Why do Aspies talk and sing to themselves?

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Do you sing or talk to yourself? (Aspies only)
Sing only 2%  2%  [ 3 ]
Talk only 27%  27%  [ 36 ]
Both Sing and Talk 67%  67%  [ 89 ]
Neither 4%  4%  [ 5 ]
Total votes : 133

Supernova008
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16 May 2011, 6:27 am

The question is in the title. First of all, DO people with Asperger's talk and sing to themselves? Assuming they have no other mental problems (eg. schizophrenia), why do Aspies talk and sing to themselves?



Last edited by Supernova008 on 16 May 2011, 7:36 am, edited 2 times in total.

TenPencePiece
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16 May 2011, 6:30 am

I like to do it sometimes, I guess it's one way of using excess energy and sometimes a way to stay calm, for me.


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16 May 2011, 6:38 am

Purely because I feel like it. I probably am missing that 'social embarrassment' factor that NTs would most likely get from doing this!


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TallyMan
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16 May 2011, 6:50 am

It is the only way I can have a decent intellectual conversation! :P


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16 May 2011, 6:58 am

The reason no one else does this is because they're to embaressed.

I used to hum and talk to myself a lot, now I only talk to myself when alone and sing in the shower.


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OJani
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16 May 2011, 6:59 am

Jellybean wrote:
Purely because I feel like it. I probably am missing that 'social embarrassment' factor that NTs would most likely get from doing this!

Me too. I drove my ex gf crazy by humming and crooning randomly. I do it more frequently when I need calming. Apparently, I was in need. :) Although, I talk to myself only when nobody is in hear range (presumably).



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16 May 2011, 7:25 am

Sometimes I'll sing to myself (Mainly because I missed being sung to & only when I'm alone).



Last edited by EgyptianCat on 16 May 2011, 9:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.

proxybear
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16 May 2011, 7:26 am

Sing and talk to myself? I don't do that, sorry.



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16 May 2011, 9:12 am

I talk to myself, I am not really sure why.......I guess it sort of helps me keep my thoughts organized, because I tend to do it more when I am doing an something with the potential to cause confusion.



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16 May 2011, 9:39 am

I don't know why either. It helps to clarify my thoughts, putting them into words.....I guess most people do that when they think, but I have to vocalise the words, otherwise they're harder to focus on and to remember, especially if there are any distractions.

I think also to some extent it''s a substitute for normal conversation with people. They just won't stay on topic long enough for me to really get out what I want to say, they change the subject and their attention span is poor, and they're mostly not very interested in what I'm thinking anyway.

The problem is that when talking to myself, I go past the point and off at tangents even more than I do when I'm talking to somebody who doesn't have the audacity to stop me. Sometimes I think I'd be better off talking to somebody who could help me to organise my ideas better, by interrupting me with comments and questions designed to keep me from losing the plot.



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16 May 2011, 9:40 am

I sing to myself constantly. Not necessarily songs from the radio or whatever, just random things related to whatever I'm doing. I talk to myself in more serious situations, like when I'm working. Do NTs not do this?



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16 May 2011, 9:52 am

I grew up in an environment where I was mostly left to my own devices-to keep myself entertained. I was also an only child. There were long periods of time where I would only have myself as company...my parents mostly ignored me, were too busy with their own stuff, & there were few kids for me to hang around with (most kids avoided me like the plague unless they wanted to hurt me). So talking out loud was something I did to keep myself company. Years ago, there was a documentary on the signing chimp, Washoe, who also talked(signed ASL) to himself. The explanation was that he was similar to an only child. It was an "aha moment."

My mom hated it, as it was just another thing I did that made me strange. It wasn't like a normal two sided conversation, it was more that I would voice my thoughts out loud as they occured. Still do it, although I have lowered my voice so most people can't hear me.


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Dgosling
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16 May 2011, 9:57 am

i do both all the time in my head idk why :/



Kon
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16 May 2011, 10:05 am

That's a good question. I thought it was because I hardly speak most other times? Or it's like a verbal stimming behaviour. Probably the latter. I get pleasure from it and it does seem to help me relax.



Last edited by Kon on 16 May 2011, 10:07 am, edited 2 times in total.

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16 May 2011, 10:06 am

TallyMan wrote:
It is the only way I can have a decent intellectual conversation! :P


+1 8)



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16 May 2011, 10:30 am

I sing to myself sometimes if I'm really hyper. It's a way of getting the energy out (since I'm usually exercising when singing to myself), or I talk to myself to stay focused on whatever it is I have to do.