# Talking to yourself



## Noskat (Feb 26, 2010)

Do you talk to yourself? How much, and in what ways? When I know that I'm out of earshot of others, I talk to myself quite frequently. Some observations:

- If I've accomplished something, or if I'm proud of something, I'll recount it to myself. I find this sort of reassuring or validating.

- I often explain things to myself that I already know, as if I'm explaining them to someone who doesn't know about them. I'll go to great lengths to make sure that everything is clear and understandable.

- I have this sense that a thought is sort of amorphous if I'm merely thinking it, but that it becomes more concrete if I say it aloud to myself. Sometimes I'll think things but be afraid to say them, for this reason.

(I put the topic in this subforum because I don't consider it directly related to SA. I imagine that if I was well-adjusted, I would spend less time talking to myself and more time talking to others, but I would still talk to myself.)


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## letitrock (Jan 10, 2009)

Yeah, I definitely talk to myself, but I don't put it in those words cuz it makes me sound like I'm a crazy person, instead, I say that "I enjoy thinking out loud." Cuz that's what it means anyway, I'm not talking to myself, I'm not holding a convo with myself, I'm just saying the things that are in my head out loud-

-I sing out loud all the time 
-when I'm shopping, I say the things that I think about the products out loud, like if I'm looking for something, I'll say, "ok, so that's here, and that's here, but where the **** is the____?" I also read out loud the things on the nutrition labels and what I think of them
-When I'm working on homework, I work the problems out loud a lot, and it annoys me when someone walks in the room cuz then I can't work em out aloud, it hinders me

etc etc etc, can't think of anymore examples, so yeah, I enjoy thinking out loud


Talking to yourself isn't as uncommon as you think, I used to think I was an anomaly because of it until I came across a number of posts on it on this site.


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## lyricalillusions (Nov 29, 2008)

I talk to myself all the time, but it's in a different way. I basically pretend that I'm with another person & am talking to them. It's the only way I have of telling anyone anything since I never talk to anyone in real life. I pretend that the someone I'm talking to is someone who likes the things I like, then I have one-sided conversations with that person lol. I know that sounds _very_ weird to people lol. I also talk to the tv a lot. I yell at the characters when they're doing something stupid. I do the same with books lol.


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## letitrock (Jan 10, 2009)

that's it? I know the three of us are not the only people who "talk to ourselves' on this forum.


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## Dub16 (Feb 28, 2010)

I talk to myself a wee bit too! Usually just to call myself a muppet after I've done something daft, which is all the bloody time lately!


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## zomgz (Aug 17, 2009)

I talk to myself all the time. For you see, I'm quite delightfully mad! Bwhahaha *cackles*

No but really lol xD. I talk to myself all the time, doesn't matter the situation. It's gotten me in trouble a lot and people think I'm a raving lunatic. =]


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## shadowmask (Jun 22, 2009)

lyricalillusions said:


> I talk to myself all the time, but it's in a different way. I basically pretend that I'm with another person & am talking to them. It's the only way I have of telling anyone anything since I never talk to anyone in real life. I pretend that the someone I'm talking to is someone who likes the things I like, then I have one-sided conversations with that person lol. I know that sounds _very_ weird to people lol.


I do that too, although usually in my head. I also debate issues with imaginary characters, and try to take both sides, again in my thoughts. Talking out loud to myself sounds strange, like it's another person's voice and not my own.


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

Yeah, I do every now and then. I guess it's an easier way to get a point out that I'm thinking.


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## erasercrumbs (Dec 17, 2009)

I talk to myself frequently, but I've learned the hard way not to go to myself for advice.


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## Lasair (Jan 25, 2010)

I talk to myself when I am doing math - get strange looks in class!


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## NotRealName (Feb 28, 2010)

haha I do too. I act like 'm talking to someone else. I just talk a lot.


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

I talk to myself all the time, I like to also think of it as "thinking out loud"  but I know better, its a sure sign I am insane. I am really, really bad about this, if someone heard I would be mortified.


