Is it normal to talk to yourself out loud?

Imagine that outside the window you hear the annoying screams of hooligans, or the March cry of a cat, or the roar of a car. You will experience a lot of negative emotions, but think briefly: “cat”, “car”, “bullies”. Although if you say your thoughts out loud, they will sound differently. For example, like this: “Again these vile punks with their screams and alcohol, which are already in my throat.” This is how a person’s internal and external speech works. The inner voice is short, it does not express emotions, which is why they remain inside the person and continue to put pressure on him. But this is not all that you need to know about inner speech.

A person talks to himself out loud: disease diagnosis

A person talks to himself
It happens that a person talks to himself out loud. He can pronounce the text or even have an interlocutor. This behavior can hardly be called normal and you would be right, because it is a sign of a serious mental illness. There are a few main ones:

Split personality

It can be congenital, but for the most part it appears as a result of serious childhood psychological trauma. Severe stress may not manifest itself too much while the child is small, but in adulthood the disease will manifest itself in all its glory. Sometimes people realize that there is something wrong with them, or they may not recognize that they have two personalities. By the way, there are cases when there are even more than two personalities. Then a person feels not just depressed, real depression develops and even attempts are often made to make himself feel bad.

Schizophrenia

This disease is also not uncommon. People usually behave adequately, and the first manifestations begin with conversations with themselves. Schizophrenia is often diagnosed in creative people. They become deeply immersed in themselves and avoid external problems. The disease is treated by a psychiatrist, who must examine the person and make sure that he has schizophrenia.

Stress

When there is a strong shock in life or a person is lonely for a long time, he begins to talk to himself. It is immediately noticeable that he is not behaving as usual. It is not always possible to attribute the situation to stress; you should definitely consult a doctor. As a rule, after treatment all symptoms disappear.

Mental disorder

This disease can be determined not only by talking to yourself. As it develops, hallucinations appear and voices may be heard. Only a doctor can finally determine the presence of the disease after conducting examinations. By the way, this disease is somewhat reminiscent of schizophrenia in its symptoms, but with certain differences.

Anastasia

prepress specialist
In my case, the inner voice sounds like my own. Basically, he says: “Nastya, stop it,” “Nastya, don’t be stupid,” and “Nastya, you’re a fool!” This voice appears infrequently: when I feel disorganized, when my own actions make me dissatisfied. The voice is not angry - rather irritated.

I never heard my mother’s, my grandmother’s, or anyone else’s voice in my thoughts: only my own. He can scold me, but within certain limits: without humiliation. This voice is more like my coach: it presses buttons that encourage me to act.

Why do people talk to themselves: reasons

Why does a person talk to himself?
When a person talks to himself out loud, it seems at least strange. Sometimes people think that this is a deviation and their loved one is unwell. In fact, if he simply speaks out loud, then this is not considered a deviation. But if additional symptoms are added here, then it’s worth sounding the alarm. These may be hallucinations, the appearance of obsessive thoughts, loss of strength. Sometimes it may also seem that a person has moved away from reality and is, so to speak, “on his own wavelength.”

These symptoms are already a real reason to see a doctor.

There are several reasons why some people start talking to themselves out loud:

The desire to organize thoughts . It happens that your head is such a mess and you can’t put your thoughts together. In this format it is difficult to perceive them, and therefore some formulate thoughts and say them out loud. This allows you to discard everything that is unnecessary and leave what is meaningful. In this way, everything falls into place and the necessary solutions are found.
Ability to concentrate . When a person urgently needs to solve a problem and there is no time for unnecessary thoughts, then talking to himself allows him to organize himself. The brain switches to only one most important task. Plus, your visual center is involved, because when you say something, the image appears in your head.
Emotional release . When a person keeps emotions inside, they burst out and urgently need to be thrown out. Just one way is to talk out loud. This way all the negativity goes away and it becomes easier.
Loneliness . Every person has a need for communication. Lonely people cannot close them, and therefore they start talking to themselves. Often speech is directed at an invisible listener, household objects or animals.

A man talks to himself: the opinion of a psychiatrist

What do psychiatrists think if a person talks to himself?
According to scientists, almost 70% of people talk to themselves out loud at least periodically.

