Do you talk to yourself OUT LOUD?

[eluuzion]

I am not referring to the various forms of "intrapersonal communication", internal dialogue, self-talk or other silent eccentricities.

I mean physically talking OUT LOUD in an audible voice... to "you". Most people engage in some form of the behavior, like personifying a computer or car so they can “yell” at it or “argue” with it, lol. I am talking more along the lines of regular, ongoing comments, observations, instructions, criticism etc., beyond the scope of the occasional single phrase emotional quips following finger smashes.

There are many credible explanations for it. I studied most of them in various psychology classes along the way. Fortunately, most of them fall within the boundaries of socially appropriate, well-adapted behavior.

One of those explanations is that it is a common soothing technique employed by “lonely” people to interrupt the silence, so they do not feel so “alone”. This got me curious about our group. There are many accounts of feeling “alone” or “lonely” attributed to the “isolation” factor attached to crossdressing. So I wondered if “talking to yourself out loud” might be a popular coping mechanism in our group.

At the insistence of my parents, I visited a psychiatrist during part of my early teenage years. (for various reasons):brolleyes: The psychiatrist assured my parents that it was normal behavior for people born with high abstract reasoning abilities.
There is so much automatic (excess) mental processing activity taking place that “talking out loud” is used as an analytic and filtering tool to “zero in” on the “correct” option...(by a person that automatically sees “all of the options” instead of just seeing one or two like most people).

I have lived alone for much of my life, but I’ve never felt lonely. I do frequently talk aloud, whether I am alone or in company. (Which my friends/family will confirm, lol). I never imagine any form of conversational “exchange” taking place between any second parties, myself, any “imaginary friends” or anything resembling those scenarios, lol. For me it is simply an eccentric exercise in clarification, focus, sarcasm and/or self-amusement with my surroundings.
Oh, and I do try and avoid doing it during job interviews...:heehee:

My Two Questions
(1) Do you talk to yourself OUT LOUD?
(2) If you do, to what degree do you do it? (Seldom, a lot, constantly, etc.)

[Dana921]

1) Quite often!

2) Simply put, some of the best conversations I have had, have been with myself!

Though slightly amusing to others at times, it really is a way of organizing my thoughts and preparing to do the task at hand. I do not find myself vocalizing other thoughts or ideas at other times!

Dana

[erickka]

I do. Sometimes it is the only way I'm going to get an intelligent answer to my questions! LOL

[Karren H]

While driving I tend to yell "you F#*ing A$$hole" a lot! At work I'm always taking to someone or something whether they are there or not. At home I'm a good listener!

[Sophie86]

Rarely. It's usually done as an expression of irritation either with myself or some external thing.

My daughter, however, does this quite a bit, and it has worried me that she doesn't seem to be outgrowing it. What you say about yourself is a comfort. She writes stories, and I've noticed that one thing she's doing when she talks out loud is she runs dialog between the characters in her stories. I guess it's a way of hearing what the conversation would sound like?

[Cynthia Anne]

I like that song ''do you hear me now''! I always answer yes! Because I talk to my self outloud quite often! When I argue with myself ''I'' always win! If I'm not talking to myself outloud then I'm talking to my dog which useally is the same thing!:eek::D Hugs!

[lauraabdl]

1) Quite often!

2) Simply put, some of the best conversations I have had, have been with myself!

Though slightly amusing to others at times, it really is a way of organizing my thoughts and preparing to do the task at hand. I do not find myself vocalizing other thoughts or ideas at other times!

Dana

I for one must agree, you took the words right outa my mouth.
Who else better to have a intelligent conservasation with than yourself, I really do it quite often and it does help with the lonelyness.

[DAVIDA]

Wait a minute, I'll ask myself.:heehee:
Yes, I do!:eek:
It isn't like I talk to myself on a regular basis, it is more of a spontaneous thing.
I can be in the kitchen and I will say something. Jean asks what I said and I will just tell her that I was talking to myself.
I don't just carry on a conversation though.:doh:

[ChanDelle]

Rarely. But when I do it's a frustration with myself sort of thing. I do wonder with folks who do have extensive co versatile with themselves if they feel like no one else really listens to them? Don't know....

ChanDelle

[Tina B.]

Never, I talk to the TV, Radio, my computer, and other inanimate objects, but never to myself, that's just strange. Oh, and Karren's thing she says in the car, I do too, but I'm still not talking to myself, I'm loud, maybe that other car heard me!
Tina B.

[drushin703]

I always talk to myself out loud and often, in a conversational tone with people who, over the years, have refused to , ever again, talk to me.



dana is my real name

[BritneyLynn]

I maintain there's nothing wrong with talking to yourself, as long as you don't get into an argument!