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

WineKitty said:


> if someone heard I would be mortified.


I'm always afraid someone would catch me. There is a slow person at our school who talks to himself all the time and he will always get odd looks or people will put headphones on when he's near them. I'm sure people would probably think worse if they caught a normal functioning person do it.


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## Fitzer (Feb 13, 2010)

I do it all the time without even thinking about it! It's really embarassing when somebody catches you doing it...ops


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

I need to get a bluetooth earpiece for my phone so I can make it look like I was talking on my phone...saw it on "House", not a bad idea. :lol


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## steps (Feb 25, 2010)

Fitzer said:


> I do it all the time without even thinking about it! It's really embarassing when somebody catches you doing it...ops


Same here, don't realise i'm doing it until someone points it out to me. ops But I think it's good to say things out loud that are usually stuck in my head all the time. I think some of my thoughts are trying to escape.



WineKitty said:


> I need to get a bluetooth earpiece for my phone so I can make it look like I was talking on my phone...saw it on "House", not a bad idea. :lol


rofllllllll :lol very good idea


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## Georgina 22 (Jan 4, 2009)

Yeah I talk to myself. I replay situations I was in, in my head and I talk to myself sometimes in a whisper replaying what a person just said or what I said to a person.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

I talk to myself twice out of boredom.


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## So Anxious (Sep 9, 2010)

I do this because of boredom and isolation. It's the only opportunity I have since I never talk to people. 

Makes me think that maybe i'm going crazy :afr


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## RJF (Mar 29, 2010)

I have conversations with myself all the time - I find that it's the best, and often only way for me to get my thoughts in order. You see, I have quite the jumbled mind. I'm not able to think in typical linear patterns, which can sometimes be a good thing, though more often than not, it isn't. 

I suppose it's sort of like delving through Google in order to find the perfect resource - sometimes what I need is right at the forefront of my mind, other times I have to go searching. 

So in order to distract myself from unsuccessful search attempts, I often engage myself in conversation, which can help subjects come about more quickly, like when I catch myself saying something contradictory or nonsensical. 

Eh.


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## Propaganda (Oct 26, 2010)

Yep, I am part of this group too. Mostly when I have list of tasks I need/want to do I yell out loud, very loud, what needs to be done, how and in what order. I just did that a few minutes ago, but decided to check out the forums for another minute.

Also, when I am alone, I yelp like a puppy dog when I get excited because I am making something really good to eat. Then when I am trying to decide the blue pill or the red pill I say aloud the what each has over the other and make a decision by debating myself... "Well, Prop, you can either go back to your dreamworld and never know it's a dream or go down the rabbits hole and discover a new life, well that's sounds ok, the going back to sleep thing, no wait but it's all fake, I guess that's ok, but yet it's hollow and really does not taste like chicken, mmm chicken, no stop your not doing chicken right now you are trying to decided with pill to take. OK, fine whatever YOU want, good. Ok, so what did we decided? Pizza! The pill you fool, what COLOR!!!!" That's on a good day when I am kind of in agreeance with myself. =P


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## kosherpiggy (Apr 7, 2010)

my parents get mad at me for doing it. they tell me people will think im crazy. its not my fault im so interesting.


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## Elfen34 (Nov 1, 2010)

Dub16 said:


> I talk to myself a wee bit too! Usually just to call myself a muppet after I've done something daft, which is all the bloody time lately!


Nope you're not....I talk to myself too but DEFINITELY out of earshot of people, like when analysing situations at home or at work.......or my feelings for someone.....


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## Sammy J (Jul 29, 2009)

I have talked to myself all my life.
When i was little if i went missing in the shops, all my mum had to do was find the mirror and there i would be talking to myself haha
did that until about the age of 15 then just started talking to myself where ever, when ever.....always seemed to get caught haha
now i'm 18 and still do on a daily basis. I make sure no one is around now though haha


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## artistgyrrl (Oct 26, 2010)

I talk to myself all the time, be it internally or externally. Usually to calm myself or amuse myself as a distraction from something I am not to thrilled about doing and am having anxiety over.

