Does anyone else script/simulate future conversations in their head?

Often when I'm thinking something and realize that in future, no matter how far away or unlikely, that I may have to talk to this person about that stuff then I kind of simulate what I would say then what the other person might reply to which I should say this and that person would say that etc.

I am not sure but my social anxiety might have a hand in this weird, involuntary thought process habit thingy.

All the time! Omg I'm so glad someone else does this!

Yes and than these false conversations keep playing over and over sometimes.

A lot of times. Every morning....when driving....

Totally. but then the other side does not follow the script

For me, i think it was triggered more by my inability or fear of being true to myself. Now my answers dependably come from ME, and theres no more back and forth arguing in my head anymore. That me was not so outspoken before. I was defending my boundaries in my head. Now my boundary lines are drawn, and people respond to them.

I do sometimes, especially before social events

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Yes, all the time.

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I used to do it a lot, not so much anymore.

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I always do this. I not only reharse the future conversations, but also repeat those that have already happened. Sometimes I really hate this habit, especially when I think that the other person will never know about this.

Doesn't everyone from time to time?

Everyone does sometimes, but some people do it all the time. Like it interferes with life.

Yea this a constant problem all day long, if I get into it enough I will actually start talking to someone that's not there and argue my point and stuff. I hear them in my head all the time its annoying.

I often do this.

I always do this

I do this all the time. I will think of something I want to tell the person even though I know I will never tell them what I think of because of my social anxiety. I would be too scared to tell how I really feel about whatever. I do this too often, especially if I feel I made a mistake and I think of what I could have said.

that's right. For some people it becomes kind of an obsession that they can't control.

Absolutely right. I hate doing it and want to get rid of it because :

• The actual conversations NEVER go like the script so it is just useless
• This habit drains a lot of energy and time from me
• It kind of makes me detached from reality. I can't feel or understand the other person like I would if I were normal
• It derails my train of thoughts too much. Like in the middle of thinking or working, I get distracted into mapping out a conversation I'll never have

I tried a lot. I stop myself as soon as I realize I'm doing it, but the habit never dies.

Anybody got any tips to deal with this thing?

Ok so I'm sad to say, due to pride, that I did that relentlessly. I prepared to be prepared for any possible scenario for future conversations. I would even put thoughts into others' heads about me and then prepare a dialogue to defend myself. I pretty much assumed everyone else had me on their mind. And guess what? They don't. So first my bipolar was quelled with an AP and then I made sure I told myself that I am just not that stinking important

I don't know about a proven solution to this, but I think being MINDFUL might help prevent it.

By the way, does anyone here think this habit has any connection to OCD?

Well I do have "neurotic perfectionism" so there might be but along with that I have a kind of a language disorder that causes me to take too long to form words and sentences. It might seem like that in my case the habit might be useful but it's not.

I have a habit of playing out conversations ALL the time. I think my habit is more due to my anxiety issues than OCD.

More than just conversations, I simulate full blown scenarios in my head, multiple times trying to gauge every possible outcome, I think it's a combination of my anxiety and OCD like tendencies.

I am such a perfectionist, that I don't even try unless I know for sure that I will succeed.

it's odd how I premeditate so much when it comes to social situations, but not when it comes to other things like exams, where I usually show up without much preparation and under perform because of it.

Exactly how I am.

i am glad it made sense to someone

i had a job interview a few weeks ago, i spent the whole night before playing out every possible conversation, outcome and stuff, I couldn't sleep until about 4 am.