Shutting out the noise in your head (Part 1)

Noise according to oxford dictionary is a sound especially loud and unpleasant or that causes disturbance. It could a good music may be playing but if the song is unwelcome at the time then, it is noise. The description matches the noise we are used to, I call it the noise on the outside. I use that term because I recognize that there is noise that happens on the inside, the noise in our minds.

This kind of noise is particularly annoying to me because there is no turn off switch. For the noise on the outside, you can turn it off quite easily. For instance, if you are in a noisy environment, you can put on a headset to counter the source of the noise or you can leave the place.

However, the noise in the mind is so tricky, sometimes you won’t even know that its there. Inside noise handicaps you, cuts your productivity flow and causes your thoughts to be incoherent whether you are a PhD student or not. It simple terms, it is crippling to your mental health and the worse part is that you might not recognize its effect on your mental health until the damage has been done.

I mean how do you fight an enemy you can’t see?

I don’t claim to be an expert in mental health however, I will share how I detect that there is noise in my mind as it might suggest to you things to pay attention as regards inside noise.

1. I can’t explain how I feel. This might sound like an emotional issue because it has to do with feelings but it’s not. If one is in a stable mental space, you should be able to tell if you are excited, overwhelmed, sad, angry or hurt but when you can’t place a name to what you feel there is high tendency that there is noise in your mind.
2. I lose concentration. This is like a very obvious sign but for me, I can lose concentration when I am hungry or tired which is not the same as inside noise. So how do I tell the difference? Well… If I lose concentration and I have no desire to eat or rest then I know that I am losing concentration as a result of noise in my head.
3. I am all over the place. This is the most obvious sign for me and the last sign to manifest mostly after damage has been done. At this point, I experience lack of concentration combined with restless. I can’t sit still, my thoughts are in shambles, I am neither here nor there. I maybe at my work station at school but my mind is not there. I think of going home but I don’t think it will help either.

Does any of these signs relate to you? If I am missing some, tell me in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Watch out for the second part of this post which addresses what to do about it.

Photo credit: pedroalves on flickr