Is it normal?!

Post Reply New Topic

Okay so basically for all of my life I have talked to myself. Not just the occasional saying something to yourself or whatever. I mean constantly having full out conversations with myself when I know nobody else is there. I have done it pretty much all my life. It's also pretty embarrassing where to the point I cannot control it. I'm pretty sure I;ve been caught by family, friends, the public talking to myself more than a handful of times. Then it gets very weird and they look at me like a psychopath. I am aware I'm not talking to anyone else but I still go on full rants with myself about anything and it's pretty much all day everyday. Even pretend I am talking to someone else and make little facial expressions and stuff, sounds dumb I know but it's what I have always done.

I think the only thing that's not normal about it is that you do it out loud, as I used to when I was a kid.
The only solution that I came up with was to do it in my head instead; which I suspect many people do anyway.
There's nothing wrong with being weird or different, but you want to reduce the likelihood of being pointed out and ridiculed for being so.
It's really no different to learning how to read; we all learn to do it reading out loud - in fact in days of yore people would read out loud as a matter of course, and not just as children or in company!
You don't have to stop talking to yourself, but just try to teach yourself to do it silently to reduce any unwanted and unwelcome attention.
NT's usually think we're mad as it is, you don't want to give them evidence and ammunition against you!

I talk out loud with myself I think of it as thinking out loud, sometimes I will have a conversation with myself other times its just my thoughts. I think its only a problem when the voices become like a completely other person and they are persistent, I think that would be a sign of schizophrenia

I do this all the time. It sometimes helps me work out problems.

I'm pretty sure I do it out loud (or at least with my lips moving) on occasion, even in public (like on the bus), but no one's ever said anything to me or even given me an odd look--maybe most people in my area just don't care.

I talk and even argue with myself in my head often. The only vocalisation is when I burst out laughing.

I suppose I often abuse myself at home when I've done somthing stupid, like get distracted and walk into a door with a cup of coffe, spilling it everywhere. Then I get a bit more vocal. LOL.

I often catch myself doing hand gestures in public, demonstrating something or other (to myself) as though I was explaining it to someone else.

I do this when I need to work out problems verbally for school or writing. I have difficulty arranging my thoughts in pure language and in linear order inside my head. When I really need to work things out I take the dog with me for a walk, that way I can pretend I'm talking to her if someone overhears. I don't think there is anything abnormal about it, maybe other people have learned to hide it better, or it's easier for some people to keep it as an internal dialogue.

I still tend to do it. Basically, just saying what I happen to be thinking..
Only a problem if it becomes excessive or you kno longer know who is talking!

Sincerely,
Matthew

NT children talk to themselves all the time. Psychologists have studied it; apparently it is a sort of self-regulation, which allows them to solve problems. They'll carry on a running narrative about whatever they're doing. As they get older, they stop talking out loud and start talking silently to themselves. As adults, they think to themselves in words, roughly the same way they used to talk to themselves as children.

If you still talk to yourself out loud as an adult, it's not really a sign of anything horrible. It's probably just that you find it easier to think when you can hear yourself speaking.

What do you find to be normal? Is there even such thing as "normal"? If you were to choose a term more like "acceptable" or "natural" then I could answer your question. If talking to yourself is something you have done your entire life, then that simply is a sign of who you are, but don't take that the wrong way. If you ask me, I think it's humorous to know that you make conversation with yourself (I have friends who do that too, no joke). The knowledge of that even reminds me of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings (but I'm not comparing you with Gollum so PLEASE don't feel offended, if you are, then please accept my apologies). Anyway, if you do that because you don't talk to other people very much, I suppose there could be a bit of a problem if you yourself feel it's a problem. But it's a very interesting quirk that you possess and if you don't like it, only you can do something about it. You know, when I have one of my "episodes" people stare at me like I'm crazy (even my own dog looks at me like I'm crazy) but who can blame them? I really am crazy! Lol but it bothers me not, but surely I don't do that to get attention, it's just something I do spontaneously. Anyway, worry not what other people think of you. If you feel that talking to yourself a lot is a problem, then worry about it. Otherwise, if you don't mind talking to yourself like that, then find no need to worry. That's just my advice, if there's someone else's advice you like, then hey, I'm cool with that

Yes, I talk to myself out loud. Not necessarily a conversation, just thoughts I am trying to work out. Or sometimes if I am feeling annoyed with myself or worried I will say stuff aloud about it. Probably psychologically unhealthy, that last bit, oh well. I am usually on guard if I know other people are around. I used to have the whole upstairs to myself but now I have another housemate in the next room and I have to be careful not to slip.

[quote="Callista"]NT children talk to themselves all the time. Psychologists have studied it; apparently it is a sort of self-regulation, which allows them to solve problems. They'll carry on a running narrative about whatever they're doing. As they get older, they stop talking out loud and start talking silently to themselves.."

I still do this to keep myself on track. If I am going somewhere or doing something I often forget what it is in transit so I will say it out loud to remember. Like if I am making tea I will go through the steps and say "cup", "tea bag", "water" as I do them. I wonder how much most people talk to themselves when they are alone. Who knows? Could be quite a bit.

My kiddo talks to herself all the time when she is alone. In my humble opinion, the only problem comes when you hear imaginary people REPLYING to you, especially if they are giving you bad advice. Then it's time to see a shrink.

This is actually a shared trait my daughter and I both have.

Talking to yourself is normal; a lot of people do that. Heck, even I do it, though in my case I like to pretend that I am talking to my favorite fictional characters, complete with voicing their responses. You just might not want to be talking to yourself out loud when you are around other people though, because it's not a socially acceptable thing to do.