The I-pod Brain: Musical Hallucinations

I'm 31 years old. I change the radio genre from what I use to listen to to try to acquire some peace. I use to have a lifestyle that was leading me to an early grave. I am still trying to better my life in the Lord, He has given me so much hope and strength yet I am still weak and everyday is a challenge. The music is pretty heavy rock. I listen to mostly country music now but the songs with lyrics like, " I do it for the drugs, from the bottom of the bottle. " these lyrics are not reminders that I want to be plagued with for the rest of my life. I say all this because it's getting worse the older I get. I had two heart attacks by the time I was 23, my nose shoved in my face a concert mosh pit, and multiple concussions from fights I should have never had been out at night to get in. Although I have been enlightened that that path would eventually catch up with me and it has been many years behind me. The constant songs I hear are sickening to my stomach and I can't cut them off whenever I want, they just stop when they decide they want to. Anytime you don't have full control of your senses it is an annoyance. Just a warning watch what you put in your head what you listen too, because although it may not define who you are, everything we do and listen to does become a part of who we are as a human being and definitely influences us even if only in our subconscious. Be smart put good things in and enjoy life. Thank You for reading this....

My music just began last month. I am 77, female, was deprived of sounds for a long period of time, hard of hearing, have tinnitus, stressed and depressed. I finallygot a tablet that would play music while I was waiting for my TV to be hooked up. My brain music was quiet when I played music from the tablet so I thought a small stereo out here would be perfect to drown out the music. However, I found that my brain music fights with the stereo music and ruins it by also coming through the speakers. I had put on a CD of Natures carols. After the ocean sound, I heard the Ohio State University alumni song come through the left speaker and it ___
was played by bells. I have tried other CDs without success. Last night the brain music began to come through the tablet with certain songs. It is like a spoiled child. I feel as if I have another personality inside of me. I know this is not a psychosis and I am fortunate that my psychiatrist knew immediately what this was.

My "radio station" seems to be playing music all the time. It's usually songs, but often it's musical pieces of many usually classical composers (preferably baroque). This morning, it is Leonard Cohen's "Hey, that's no way, to say goodbye!"

I often try to ascribe meaning to the music that is playing, but, writing down many of the tunes for several days, I could not discern a pattern.

I've had this music in my head all my life. When I am engaged in a project or with people, the volume is down or off. When I am alone, not thinking or planning, the volume goes up again. Often I'll start humming or whistling along and it's a great joy.

Only once has it been relentless, intrusive and annoying: I had been rehearsing then performed a certain piece of music (I sing and perform classical/sacred music) and one piece kept playing again and again and again--long after the performance. FWIW, I think I rehearse music by it's repetition in my brain, but this was out of control. The same tune for days. I got so annoyed that I tried playing other pieces to distract me, but it came back with a vengeance. I can't remember what else I did to get rid of it, but it was the only time this bothered me.

Hello,
I am so glad to find this website and hope there is truly strength in numbers. I will share some of myself with you and have read many of your stories. I would welcome your feed back and any new ideas you might come up with.

I am 73 and have had noise in my ears for around 14 years. The noise can be called birds, rattling or others. I worked on flight lines while in the air force back in the 1950's and after leaving the service my main job had me traveling on airplanes for over 18 years.

The VA that I go to has been working with me and the set of hearing aids that include a U-direct system that has been a big help. This new sound in my brain, the music started this past January 2014. My friend and I were on a five month trip in my motor home traveling the south west looking for warm. In January I was working on the computer and realized that I was listening to some very beautiful music. I committed to my friend that I liked the radio station she was listening too. She informed me that there was no radio on and there was no music playing. I went over and turned on a radio and carefully tried to find the station to no avail. I even went outside and walked around the RV park we were staying in to try and find the source.

The next day I tried listening with my hearing aids in and out and it made no difference. The music remained and the volume did not change. I then got in the car and drove around with no radio on and the music was still present. At this point I realized that something new was going on. I realized that I was hearing the music in my brain not with my ears. I made contact with my VA doctor and made plans to see her when we returned in March.

In the meantime some slight changes were going on. Instead of complete songs back to back it began to play just parts of the songs like the ending or the chorus over and over. And then it began to play just a portion of the song over and over for up to 12 hours with no change. The songs that seem to be the most often played are The Green Green Grass of Home", His Truth is Marching On, Amazing Grace, Have I told You Lately That I Love You and Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain. There are a few others but these are the most often.

This past Saturday nigh something very weird happened. As I laid down for the night and was trying to relax. I could here the bird noise I could also hear 2 accordions playing in harmony a song that sounded like the national anthem and then a choir was also singing Amazing Grace all at the same time. The volume of each was so that I could concentrate and listen to each but the others could still be heard. I thought to myself why would I ever need any one to talk with any one while all this is going on in my head. Now there are times when I can hear the birds and one of the songs and also some one talking. I can't seem to make out what they are saying but can hear a conversation going on.

The VA has been very helpful trying to find out what is going on. I have met with my main care provider and my hearing specialist they both had never heard of this problem. I was sent to have a CT scan to see if there was any dementia and was told there is none present. Next week I am to see a special ear nose and throat department. I don't see what they might find but I will not shut the door on any possible source of help.

That is my story,
Thanks for any replies from you
Larry

I recently turned 27, and can hardly remember the last time my brain was silent. I wake up to a random track, and like many have mentioned, I can usually change it over to another "station." At times, the persistent music drives me almost to panic, when I think about it too much, and when too many other things are begging for my attention. My brother has the same issue, and has had it for some time, as well.

What I find interesting about my hallucinations is that many songs are rendered in incredible detail, with complete recall of the song, not just faint vocals, or a hook. These are songs that I couldn't likely even sing along with unconsciously.