[Gizmo, Debbie]

1) yes.
2) frequently.

[LeaP]

I talk to myself out loud occasionally. Sometimes I sort of catch myself by surprise doing it.

For me the dividing line between mild eccentricity and lunacy in this regard is that the deranged people have both sides of the conversation with themselves as if they were two different people.

Lea

[Rianna Humble]

My Two Questions
(1) Do you talk to yourself OUT LOUD?
(2) If you do, to what degree do you do it? (Seldom, a lot, constantly, etc.)

Yes, episodically. Often if I am trying to get my thoughts in order at the start of a day or of a task.

This reminds me of one of my early email signatures:

Talking to yourself - first signs of insanity
Answering yourself - first signs of schitzophrenia
I go one better...
If I disagree with my answer, I put it to a majority vote!

[Kathi Lake]

After wayyyy too many stares, I've learned to talk out loud to myself (a never-ending stream-of-consciousness blather), just not out loud. I now subvocalize. My wife has noticed a few times that my jaw and adam's apple move quite a lot at times (she's very observant).

:)

Kathi

[Robynts]

I argue with myself.......the scary part is when I lose the argument.

[Kaz]

Seems to come in phases... my wife thinks it is wierd! To me, it perfectly 'normal'...!

[Stephenie S]

Oh! I absolutely talk to myself outloud. That's how I teach myself things. I stand in front of a large mirror (or a small one), and talk directly to me. Sometimes I shake my finger at myself.

I am on the road often on my job. I was in a motel just last night. I was ticked off because the directions given by the desk clerk at the motel had been HORRIBLE. I had gotten miserably lost. So I was a bit short with the clerk when I checked in. So, after I got into my room I gave myself a little talk about relaxing and calming down because I knew that I had to get to sleep quickly. I had to be at the jobsite at 6AM. So there I stood, one hand on my hip, and gave myself a little lecture on how I had better just relax. It worked. It almost always does. When I give myself a lecture I almost always listen.

I do the same thing about other behaviors. Behaviors that I think I could better leave behind.

"Stand up straight, Stephenie! Tummy in, shoulders back."

"Pick up your chin."

"Smile."

I learn from these sessions. Do I do it all the time? Of course not. But I am quite serious with myself when I do.

Interesting.

Stephie

[Jodi]

Heck yes I talk to myself. I live by myself. Who else do I have to talk to? I realize that it is a bad habit to get into, but I rather enjoy the fact that I always win the argument.

Jodi

[Loveday]

I do, was to told to worry only if I started answering myself.

[aprilmaeflowers]

I guess I only do when in FEM mode, I talk to myself...Hell nobody else ain't listening...

[sara.s]

i shout at myself when i am angry and :swear: at myself when i lose a game..

btw how is this CD related?:daydreaming:

[Eryn]

I do it now and then. it helps me organize my thoughts.

It used to be that when you saw someone walking down the street talking loudly to themselves you'd give them a wide berth. These days it's just someone talking on their bluetooth headset. :)

[Sophie86]

I do it now and then. it helps me organize my thoughts.

It used to be that when you saw someone walking down the street talking loudly to themselves you'd give them a wide berth. These days it's just someone talking on their bluetooth headset. :)

You know, that's a good idea. I'm gonna get my daughter a headset, so that we don't have to worry about people thinking she's odd. :)

[Rianna Humble]

Heck yes I talk to myself. I live by myself. Who else do I have to talk to? I realize that it is a bad habit to get into, but I rather enjoy the fact that I always win the argument.

You do? That's amazing, I only ever seem to win about 1 in 3 when I'm talking to myself :heehee:

[eluuzion]

btw how is this CD related?:daydreaming:

This is how I felt it related to CD. I copied this paragraph from my OP (above) for you.

"One of those explanations is that it is a common soothing technique employed by “lonely” people to interrupt the silence, so they do not feel so “alone”. This got me curious about our group. There are many accounts of feeling “alone” or “lonely” attributed to the “isolation” factor attached to crossdressing. So I wondered if “talking to yourself out loud” might be a popular coping mechanism in our group."

:love:

[LilSissyStevie]

I don't talk very much, period. I do talk to my snowshoe cat who follows me around when I'm working in my orchard. He talks to me so it's only polite that I answer him.

[SmileS12]

Only if I am practicing an affirmation! From what I've learned affirmations should be said in a normal or loud voice to make the body and unconscious mind to hear and act on it. Call me silly, but this is what I've read.

