In Psychology, Mental Commentary refers to an ongoing internal stream of thoughts, interpretations, judgments,...

In psychology, mental commentary refers to an ongoing internal stream of thoughts, interpretations, judgments, or self-talk about what is happening around you or inside your mind. It is part of normal human cognition and self-awareness.

Examples may include:

• “I probably sounded awkward.”

• “That person seems upset.”

• “I need to remember this later.”

• “Why did I do that?”

• “This situation feels dangerous.”

  
  

Mental commentary may be:

Neutral

Simple observation or reflection:

• “I’m tired.”

• “Traffic is heavy today.”

  
  

Positive

Supportive or encouraging self-talk:

• “I handled that well.”

• “I can figure this out.”

  
  

Negative

Critical, fearful, or pessimistic thinking:

• “I always fail.”

• “Everyone is judging me.”

  
  

Automatic

Many thoughts arise quickly and automatically without conscious intention. In cognitive psychology, these are often called automatic thoughts.

Mental Commentary vs. Reality

A key concept in therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment

Therapy is that:

Thoughts are interpretations, not necessarily facts.

Mental commentary can sometimes become distorted through cognitive biases such as:

• catastrophizing

• mind reading

• overgeneralization

• black and white thinking

  
  

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Mental Commentary

Healthy

• Reflective

• Flexible

• Reality-based

• Self-correcting

• Helps problem solving

  
  

Unhealthy

• Constant self-criticism

• Rumination

• Obsessive replaying

• Fear based prediction

• Harsh internal attacks

Excessive negative commentary may be associated with anxiety, depression, trauma-related conditions, and obsessive thinking patterns.

Mental Commentary and Psychosis

Most people experience internal self-talk. However, mental commentary becomes clinically important when a person:

• cannot distinguish thoughts from external reality,

• experiences voices as externally generated,

• or develops highly fixed delusional interpretations.

"Running commentary” may describe a type of auditory hallucination where voices narrate a person’s actions continuously. This may occur in conditions like Schizophrenia, though hallucinations may also appear in other medical: Consult With a Medical Doctor, or psychological conditions.

Reducing Distressing Mental Commentary

Helpful approaches may include:

• mindfulness

• cognitive restructuring

• thought labeling

• grounding techniques

• journaling

• therapy

• sleep regulation and stress reduction

  
  

For example:

• Instead of “I’m doomed,” noticing: “I’m having an anxious thought.”

That creates psychological distance between the thinker and the thought.

Shervan K Shahhian