There are only a few things that I can find to quell the music: binaural beats, noise (white of pink, usually,) and, of course, other music. Binaural beats involve headphones, and basically play one tone in one ear, and another tone a few Hz different in another ear. This causes your brain to interpret it like two strings playing slightly out of unison, and forming a beat of sorts. My theory is that because the brain is having to work on that interpretation of what it is hearing, perhaps it kills the self stimulation in the process. With noise, I wonder if I'm not just drowning out the mental music, as it's not as effective. I find that I require headphones almost constantly at work, just to be able to divert my mental energies to something productive. I lost the rubber ends to my headphones at the airport on a recent trip, and found the musical distraction almost crippling in terms of productivity. I suppose I never really thought about it as a sickness until that point.

Hello. I am 45 and have had this all of my life. I honestly thought it was normal until just a couple months ago. It's never occurred to me to tell my doctor about it. It just doesn't bother me honestly. It's almost always music I enjoy and listen to anyways. Just like some of the other posters, I can change the song at will. The only time it's actually a problem for me is when I am trying to sleep and if I'm attempting to meditate. If I'm attempting relaxation exercises or the like I have a really difficult time concentrating enough for it to be effective. For those who are thinking of committing suicide over it, don't do it. You can learn to get used to it over time. I have anxiety disorder and am depressed clinically but this started long ago before that was even a problem. I can always tell what the music is and by whom. It's as clear as if I'm listening to a cd. It only goes away when I am listening to actual music. I don't think it is due to lack of auditory stimulation as there is always some noise going on in my house. I do not live alone. I have taken Seroquel and it does nothing for the music. If you have this problem all I can say is hang in there.

I haven't read all the responses of others share their MES stories but I will. It seems to me those who are writing about this experience-not the visitors, the 'experts'-are not describing this experience very well. Folks I've told will say, "everyone sings songs in their heads" But WE are not repeating tunes in our own voices WE are hearing as if we were with a radio, in an auditorium...even, in my case, in a sports stadium. We hear the actual voices and solos and choruses and we hear individual instruments or, in the case of classical music, the entire orchestra We even hear the roar of the crowds, the applause and the whistles when the crowds are pleased. I do not listen to sports or watch them. I do not like some of the songs I've heard and I've heard songs that, with research I discovered don't exist. Sometimes, it's true, a song can be 'stuck' and repeat but I have found I can change that song by quickly concentrating on something I like. In my humble opinion, we are NOT hallucinating We are accessing sounds that the brain has recorded. I suspect it may be possible someday to hear the voices of people who have died but I haven't made any real effort yet. One thing I haven't yet learned to do is control the volume. It must be very quiet for me to hear very well, though I'm not agreeing that this is caused by the absence of noise and think anyone should go to a nursing home to receive outside noise stimulation. What an absurd thing to even suggest. Anyway, I'm not yet displeased at this new ability, I'm fascinated

I am nearly 80, I have poor hearing and I have had tinnitus for 33 years. I've experienced this music in my head for several months. Some of the songs are choirs sung by males and females. At other times it is instrumental music. A lot of the music is unknown to me, although often it is very pleasant. If a chorus gets too repetitive, I can change it at will to any song I know. A lot of the time I prefer this music to my never-ending tinnitus. Several years ago, I became aware of hearing every so often what I first believed to be a mosquito buzzing near my head. From time to time I hear the sounds of far -away roosters crowing in the early morning. I recently visited a neurologist and he said he had never heard of my symptoms in his 40 years experience. In effect, he doesn't believe me.

Hi, I have had these songs in my head (Currently playing right now) ever since 1st grade. Their starting to get a little annoying (Considering that I am in 7th grade now, 3rd tri) but it's too much to explain, of what I have researched of my self. Yes, I self research myself because I am trying to find a solution... I have thought of killing myself over this multiple times, other disorders include OCD, ADHD, Anxiety disorder, Cognitive thinking disorder, and the "Tic" disorder (Which I have overcome 75 percent), etc... If someone could help me with my research on this... I would appreciate it a lot :).

School:

Grades = O.K, Good (A's, B's, C's)
Special Education = Yes :)/ :(
8 classes a day, 45-47minutes each (Class start, tardy bell, and class end bell included)
Lunch = Very loud (Mixed grade lunch), certain tones and phrases trigger certain songs and tones (Applies for overall facts, if you know what I mean... I can't make much sense right now... Can't think right...)

Hope this is enough information to help... It might be too much... :)

Sincerely, Trenton

Hi, my name is Migael and I'm from South Africa. I am 15 years old and a lot more mature than other people my age, I mostly listen to electronic music, but there is always a song playing in my head, I acctually thought this was normal for people who listen a lot of music, but then I asked a friend who also listens the same kind of music a lot and he said he doesn't know what I'm talking about. After reading a few pages on a famous DJ I went to research this. I always hear my own music, most of the time I can identify the artist, song and I can recreate every note and voice, the song is very clear. I also have the ability to skip the song by thinking about it, at first nothing happens but when I forget I thought about the song it changea to that song. It is very anoying and I have trouble sleeping and studying, my grades arn't to bad, but I know they can improve if I could stop the song.

well. i disagree. when this happens to me there IS music in reality, but its always like in a anime series, out-lines on them. blurs, powers, anything and everything i want to happen to "them". but seems the one i focus on is like a dragon. but hes only 7'1 and stands like a man. he also speaks like a man. and he ALWAYS wears gothic styled cloths. a long black leather over-coat. a black shirt underneath, shoulder spikes, black spiked gloves, and a black cow-boy hat.