Crazy thought, where do these ideas come from? It's fun to hear the answers though. LOL

[Sensei86]

Oh yes, I talk to myself a lot. I debate myself. ;D

[Daphne Renee]

Sometimes I do talk to myself.. especially if I am really frustrated.. it would be something like where the heck are my keys. or something like that.. (as if that would help lol) but it does happen..

[Shelly67]

Oh goodness - yes !
I swear at myself , moan about the next doors , people cutting me up driving , bring the question of wedlock in the persons parentage , the weather , the lot !! Makes me wonder , if I'm doing it now , what the hell will i be like when I'm old n frail ?
Mind you .....at least I've given up throwing rocks at full moons .........

[Julogden]

Yeah, I do occasionally. I've lived alone a lot as an adult, and I think it stems from that. But I am always cognizant of what I'm doing and find it somewhat amusing.

When I was a tiny kid, I rarely had other kids to play with until around age 4 or 5, and being an only child, I lived in my head, a lot, back then. I'm not sure if I talked to myself back then, but it wouldn't surprise me. I still tend to live in my head now, which I am trying to change because I tend to spend way too much time in there. ;)

Carol

[Chickhe]

I don't... and I get really nervous when I see a grown man talking to someone who is not there and skipping down the sidewalk...as well as the guy yelling at someone to get out of his thoughts in the park...

...maybe the occasional humming to yourself or working through a calcualtion out loud is normal.

[Angie G]

every day. But I don't always like my answers.:hugs:
Angie

[maddygurlco]

neat thread! do I have to answer?

[Jorja]

Yes, and it is usually the best conservation I have all day.

[Lorileah]

I talk to myself a lot. I also answer myself. I debate both sides. I am critical of myself. I have problems but they are my problems.

[Sarah Doepner]

While driving I tend to yell "you F#*ing A$$hole" a lot! At work I'm always taking to someone or something whether they are there or not. At home I'm a good listener!

I don't go to work, but other than that I'm with Karren. My bride may disagree with the good listener part, but I really don't talk much at home. I wonder why?

[Frédérique]

(1) Do you talk to yourself OUT LOUD?
(2) If you do, to what degree do you do it? (Seldom, a lot, constantly, etc.)

Just a few minutes ago I was typing a letter to my cousin, and I was having a “conversation” with her (out loud) as I wrote it. I kept wondering if my sister could hear me downstairs. Later, I was printing a few photos to stick in the letter, and, while the printer was noisily doing its thing, I kept walking up and down the nearby hallway, talking to myself, or my other “self,” much like a friend would talk to a friend. I’m a Gemini, if that’s relevant at all…

This site has really exacerbated my penchant for talking out loud. I’ll go to bed and think, “Oh, good – nothing to write about tomorrow.” Of course, as soon as I wake up in the morning, I’m going over a response to a thread or a post, verbalizing out loud what I’m going to write. I’ve had times when I’ve spoken whole thread OP’s to myself, forcing me to get up and type the darned thing before I forget it! In this way, talking out loud is a valuable tool – years of secrecy have allowed me to go virtually undetected, but I slip up from time to time…

My sister also talks aloud, and my father did the same thing, so maybe it runs in the family! I can’t say I do it constantly, but I talk to myself a lot. Nobody’s around, you know…
:sad:

[Nicola]

Yeah, I talk to myself too (sometimes not very politely!). It's one of my mechanisms for solving problems and arriving at solutions.
I am careful where I do this of course, although today, people would probably think you were on the 'phone to somebody.

Nicola

[Presh GG]

Oh fantastic I'm not the only one.

I've done it all my life so much so that my husband and family have to ask sometimes if I'm talking to them.

Thank God for bluetooth !
Presh GG

[ So it does definately go beyond the limits of CD or liveing alone ]

[Tashee]

I Love Speaking, Singing Off to the Park I HAVE A BRILLIANT TYME. oops caps sorry.What started as??? I really can't remember has branched off to a wonderful
way to sort my thoughts out..I find It can be a walking Prayer. Very interesting. This Morning Iwas Holding Court over my Changes-Good Nor Bad
I Believe I read This A while Ago when The Internet came to being...See Me Mum Said Son????hehe That is Bad. Please Hun don't speak to yourself in front of (me)
Now This Daughter Has Debated herself-Open up My Emotes in Awesome ways--Learned Just from this mallish change...How Kule--Sorry Mum.....This has Zero with being a Girl 100% about being Self smart--Peace---

[ArleneRaquel]

I've done it all my life, the conversions are always fantastic.

[kimberly ann487]

If something is bothering me and I am alone, I have yelled at the top of my lungs what I was thinking. I've found this to be very theriputic. Beats yelling at someone, usually my wife, and making things worse.