I think the worst is when I laugh, not usually at myself but at something I remember later on that happened previously...that doesn't really scream mentally stable to people who dont realize im thinking on things other than whats infront of me.


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## RyeCatcher86 (Sep 14, 2010)

I talk all the time to myself, but only in my head (don't know if that counts)


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## Still Waters (Sep 18, 2008)

I have done this all of my life and probably always will. I decided long ago that it helps me-it's comforting and reduces my stress level. Sooner or later someone will overhear you,it's inevitable-but I just shrug it off. Yes, it's a bit odd but so what?? I think of it as sort of laying out my thoughts and organizing them.


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

I do this all the time. I feel compelled to do it. it's a release. I've had people ask "who you talkin to?"


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## thewall (Feb 1, 2009)

All the time.


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## Cheesecake (Feb 2, 2007)

I'm a chatterbox when I'm by myself. And I mean truly by myself. Like at home in my room. I would never dare talk to myself if there's a chance somebody can hear me. So in public I just spend my time thinking to myself.


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## straightarrows (Jun 18, 2010)

_*it's part of my day/dream!*_


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## cat001 (Nov 1, 2010)

I talk to myself all the time, it took a long time to teach myself to first start speaking very quitly to myself then finally speaking in my mind as it got very embaressing sometimes when I realised I was verbalising my thoughts whilst walking past strangers on the streets...I still sometimes find myself speaking out loud to myself at home though.


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## mcmuffinme (Mar 12, 2010)

I usually talk to myself once I get in my car, usually to insult myself or make a pessimistic joke about whatever just happened before I got in the car...


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## amene (Mar 28, 2010)

Yeah, but not intentionally. I guess since I don't have a ton of social interaction I do it by accident..and we I do talk to people I seem to talk to much about non-sense and they don't listen.

-Okay when I actually mean to talk to myself I'm usually very sad and angry.


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## water36 (Nov 5, 2010)

Personally, I think to myself. There are times though when I don't notice that I am actually thinking out loud.


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## ManOfFewWords (Mar 20, 2012)

I do enjoy talking to myself, it's just a natural thing. Around friends, family and others I don't do it because the thought of seeming like a crazy person. But just yesterday, I purposely spoke aloud to myself by my family, and it completely removed all my anxiety for the rest of the day! From that point I was relaxed when talking to people.


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## JustThisGuy (Mar 24, 2012)

^ That's great. What was their reaction?

I do the "validate my capacity to hold and have an interesting conversation with someone else" type of talking to myself.

I sometimes read aloud, but not sure if that counts.

I've accidentally been caught talking to myself, but then'll put a melodic inflection in the words and play it off like I was just singing. 'Cause that's what normal people do, right? Sing aloud?


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## Layla (Feb 24, 2012)

RyeCatcher86 said:


> I talk all the time to myself, but only in my head (don't know if that counts)


This is what I do, basically just thinking to myself, but never speak out loud to myself.


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## crystaltears (Mar 10, 2011)

I talk to myself in my mind (if that counts) :|


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## Queen of Spades (Mar 17, 2012)

I talk to myself out of boredom. I sometimes pretend to be three people at the same time and it's weird but maybe it's a talent I have...I don't know lol.


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## melancholyscorpio (Aug 14, 2015)

This guy at work probably think I am crazy because I talk to myself when I figure something out and etc.


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## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

I often quietly talk or mumble to myself as a way to organize my thoughts and decisions. Like self narration. Hearing words out loud helps me doing so instead of just thinking of the words in my own mind.


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## amidrey4 (Oct 28, 2021)

I also talk to myself when I feel depressed and need someone with me, but I can not share my feelings with anyone, and when I need to make a big decision, I talk to myself.


