Is it normal to talk to yourself?

mr_fegelien · 30-03-2020 2:00pm #1

This isn't a medical question and my doctor says it's okay so long as you're not responding to another person you think is there that isn't.

I'm trying to gauge whether it's normal. I'm on the autistic spectrum and sometimes I talk to myself. Never in public but would have a conversation as if someone else was there. It's almost like "social rehersal" for me and never any degrading conversations ("You're stupid, pathetic") like some people with schizophrenia might have.

My mother says it isn't normal and it probably isn't by any stretch of the imagination but is it worrying?

30-03-2020 2:06pm

I talk to myself all the time. I talk to my dogs, my cats, my car, my oven and all sorts of other inanimate objects. Usually stuff like "I'm doing a great job of this. Go me! You're quite the cook Buile!" And "what is your actual problem oven, you've been heating up for like an hour!" Am I crazy? I've never been tested but I don't think so. I know I'm talking to myself or an oven. I don't hear any other voices and I don't expect the oven to talk back. I've practised important conversations too. Most often in my head but probably out loud on occasion.

I wouldn't worry about it, as long as your doctor isn't worried . I would do it in private though. I wouldn't do in front of my family like.

Jenneke87 · 30-03-2020 3:16pm

I have full on conversations with myself, I have quite an inner monologue going on. So don't worry, lots of people do it..

MissShihTzu · 30-03-2020 4:16pm

I am sitting here typing this and chatting away to my dog! Perfectly normal, and I wouldn't give it another thought.

On the upside? At least you win every argument and nobody will disagree with you!!

Snotty · 30-03-2020 4:23pm

I'm socially awkward and practice conversations with myself all the time, nothing wrong with talking to yourself.

vikings2012 · 30-03-2020 10:14pm

Im 27 and I talk to myself most days. In the car, at home, when studying or working alone.

I used to talk to myself as a child too (imagining I was a power ranger or had magical powers or something)

I consider myself normal but a medical/mental review might say otherwise haha

Sleeper12 · 30-03-2020 10:18pm

I talk to Alexa

leggo · 30-03-2020 10:19pm

Yeah no same. I’ll think out loud constantly when I’m alone, practise important conversations/presentations/interviews etc because saying it aloud gives you a different perspective, laugh or react to TV/movies and even do affirmations if I do something good. It was funny when I started in an office for the first time and would be my own little world on a computer, if I’d do something well I’d just excitedly exclaim “Boom!” or something and get some odd looks. But it worked for me, made me better at my job and it wasn’t as if I was doing it all the time or being loud, so who cares?

Look here’s the barometer for judging if anything you’re doing is sane: are you aware of what you’re doing and how it can be perceived by others? And are you harming anyone? If the answers to those questions are yes and no respectively, you’re grand. If you’re stressing because something seems grand to you but others may find it odd, and the above logic applies, then it’s just a quirk and what makes you you. Nothing more.

30-03-2020 10:21pm

I'm the best conversationalist I will ever meet.

Never bothered me until my eldest daughter told me I make facial expressions and move my lips when I'm having an internal argument so have been walking around looking like a lunatic for my entire life

The chan chan man · 30-03-2020 10:23pm

I’m terrified someone will be in the back of my car one day without me knowing.. The absolute nonsense I talk and sing to myself is worrying!

makeandcreate · 31-03-2020 1:40am

I always talked to myself. A sort of inner monologue/dialogue and assumed everyone else did. 2 years ago I was seriously ill and in isolation and my inner "voice" went silent - I found it really scary and disconcerting, it stayed silent for a long time - I joked about it with some people but not sure they understood what I meant. Now I notice my inner voice is coming back, for me that's getting back to normal.

jimbobaloobob · 31-03-2020 1:42am

I talk to myself all the time. I think it’s very normal.

qwerty13 · 31-03-2020 5:15am

I actually don’t think it is perceived as normal at all. I haven’t been diagnosed, but I’ve had people say that I’m ‘on the spectrum’, or say that I behave like Sheldon (as ‘easy’ thing to say, but it’s not wrong either).

If you want to rehearse contact, ok. I’m getting the impression that there’s more to it than that tho, and that your mother is trying to minimise you ‘talking to yourself’ in front of others.

Caranica · 31-03-2020 11:03am

It's very normal. I tend to do it when trying to solve a problem. I've done it all my life and almost everyone I know does it too

blue note · 31-03-2020 11:18am

I do it when I want an intelligent opinion on something!

Perfectly normal OP, it would be odd if you didn't.

qwerty13 · 31-03-2020 9:44pm

blue note wrote: »

I do it when I want an intelligent opinion on something!

Perfectly normal OP, it would be odd if you didn't.

Well that simply isn’t true - that it would be odd for the OP *not* to talk to themselves. It sounds like a rehearsal / comfort thing. While that has its place, it is best done in private.

leggo · 31-03-2020 9:59pm

It’s impossible to tell from the OP if his mother is seeing it play out and seeing some red flags the OP can’t see in themselves (which is entirely possible and worth bringing up btw) or if she’s just overly-socially conscious or a worrier with regards to his condition. So we only have the OP’s description to go on. She could be standing outside his door listening to him because she’s a concerned mother looking or he could be having full blown conversations with other people who aren’t there while she’s in the room. The context is key.

Based on his description, I’d say the majority feedback applies. However if it extends beyond that, then I’d say your opinion starts to gain a lot more weight qwerty.

kg703 · 01-04-2020 1:58pm

I talk to myself all the time. Have imaginary conversations with people for situations that dont exist but might in the future. Have imaginary arguments with people so I'm prepared. Talk to the pets, indoors and outside. I sometimes sing a bit with my headphones when I am out for a walk. Talk to myself in the car which is the worst because if Im stuck in traffic I forget other people can see me

Once had a co worker drive by me a while back said he could see me having an animated phone call in the car on the way home (was not on the phone ha!)

Plenty of people do it, I wouldn't be concerned.

runawaybishop · 01-04-2020 2:00pm

Most people talk to themselves, not always out loud though. It's not uncommon and it's not weird.

Interesting fact, some people do not have an internal monologue and must vocalise to talk to themselves.

Kylta · 06-04-2020 9:37am

Jenneke87 wrote: »

I have full on conversations with myself, I have quite an inner monologue going on. So don't worry, lots of people do it..

The problem with conversing with oneself its not the conversing, its when the conversation leads to an argument and your slapping yourself in the head with alternative hands.

Musefan · 08-04-2020 12:12am

Hi, yes very normal. Most of us have internal chatter, you say yours out loud. People with ASD often talk to themselves. Your strategy of rehearsing conversations is actually a great compensatory strategy and can help you practice what it is you want to say. People often say that individuals with ASD lack empathy, but that’s not really the case. In this situation, I think your mum is finding it hard to understand and empathise with why you use self talk as a way to practice. She might need you to help her understand by asking her how she felt when she practiced something before doing a task, and how that may have helped reduce her anxiety.

Is it normal to talk to yourself?

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