[NicoleScott]

I am convinced that my wife cannot formulate a thought without saying it. We're in the car: "that's a nice house....that sign is a pretty yellow color..... that's an ugly car......that nurse is smoking -she should know better....etc." It drives me crazy. So I tune it out. Then she asks me a question. I don't know she's talking to me, and she gets peeved when I don't answer. I guess I can't win. But we're pushing 18 years together.

The only time I talked to myself was in college. I had a learning system utilizing flash cards. I discovered that (like reading notes ..."yeah, I know that"...when I really didn't) preparing flash cards and testing myself helped me learn (only applicable for certain subjects). BUT, unless I said my answer out loud (making a verbal commitment) before flipping the card over, it didn't work. I looked at the answer and said to myself "yeah, I know that". If I said it out loud, it kept me honest.

I do sing to myself a lot. Others would not want to hear me.

[Josie M]

Ok, this is not along the lines of things I generally share but, given the thread thus far I guess it's relevant so, here goes....

Yes, I do verbalize my thoughts out loud....more often than I realize. It's very difficult to control even though I know it annoys people around me.

The going theory is that I have an abnormally high communication rate in my brain....a remnant from being a grand mal eplileptic as a child.

I have been testing as having "high abstract reasoning" capabilities as the OP alluded to and, as I understand it, this was predicted by my childhood neurologist.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the problem seems to get worse if I am involved in solving a complex problem or am stressed and/or fatigued.

Over the years, however, I have learned that I can mitigate the problem by putting on some headphones and setting the MP3 player to some good environmental music. For whatever reason, it seems to make it easier for me to keep from involuntarily verbalizing my thoughts.

So, I mention all of this mostly to reinforce that, yes, it's a real thing....

[Vickie_CDTV]

Yes, I verbalize my thoughts out loud when I am alone and always have. I used to do it in front of others when I was young (I was not properly socialized as a very young child) until I finally realized people thought I was weird for doing it.

Yes, I am very analytical in my thinking (one reason I was drawn to technical work.) I also had/have, to some degree, an "ADHD" type mind (they didn't call it that when I was a kid.)

Yes, I am lonely, and generally have been my entire life.

[PretzelGirl]

I not only talk to myself, but I lose arguments to myself. :eek:

Really, I do it mostly when it is a focus thing. One instance might be when I get mad at myself for a mistake. The other is usually for something like a sport where I go through the mental checks of the execution.

[Diana Bain]

Well there was "me,myself and I" and now add "Diana" in the mix...guess who wins! Women!

[sanderlay]

eluuzion wrote: My Two Questions
(1) Do you talk to yourself OUT LOUD?
(2) If you do, to what degree do you do it? (Seldom, a lot, constantly, etc.)

I was an only child and that helped me to be creative in play. I did create characters and imaginary friends to play with. I'm sure I spoke to them... out loud.

As an adult I have lived alone most of my life. There have been a few times I have had roommates and tried not to speak to myself in there presence or in public.

But I do enjoy my privacy. I most certainly talk to myself as an adult. Sometimes it's play acting and I'm in another place. I play the role of all characters out loud. Sometimes its to work through a problem or praise myself for an idea or a job well done. I do kick myself a little when I make mistakes but I'm quick to forgive. The second time I make the same mistake I'm a bit more harsh with myself. But my harshness is centered on constructive criticism and not cutting myself down.

I also write fictional stories and do online role-play stories with others. I have more than one character... both male and female. I'll read and re-read the dialog, out loud, actions and setting to put myself in that characters head. Each of my many role-play characters is unique. I try for consistent and realistic dialog for each character's personality.

I feel this is a normal part of myself as my right and left brain relate to each other. I'm more productive when I speak to myself out loud.

Rarely do I speak as Debbie and Steve separately out loud, but it does sometime happen and I separate out the feminine and the masculine. But in my mind the two are the same so many times there is little distinction between the two.

They are me.

[vaga505]

Oh yes, indeed... definately when I am in the momment. Other times I try not to talk loud, because I fear someone ease dropping. I try to talk in my fem voice.

[eluuzion]

Hey thanks to all of you who took the time to share!
I appreciate everyone simply focusing on whether or not you do it. There are enough replies to satisfy my curiosity, so feel free to jump off the digression cliff at will, lol.

There are numerous "explanations" for what most of the mental health community agrees is "normal" behavior, unless it is accompanied by diagnosed symptoms of schizophrenia, Asperger, autism and other disorders.

Here are just a few "explanations" attributed to various forms of the behavior people display.
Some of this etiology seems quite logical and a few sound like something Walt Disney would create.:heehee:

production effect- studying by reading half of the words on a list silently and the other half out loud improves memory retention of (only) the words spoken out loud. The all- silent or all-out-loud technique does not work as well as mixing the silent/out loud technique.

