Do you ever just have a blank mind? | INFJ Forum

Do you ever just have a blank mind?

Night Owl

This Bird Has Flown
Apr 9, 2016
1,269
4,265
355
MBTI
INFJ
Enneagram
Never
Do you ever just have a blank mind?

I.e. In the course of the day, or during conversation, does your mind just 'go blank'?

This is a common occurrence for me. It doesn't trouble me, though it can make conversations a little awkward at times for the other person haha. I usually just say: sorry my mind is blank, I'd say something if I had something to say. At least that's something. It's a blankness of mind that dominates, whilst after an interval I then begin a mental commentary - a narration voice over if you will - like one who walks into an empty room... "So... my mind is blank ey, what can I say... okay, still nothing... there's no movement at the station... I'll just wait it out or wait until they say something I can latch unto."

Hence here I am drawing a distinction between conscious higher cognitive processing and what one might call lower cognitive processing - experientially, they're both tangibly different in a very clear and distinct manner. Perhaps the terms active thinking and passive thinking descriptively help. All of these terms might be used with slightly different understandings attached in the scientific and psychology field, than I am using them here, but perhaps people can relate (or not) to the blankness of mind I am describing. Bearing in mind I am not speaking of a state of mind I bring about through conscious efforts, i.e. It's not a result of eastern style meditation, it is just a natural phenomena/occurrence in my daily experience - it's never disabling or disorientating, quite the opposite really, though socially awkward at times, and it's too hard to say 'how long' such 'episodes' or moments last, but never too long, and sensory or mental stimuli can get me out of it.
 
Yes, this happens to me, and with increased frequency when I take statin medication.


Cheers,
Ian
 
it does happen to me too. usually when i'm stressed. i even asked a friend if it's possible to lose memory and become "blank" when you think too much. :|
 
It does happen quite a bit... nothingness (not eastern philosophy) then I observe myself "engaging" with head nods and "mmm hmm's" and the commentary kicks in. I try to pay attention so as not to be rude, but all I hear with my ears is "blah, blub, blarb, fart," and in my head I'm thinking "wow, that mouth moves weird, why are they squeezing their thumb so tight? Maybe they should consider velcro shoes, because those knots are rubbish."
Instead of admitting that my mind is blank or that I quit paying attention long ago, if I know their story was a complaint I'll chime in with something like, "well, at least you don't have AIDS." Or, "thankfully, you don't derive your nutrients from dirt like in third world countries." If I caught on that it was a happy story l'll offer a generic, "that's awesome." If I'm supposed to be "engaged" in a serious conversation I'll ask them to repeat themselves where I begin to interrupt them and steer the conversation away from reality until it becomes something completely different or everyone just gives up... these examples are contingent on the situation and topic though. If someone is genuinely overwhelmed with emotion that doesn't happen.
 
Only when it's absolutely crucial for me to respond well to others. Then I'm blank. At all other times I'm ok, especially after a crucial moment, when I realize what I should have said and done...
 
It happens a lot, especially on the phone.

Oh yesssss. I'm not the best phone conversationalist, namely if it involves chit-chat / small talk.

It does happen quite a bit... nothingness (not eastern philosophy) then I observe myself "engaging" with head nods and "mmm hmm's" and the commentary kicks in. I try to pay attention so as not to be rude, but all I hear with my ears is "blah, blub, blarb, fart," and in my head I'm thinking "wow, that mouth moves weird, why are they squeezing their thumb so tight? Maybe they should consider velcro shoes, because those knots are rubbish."
Instead of admitting that my mind is blank or that I quit paying attention long ago, if I know their story was a complaint I'll chime in with something like, "well, at least you don't have AIDS." Or, "thankfully, you don't derive your nutrients from dirt like in third world countries." If I caught on that it was a happy story l'll offer a generic, "that's awesome." If I'm supposed to be "engaged" in a serious conversation I'll ask them to repeat themselves where I begin to interrupt them and steer the conversation away from reality until it becomes something completely different or everyone just gives up... these examples are contingent on the situation and topic though. If someone is genuinely overwhelmed with emotion that doesn't happen.

Hahah. Yes, I often keep my poker face and play the social game even if I've completely disengaged, zoned out, or gone blank. Yet sometimes I just lay my cards flat on the table and fold. Ready for another deal.
 
Only when it's absolutely crucial for me to respond well to others. Then I'm blank. At all other times I'm ok, especially after a crucial moment, when I realize what I should have said and done...

That's a good observation. Often when I'm put on the spot to share something, offer feed back, or respond, when unexpected, especially in front of others I'm not 100% (but even just 70%) comfortable around, I am frequently like a stunned mullet. Blank as a slate.
 
