Why is talking to yourself "not normal?"

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Outside of looks different and people automatically think "hear voices" Shcizophrenia I don't see it as wrong. I honestly dread the summer coming up since I will not have the house to myself. This is usually a time for me to talk outloud to myself about the past and mentally "try to correct it" out loud. I even do this while walking alone on the sidewalk to the bus stop to pick up my little sister. When family is around I keep my mouth shut since it's viewed as "not normal" OMG! you are crazy etc. but I feel NOT talking outloud about the past and working it out is hard for me to do. Like putting on a straight jacket. I SO WANT to speak outloud to myself but it's seen as "weird" I don't do it in my room since I'm usually watching tv or playing a videogame so my mind is occupied with that. But cleaning around the house by myself I talk to myself.

Not being able to do this all summer is going to drive me nuts any tips? Do you do it alot yourself? Thanks.

<--- Talks to himself all the time. (Yes. People think he's crazy).

I talk to myself all the time. It's my way of dealing with my problems and preparing for the things that lay ahead me. I don't feel that there's anything abnormal about it. I also don't understand why many people say that it's not normal. I guess that they want everybody to be exactly the same.

I think it's more common than many realize and certainly not a sign of mental illness. Some people think better if they can speak their thoughts out loud.

I do it all the time. I try to "catch" myself if it's in public (like on the bus to and from work, where I do it most often), but yes--it helps me work things out. Lately, I've been writing some of it down in a memo pad instead. Don't know if that looks "odd" too, but...who cares.

Why talking to yourself is seen as strange: yes, it is associated with "hearing voices." I do run conversations in my head for a number of reasons: rehearsing what I might actually say to someone, review stuff I've thought/talked about before, even planning things I need to do that day or the next few days.

However, I think more people do it than we may realize--customers standing in my line are sometimes muttering something or other while I'm ringing up their items (and no, they're not saying that I'm taking too long ).

It can be quite helpful. I say: just do it. If you're at home, even if you're not alone there, you are entitled to do whatever makes you feel comfortable, as long as it doesn't harm anybody (and them saying it's "annoying", or whatever, does not count as "harm").

It is funny that it is not normal not to talk to yourself when you are a child, but it is not normal to talk to yourself when you are an adult.

Narmal, Nermal, Nirmal, Nurmal, Normal.

Very true. Society has some very rigid ideas about what people are "supposed" to do when children, teens, adults, etc.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQg8JKo_3ZQ[/youtube]

LIFE IS NOT THAT LINEAR! GOOD NIGHT!

You answered your own question- folks assume that you hear voices and therefore must be schizo. So thats why its socially unacceptable.

But how people go through life WITHOUT talking to themselves is beyond me. I find myself more interesting to talk to than most people! And Im right there- and I dont have to make small talk with myself to strike up a conversation with myself. And what Im thinking about is usually more interesting than whats going on around me.

On the job I either do it- or have to consciously suppress doing it. Many times its re living old arguments with family members. That happens when Im stressed and sleep deprived- you have to be in an angry mood to work when sleep deprived- so angry memories come out of the woodwork of your mind

But sometimes its a positive train of thought. My job is nonverbal and repetitive- so you go into verbal trains of thought. Sometimes I laugh aloud

It's always bothered me when people talk to themself but I've learned to ignore it. It's not my business what they do.

The reason it bothered me is because I never talk to myself. Actually I do but not out loud, only in my head, even if I'm alone. I always wondered why other people don't talk to themself in their head.

I agree with what's been said here, definitely better out than kept inside, trying to subdue your impulses is not healthy.

The trouble is when you are sharing a space with others and you talk out loud they can assume you are speaking to them. My partner often talks to herself, but at a low volume, I pick up on this because I have acute hearing. I find it very hard not to ask her to repeat herself or speak up even though I know she is just vocalizing her thoughts.

I feel there is a potential to cause friction with others in the house. If someone was around you and constantly talking it could become annoying?

This is a part of your character, tell people that your thought processes includes vocalization. If that makes you crazy then so what?
OR
Try to control it to some degree that does not stress you out, find a balance point between your impulses and what others need.

If exercise reduces your need to speak out loud then the summer is the perfect time to be out and about.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I can't. It's all images, very few words.

Disclaimer: I'm merely quoting an acquaintance's opinion. I neither agree with nor disagree with her opinion. She is highly likely an NT, hence I think that maybe some other NTs out there share her opinion.

An acquaintance: Sane people have control over their own thoughts and actions. Insane people have zero control over their thoughts and actions. When we keep our thoughts to ourselves instead of saying these thoughts out loud to no one in particular, we are exercising self-control, a hallmark of sanity.

I think the key point in the ways other people view this is the difference between-

Thinking out loud. Acceptable.

AND

Talking to yourself......CRAZY....

So best to aim for option one if you can.

Actually, a lot of people do it.
Even a lot of NTs.
When I'm in the street I often hear people that pass close to me talking to themselves. I higly doubt that they're all non-neurotypical.
Some people I know even talk to themselves out loud more than I do (they're NTs).

I hear voices calling me a lot. I don't have schizophrenia though. Schizophrenia is not always "hearing voices". That's a stereotype.

When I hear them, I just look around me to see if someone is actually calling me or if I'm only imagining it.

Your acquaintance is weird. Lots of people share that opinion but it really is wrong. Plus, talking to one's self is not really abnormal at all.

Also, self-control is not a hallmark of sanity. It's a hallmark of executive function and lacking self-control is not itself a sign of insanity.

Thinking aloud is quite normal. "Thinking" the same word/phrase over several times is......?