"The Solace Paradigm"- study by Dr. Paul Horton on the importance of experiencing the feeling of "being with someone" to feel solace. "Talking to yourself" was a common way people generate the feeling of "being with someone" when they are alone.

"Evolved to avoid silence"- Joseph Jordania suggests it is to avoid silence. Our ancestors like many social animals used contact calls to maintain constant contact with the group, and a signal of danger was communicated by becoming silent and freezing. We still relate to it, so we talk out loud to comfort ourselves. (whistling, humming...similar reason).

Clarification- verbalizing engages more parts of the brain than internal thought. It forces you to organize your thoughts in coherent form to be understood. Rather than being influenced by the distractions of inner feelings, random thoughts and irrelevant cognitive processes. Doing so increases focus, objectives and logical "correctness".

Analytical tool - verbalization makes things more "real". It confirms what you are thinking/perceiving is "right" to yourself. (even if you are just cussing at a chair, that just "tripped" you) :)

and how about this "theory"...from the "creative thinking squad" section...lol...
Bicameralism - psychologist Julian Jaynes psychological hypothesis that the human brain was once divided between one half that "speaks" and the other half that "listens and obeys". Some believe that "talking out loud to Yourself" may have something to do with us retaining and engaging part of that primitive concept.

I thought this might be a popular addition to the "justification toolbox" for those of you that are fond of engaging in illeism (referring to yourself in the third person).

This "term" is also used to describe the "right" and "left" side functions of the brain. Supposedly, a person's brain has a "dominant" side which determines your basic "orientation" in life. (logical vs emotional, etc). It is supposedly easily "revealed" by taking simple image tests like this popular "spinning dancer" exercise to see which way the dancer appears to be spinning.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/left-brain-v-right-brain-test/story-e6frer4f-1111114604318

I know...pretty amusing huh? In my mind, this theory (explanation) for talking "out-loud" is definitely starting to paddle the raft past the ropes defining the designated sane swimming area.:D

:love:

[SarahLynn]

.... My daughter, however, does this quite a bit, and it has worried me that she doesn't seem to be outgrowing it. What you say about yourself is a comfort. She writes stories, and I've noticed that one thing she's doing when she talks out loud is she runs dialog between the characters in her stories. I guess it's a way of hearing what the conversation would sound like?

I do this exact same thing when I am writing a story. I think of the dialog and the processes of the story then write it on paper with a pencil. I love the feel of pencil on paper. From the many hours of cross country trucking I have written many stories and poems and a couple of songs. Some of my works from that time are on this site in the Writers Society section.



.... It is supposedly easily "revealed" by taking simple image tests like this popular "spinning dancer" exercise to see which way the dancer appears to be spinning.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/left-brain-v-right-brain-test/story-e6frer4f-1111114604318 ....
:love:

I have used that sweet dancer many times. Normally I can make her change direction at will. When I can't I know I'm really tired and in dire need of rest.

SarahLynn

[donnalee]

I once had a teacher who told us "Unless you can explain something to someone else, you really don't know it yourself." I've found this a truism; explaining things to myself checks on whether I know it or not.
I've always talked to myself when doing something as a kind of check-off for the various steps necessary to successfully solve a problem or analyze a situation.
When I was hired by a company in a technical capacity some years ago, a couple of people walked by my workspace while I was deep in some task (and, as usual, talking to myself). As they passed, I heard one of them remark to the other,"Well, HE"S going to fit in here just fine!".
Lastly, where else am I going to find such an interesting conversationalist?

[Josie M]

I once had a teacher who told us "Unless you can explain something to someone else, you really don't know it yourself." I've found this a truism; explaining things to myself checks on whether I know it or not.
I've always talked to myself when doing something as a kind of check-off for the various steps necessary to successfully solve a problem or analyze a situation.
When I was hired by a company in a technical capacity some years ago, a couple of people walked by my workspace while I was deep in some task (and, as usual, talking to myself). As they passed, I heard one of them remark to the other,"Well, HE"S going to fit in here just fine!".
Lastly, where else am I going to find such an interesting conversationalist?

I've also discovered this applies to programming a computer. I'm not really a programmer, but I've written software in Octave, Matlab, and Python to help me solve complex problems. I've discovered that trying to explain the solution process to a computer really solidifies your understanding of the underlying principles. There are times when I've written programs in Octave and Python (both free....Matlab is not) for no other reason than to enhance my understanding of the concept.

It's very true that, if you want to understand something better, try teaching it to someone else.....and computers are rock-stupid and do exactly what you tell them.