No. Everything I experience spawns an idea. However, I have an autoimmune disorder that I take medication for. The doctor admits the dosage is too high for me, and I show symptoms of this, but won't change it. (Grrr.) The medication makes it hard to concentrate. It makes me feel stupid. I've tested with a high IQ, and I feel like this medication knocks boatloads of points off that number. I usually avoid having in-depth conversations about topics I used to be very knowledgable about. I hate it so much. So, compared to the me before this medication, I feel like my mind is blank, because I have trouble organizing my thoughts.
I have a window each day when I feel like "old me" and I race to get all my in-depth work done during that timeframe.
 
There’s another kind of blank mind I experience, and this kind is most welcome.

Unmedicated, my mind can be like a dozen radios and televisions, all poorly tuned, or being retuned, playing at once.
Bits and pieces of music, and dialogue, and phrases, and flashes of this and that, images of memories, imaginations.
Overlaid with a static-like snow that is visual and audible in the mind...this all is a brain fog, but animated and electric.

When my Dexedrine kicks in, there is this moment where it all fades and stops, kind of like an old television where
you would see the fading dot after you turned it off.

Then I have quiet and peace. My mind is empty and still. “Blank,” if you will.

Then I can choose to fill it with what I wish and desire to fill it with, without intrusion.

Before I was diagnosed with ADHD, I thought a dozen radios and televisions, all poorly tuned and playing at once
was normal, or at least was my normal. For 41 years it was.

Now I know that is part of who I am, but it is an aspect of my disorder.

To be able to experience it all slowing down and coming to a stop, so there is...nothing...is bliss.


Cheers,
Ian
 
  • Like
Reactions: CosmicINFJ and Gaze
That's a good observation. Often when I'm put on the spot to share something, offer feed back, or respond, when unexpected, especially in front of others I'm not 100% (but even just 70%) comfortable around, I am frequently like a stunned mullet. Blank as a slate.

Yeah, if I'm put on the spot, especially if I'm not comfortable or still in observation mode, I pause and stutter until something comes out of my face. Often times, it's some kind of nonsense and I am rarely put on the spot again by the same people. Insanity is a good defense mechanism!


Unfortunately, it also ruins any potential credibility.
 
Last edited:
Yes, my mind frequently goes blank when I'm mid-conversation. It seems to be something that has worsened with time. I often find myself worrying that I have absolutely nothing to contribute to the conversation, once the other person stops talking.

I also zone out a lot when people are talking, and miss bits of what they said. This might seem like ignorance, but I can't help it. It's like my brain suddenly decides to process information, despite me not being alone. It gets progressively worse, the longer I spend with someone, like there's a backlog of info!
 
In times of extreme anxiety, I actually black out.


I also can't tell stories because I lost in the fine details and forget what I'm talking about. People find it charming and my best friends love it and make fun of it, but it causes me a lot of serious frustration. My mind processes things so much faster than I can verbalize.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gaze and Night Owl
I meant to rep you thusly @Night Owl yesterday, but it was at that exact moment that we were locked out for maintenance / upgrades, so it seems that comment now has a double meaning =)

"all worthy actions seem to take place behind the scenes "

I do also zone out often and it seems that when my consciousness feels blank, my sub consciousness is meanwhile processing all things at once, making correlations. When I "come back," the answers are there whether I am aware of them or not, only to pop out at the most random times. This is quite amusing.

in conversations, if I find something profound or interesting, my mind latches onto that and takes it deeper, analyzing all. then I have to apologize and ask the speaker to repeat so I can listen to the rest...then I'll share my reflection on the first point. it's a slow but thorough process
 
in conversations, if I find something profound or interesting, my mind latches onto that and takes it deeper, analyzing all. then I have to apologize and ask the speaker to repeat so I can listen to the rest...then I'll share my reflection on the first point. it's a slow but thorough process

This happens to me too. I find it difficult to keep up with conversations. It's almost like people are talking too fast and I can't take it all in. Also, I might take a bit of time to think after something is said, and often they change the subject before I get a chance to speak. That's quite annoying.
 
@Pleiades that's a great insight you shared as to one of the reasons behind such a 'blank blind'. Perhaps we can call it a subconscious-processing intermission.

@Pyrrhula - yes, that often happens. I'm ready to return the serve after a water break (i.e. blank mind), but everyone's already left the court. Although I am quite guilty of changing subject and leaping to tangents.

[Great. The multi-quote system is better now].
 
^Wah - 5 minute editing window. I originally multi-quoted but forgot to delete the bottom line.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Siimplicity