Psychiatrists consider this behavior to be absolutely normal if it is not associated with any other symptoms. Everyone has conversations within themselves. If a person begins to speak out loud, he creates the appearance of a dialogue.

Scientists have conducted a number of experiments that have proven that conversations allow you to better cope with complex tasks. Each research participant was healthy and at the same time talking to himself.

There is even such a term in psychology as egocentric speech. It is directed towards oneself. It is not considered a mental disorder. By the way, people often use it for protection. When you talk to yourself, no bad thoughts come to your mind and you can concentrate on the most important things.

The benefits and harms of thinking out loud

Many people who are inclined to monologue are very suggestible. They are easily persuaded to take actions that are harmful to him. This is used by scammers, sectarians and those who conduct auto training. During auto-trainings, people say certain phrases out loud.

This kind of repetition can be helpful. If you say for a long time: “I am healthy!”, then after a while you can feel an improvement in your health.

Internal conversations save you from loneliness. They are also useful for those whose memory is deteriorating. For example, speaking out loud actions is very useful (turned off the iron, turned off the water.) This makes it possible to reduce anxiety.

Speaking out feelings, emotions, and thoughts helps reduce internal tension. The benefits of internal conversations, for example, include:

Motivation (“Get ready! Take it and do it!”);
Getting rid of anxieties, phobias, fears;
Improved mood, increased self-esteem;
Self-control, increased organization.

Is it harmful to talk to yourself and why shouldn’t a person talk to himself?

Is it harmful to talk to yourself?
Although it is generally accepted in society that when a person talks to himself out loud, these are the first signs of schizophrenia, everything is not so bad. In fact, having conversations with yourself can even be useful.

Could it be harmful? Well, when you do it periodically, it's okay. But if this happens all the time, and you also start to hear something, then this is where the worst scenario begins. Perhaps you have experienced a lot of stress recently? Or maybe you have had some signs for a long time? In this case, we recommend going to the doctor.

When is talking to yourself useful? There are several reasons for this:

Memory stimulation. When you talk on the phone, your sensory memory storage begins to work. This structure is responsible for short-term memory. When you say something out loud, you imagine the meaning of the word, and therefore remember it better.
Maintaining concentration. When you speak words out loud, images of objects appear in your memory. This helps you stay focused and not be distracted from your goals. If, for example, you need to find something on the shelves of a supermarket, then this method is the best.
Clearing your mind. When thoughts come from all sides, talking to yourself helps restore everything to its place.

Kira

prose editor
Mentally, I sometimes hear my mother’s voice, which condemns me and devalues my achievements, doubts me. This voice is always dissatisfied with me and says: “What are you talking about! Are you out of your mind? It’s better to do a profitable business: you have to earn money.” Or: “You should live like everyone else.” Or: “You won’t succeed: you’re nobody.” It appears when I have to make a bold move or take a risk. In such situations, the inner voice seems to be trying, through manipulation (“mom is upset”), to persuade me to the safest and most unremarkable course of action. In order for him to be satisfied, I must be inconspicuous, diligent, and please everyone.

I also hear my own voice: it calls me not by name, but by a nickname that my friends came up with. He usually sounds a little annoyed but friendly and says, “Okay. Stop it,” “What are you doing, baby,” or “That’s it, come on.” It motivates me to focus or take action.

When a person talks to himself: treatment

If a person talks to himself out loud and additionally shows signs of mental abnormalities, then self-medication in such a development of events is simply unacceptable. Only a doctor can understand the causes of the disease and prescribe treatment. So first go to a specialist, and then draw conclusions.

Any mental disorder should be treated under the supervision of a doctor who will prescribe the necessary medications. Each disease has its own treatment regimen, and the drugs also have many side effects.

Alarm bell?

Many people think that only mentally ill people do this. As a rule, this is not the case, but sometimes such conversations do indicate trouble, especially if they are accompanied by self-harm - hitting or cutting. In this case, these symptoms may actually be caused by an emotional disorder.

Another warning sign is if you keep repeating certain phrases, mantras or numbers and feel like you can't stop. In this case, it may be worth consulting with a specialist.