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## Chuck1213 (6 mo ago)

Noskat said:


> Do you talk to yourself? How much, and in what ways? When I know that I'm out of earshot of others, I talk to myself quite frequently. Some observations:
> 
> - If I've accomplished something, or if I'm proud of something, I'll recount it to myself. I find this sort of reassuring or validating.
> 
> ...


Do it all the time. No one else is around to listen. LOL.


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## pillbugger (Dec 9, 2021)

I prefer writing to myself. Log my thoughts, input images, keep a record of my life, obsess over it, speech failure.


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## Chaibunny777 (6 mo ago)

The best conversations i have are with myself lol honestly. I talk to myself all the time!! I will narrate sometimes while I'm cooking or baking as it helps to keep my thoughts and actions focused, but mostly i talk to myself when I'm upset or angry or confused..Almost like I'm 2 characters talking to eachother.


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## shyguy07 (Mar 22, 2015)

I do it sometimes, but mostly just when I'm by myself. I wouldn't do it around other people, and not loud enough to where other people could hear me. My mom does it a lot and it drives my dad bananas, he thinks she's crazy. Sometimes I work I mumble to myself but I don't think anyone else can hear it.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

I do it sometimes when I'm doing something where I need to stay focused on what I'm doing. I have memory problems so sometimes saying it out loud as I'm doing it helps me remember what I've done and what I need to do.


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## Folded Edge (Mar 4, 2014)

I talk to myself quite a lot, and more loudly than I should. I've lived alone since 2015, 

The pandemic and lockdowns, didn't change that much for me, apart from leaving the house less.
I have noticed since the lockdowns, though, that I forget when I'm outside sometimes not to verbalise what ever is going on in my head as I do at home. I know people have heard me on occasion.
I'm sure they must have thought I was a crazy person, and they may well be right.


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## PurplePeopleEater (May 10, 2017)

I talk to myself at work and home. More like a whisper than talking out loud. I talk out loud every once in awhile but I mainly do a whisper.


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## floyd the barber (10 mo ago)

i've always talked to myself, mainly because it helps "ground" me in a way. like i know i exist


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## Ai (Oct 13, 2012)

Blue Dino said:


> I often quietly talk or mumble to myself as a way to organize my thoughts and decisions. Like self narration. Hearing words out loud helps me doing so instead of just thinking of the words in my own mind.


I do that too. I somewhat recently learned that I am likely on the spectrum and have ADHD and that this is common. 🙃


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

All the time. I live alone so there's no one to talk to.


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## Dream Pixie07 (Jul 27, 2020)

Folded Edge said:


> I talk to myself quite a lot, and more loudly than I should. I've lived alone since 2015,
> 
> The pandemic and lockdowns, didn't change that much for me, apart from leaving the house less.
> I have noticed since the lockdowns, though, that I forget when I'm outside sometimes not to verbalise what ever is going on in my head as I do at home. I know people have heard me on occasion.
> I'm sure they must have thought I was a crazy person, and they may well be right.


Honestly, I've always talked out loud alone ever since I was a little kid and not exactly sure what triggered it. Did get worse when I started struggling with anxiety and now to the point where I've accidentally chatted with myself in public. More than once I've overheard someone whisper about me talking to myself, to make me realize what I'm doing, or shoot me strange looks like I'm insane.


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## CWe (Mar 7, 2010)

Yes and I sometimes forget and some of my family members hear me


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## either/or (Apr 27, 2020)

I talk to myself a lot, especially when I am frustrated. But not out loud. In a low whisper. I also swear under my breath a lot too. Sometimes talking to myself helps me to orient myself when I'm working through something.


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## SM91 (3 mo ago)

I do that too. Been doing it since I could talk. (I'm 31 now.) My parents' would get slightly concerned when they overheard me, but it's not as if I think somebody is listening, it's thinking aloud. It helps me organise my thoughts.


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