Talking and giggling to yourself.

Post Reply New Topic

I like talk to myself sometimes, and when I do it, I like to have my imaginary friends answer me. I even try to imitate their voices! Sometimes I get so involved in it that I forget that I'm just talking to myself and the "other people" don't exist. It brings me great comfort and is a great coping mechanism for when I'm feeling sad, anxious or lonely.

Interestingly, I learned in a documentary that outsider artist Henry Darger often did the same thing.

I also spontaneously burst out laughing at my own thoughts sometimes.

that sums me up, too. I also do echolalic stimming and will catch myself walking down the street saying the samething over and over.

I don't talk to myself unless I'm angry, in which case I will generally berate someone out loud even if they aren't there. However, I do giggle quite a bit. It's usually when people are talking and boring me to death, so I will retrieve into my own head and recall some extremely funny event. It got me into a lot of trouble when I was a kid and mom was lecturing me and I started laughing. Trying to then explain what is so funny doesn't work because they never get it. I'm very visual and funny movies of past events will just pop into my head.

i talk to myself in private like when im driving and around the house, i talk to myself at an audible level around others when im angry. i also laugh, etc to something random at least a few times a day anywhere i am. luckily i dont get much attention on the laugh thing, but the talking to myself around others has gotten me in trouble at times. maybe its like a psychological release/need to hear ourselves speak if we dont get to speak to others or choose to speak to others.

I do exactly the same things. And I'm NT (as far as I know). I've always wondered why I do it. I've been doing it for years. I tend to pace around the room conversing to these imaginary people. Often I'll do it as soon as I'm alone in a room and then get embarrassed when someone walks in! My older NT daughter sometimes brings it to my attention and I don't realise until she mentions it, that I'm doing it! I often talk to myself in the car as well, but then stop when I realise that other drivers might see me; then I might start up again and then once again think "oops, that's right, other drivers might see me" lol!

I do it mostly after a real social interaction. Like I'll pretend the person is still with me and pretend that I'm still talking to them, or go over a conversation we just had.

My younger daughter who has ASD tends to pace or run up and down the room, talking to herself, after a social interaction as well. I see it as her 'stimming' to recover from the stress of a social event. I have to wonder what I'm doing, though, when I do the same thing following a social event!

I did have social anxiety disorder as a child; would this be related to the weird talking to myself thing?

I talk to myself a lot, but I don't like other people noticing so I try to keep it under control when they're around. I've also got the "internal comedy show" going on in my head, and will often find my own thoughts a lot more amusing than external comedy. Quite often it's pretty much impossible for me to share the joke with others, as it wouldn't be funny to them....my jokes are like "in jokes" which would be meaningless to anybody except me, unless the other people were happy to sit through a very long explanation of why it's funny.

I know one lady who has the same thing.....she'll just start laughing when nothing funny has happened or been said, and I can tell from her facial expressions that it's her own thoughts that are making her laugh. It's always refreshing to see first-hand that somebody else has the same odd traits as I do.

I don't talk to myself and giggle. It's pointless to me.

I do this too. All of the above.

BUT...I do not agree it's a 'normal' NT thing. They do it MUCH less.

Nor do I think it's ok in public, or your work cubicle.
People can hear you, even if they don't say anything,
They are looking at each other and raising their eyebrows.
This will not earn their respect.
Later when you go to them with a question, or you need help, or to borrow a machine,
they may blow you off because you are "weird". It is not helpful to you at work.

Spouses can also find this annoying if it's carried on too much.
No one wants to be married/roommate to a "weirdo".

You smile and giggle at your inner conversation walking down the street and
your neighbors may see you from inside their houses.
Do it in the mall, and a co-worker may spot you. Don't.

I understand, trust me, I feel a tremendous need to "talk" Out Loud To Myself.
But I control it and wait for real alone times.

Try to wait until everyone is out at home and you are alone in the house.
Or do it quietly in a room on another floor.
Safest Place: Do it in the car, people will think it's hands free cell phone.
Stay alert while shopping, looking around you, and walk purposefully.
Unless you want people to say "There goes that crazy lady".

Do not EVER talk to yourself at work. People WILL hear you.
Don't think you can do it in an empty restroom. It can be heard from outside the door.
Someone will think there are two people in there, then they find ONE.
This will go all over the building.

One really AS guy in my office suite does this, and the NT sitting next to me (who doesn't realize that I am AS!) always turns to me when he hears these random thoughts and giggles (from AS guy down the row) and raises his eyebrows.
If AS guy comes over with a question he blows him off, or gives him a smart remark. I answer him seriously and politly, of course. But many of the other NT's just don't even want him walking up to them and trying to converse.

My way obviously is to try and fit in, and appear more NT. So as hard as it is, I try to control all things AS.

cool. people like us should stick together.

I do it very frequently, and it's almost always combined with pacing.

no. you probably thought of something very funny. I know a lot of people who have a private giggle or a chuckle. It indicates a sense of humor. Caveat: try not to giggle at funerals and other somber occasions.

ruveyn

That's a problem for me too, but I'm good at catching myself.

What is it about funerals and other serious gathers that brings out the giggles?

Just about anything can bring the giggles out of me, so why not?

At least we will never be at a loss for conversation...