How to stop talking to yourself on your own: tips

If you yourself think that a person talks to himself out loud or you yourself are normal, then you definitely don’t have a problem. However, if you realize that you are wasting your time, then it is better to give up this habit. This is quite possible and not even very difficult as it may seem.

First of all, switch your attention from verbal communication to something else. Imagine different pictures, images and melodies. That is, you should perceive the information like a video camera, but not give a response. Christianity claims that in this way one can achieve inner silence.

If you know how to meditate, then this is great, because different varieties of this activity help overcome the dialogue within. Start by observing first. Just watch your thoughts and over time the dialogue will disappear.

Meditation

The technique of detached observation of the outside world also works well. This way you will watch everything as if from a screen. Each type of meditation allows you to solve problems, the main thing is to choose a method that is convenient for you.

Physical exercise also helps get rid of internal dialogue, because during training and breathing exercises, the mind will be too busy to dialogue with itself. As an option, try to materialize your thoughts. For example, if you thought you needed to go to the store, get up and go. Then you won’t have to internally negotiate with yourself and decide whether you need it or not.

Mantras also allow you to silence your internal dialogue. If you recite a mantra, you will not only get rid of dialogue, but also clear your mind. Come up with a text that will make you tune in to good thoughts. There is no need to look for too abstruse speeches. Recite it until your consciousness is full. Not only will you drown out the dialogue, but you will also develop the opinion that everything is fine.

Also try external influence. Your task is to turn off one of the senses. Just take a bath with pleasant oil and foam. In other words, relax.

The child talks to himself: reasons

A child talks to himself
If you notice that a person talks to himself out loud, especially a child, then there is nothing to worry about, because this is one of the stages of development. Usually all children from 4 to 8 years old talk to themselves. In psychology there is such a thing as “personal speech”. It allows you to develop thinking and self-discipline.

In total, such speech goes through 3 stages:

First, the child begins to comment on his actions. For example, that he built a pyramid, a house, etc.
At the second stage, the child already begins to think, for example, I built a castle, now I’ll make a princess
At the third stage, the child makes a whole plan. For example, that he will take a piece of paper, draw his mother and give her a portrait

Therefore, there is no reason to worry, because the child in this case is developing normally. Usually, after eight years, speech changes from external to internal, and then parents will no longer hear about the thoughts of their baby.

Children may start talking out loud when:

They just like to hear their voice. There's nothing wrong with that, let them enjoy it
The baby has little attention and therefore has to talk to himself to have fun
The child plays and establishes communication between the characters
The child cannot find a common language with peers and has no one to communicate with
The child’s inner speech is still poorly formed

Children's habit

Very often children put life into their toys. For this reason, they can talk to them as if they were alive.

According to experts, for most children this stage is temporary. However, there are those who, having matured, do not get rid of this habit. It is noteworthy that it may change somewhat, but does not disappear completely.

A child talks to himself - what to do: advice from psychologists

Why do children talk to themselves?
If you notice that your little one is talking to himself out loud, there are a few tips parents should follow:

First of all, you shouldn’t forbid him to do this. In this way he expresses his feelings and tries to explore what surrounds him. The better a child’s thinking is developed, the more he will speak. This goes away with age, and therefore there is no point in sounding the alarm.
If a child speaks with toys before the age of 10, it means he is emotional . Through conversation in games, he develops oratory skills. If he is constantly angry, nervous and has poor sleep, then this is a reason to contact a psychiatrist.
If a child has already reached adolescence, he does not communicate with anyone and has no friends, then think about whether he may have some problems. Try to talk to him carefully.
If you cannot find contact with your child and he clearly has a lack of communication with peers, then it is worth visiting a consultation with a psychotherapist.

Preventive measures

Everything is extremely simple:

Don't argue in front of your child.
Do not put pressure, do not use psychological and physical violence.
Try to talk more. Discuss interesting topics.
Encourage imagination.
Praise your son or daughter, motivate him to develop.
If your relationships with peers are not going well, talk to a psychologist. If the recommendations do not work, try to create a social circle. Children of friends, sports and creative clubs. These are all great opportunities.
When symptoms of a mental disorder appear, take your child to a psychiatrist immediately. You can choose a private doctor if you are afraid of a stigmatizing diagnosis. This will be the best solution.