the majority of people get visual hallucinations, it is also quite common to have auditory ones. Take it from someone who knows and gets the same thing.

~ver

[Joe]

Sounds like you're starting to enter a dream state when that happens.

But just to be safe... *steps back five feet*

[Trytostaydead]

Insomnia and sleep deprivation in general, as well as just plain being tired, can sometimes lead to hallucinations. Though the majority of people get visual hallucinations, it is also quite common to have auditory ones. Take it from someone who knows and gets the same thing.

~ver

I've been reading up on auditory hallucinations. But it doesn't quite seem the same. The voices I know are coming and originating at the back of my head and for the most part.. I cannot understand what is being said.

Then occasionally I will get music. Beautiful words, an ensemble of choir and orchestra where I wish to God I wasn't musically retarded otherwise I might have recorded a few good pieces. One time.. a beautiful voice was singing in my head.. something about a place that was lush and green (sigh)

[haas mark]

Insomnia and sleep deprivation in general, as well as just plain being tired, can sometimes lead to hallucinations. Though the majority of people get visual hallucinations, it is also quite common to have auditory ones. Take it from someone who knows and gets the same thing.

~ver

I've been reading up on auditory hallucinations. But it doesn't quite seem the same. The voices I know are coming and originating at the back of my head and for the most part.. I cannot understand what is being said.

Like I said.. take it from someone who knows.. The auditory hallucinations you get from sleep deprivation are, for the most part, inside your head. Sometimes there are conversations, sometimes other things.

Then occasionally I will get music. Beautiful words, an ensemble of choir and orchestra where I wish to God I wasn't musically retarded otherwise I might have recorded a few good pieces. One time.. a beautiful voice was singing in my head.. something about a place that was lush and green (sigh)

As Durran said, you may be entering dream sleep at that point, while awake. It's an odd occurrence, but I've had it before myself.

~ver

[kojikun]

i had that once. i was on the verge of unconsciousness and all of the sudden i heard voices, clear as day. i tried to hold it but i woke up. it was kinda cool.

[Peregrin Toker]

Then occasionally I will get music. Beautiful words, an ensemble of choir and orchestra where I wish to God I wasn't musically retarded otherwise I might have recorded a few good pieces. One time.. a beautiful voice was singing in my head.. something about a place that was lush and green (sigh)

Actually, I can create such "musical hallucinations" at will...

[Chardok]

I, too can hear voices quite clearly. especially at night, laying in bead. You can almost hear them for real. For example. Think of a song you know, Any song. Let's pick "Heart of rock N Roll" By Huey Lewis and the News. Now, concentrate on it. every aspect of it. start with the singer's melody, then when you have that, a few seconds later, add in the drums...then the guitar, then the horns. I guarantee it will seem as if you are hearing a radio, though far away, playing that very song. What you are experiencing may be your mind amalgamating many songs stored in your memory into a caucophony which is, in most cases, indecipherable, but familiar at the same time. Try and pick one melody out of the mix. You can do it, trust me, your mind is a powerful tool. As for the voices. Likely they are things you've heard from the past. your mind calling them up at night, much like the songs and you are, without knowing it, concentrating on the voices. They seem like they are talking to you, because, in all likelihood, they are, since they are things you've heard before. I've had instances where I was remembering customer calls I've had that particular day and my mom's voice would be attached to the bitching, whiny little fuckwit on the line. I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. you probably have a very vivid imagination.

As for being a musical retard:
You are not. Nobody is. I hate to hear people say they are tone deaf, I usually tell tham that if they were tone deaf, they would not have inflection to their voices. they would the proverbial Johnny One Note of speech. Music is in all of us and is one of the very few cultural constants. (Being that mathematics is the main constant anywahere in the univers, it stands to reason music would be a close second, since it is so closely related to math) So you are not a musical retard. in fact, If you are hearing songs in your head, and you find that after trying to pick them apart mentally, you still have not heard them before, I would venture to say that you are musically gifted, and should try perhaps learning a bit more about it so you will be able one day to write down qhat you hear in your head. how do you think Beethoven was able to compose symphonies? He was completely deaf. He heard his masterpieces in his head!

[Drewcifer]

I've experienced this too. More of the musical variety though, no voices. I've attributed it to my brain trying to make sense of random white noise, erroneously perceiving chaos as coherent patterns. It seems to be related to the frontal lobes shutting down for the night, when your brain is less likely to reject illogical things (like the stuff dreams are made of: steamboats on wheels, suitcases full of muffins and cats).

I often run a fan in my room at night during the summer, and every year, before I get used to the fan again, I hear symphonies as I fall asleep.

I like it.