Schizophrenic, bipolar, crazy. Whatever it is, I think I have it. Here’s the deal:
I converse with myself. No, not your simple “OK, now you need to return the books to the library” ‘thinking out loud’ version. I flat-out argue with myself, or whatever voices I hear in my head.
I’ll meet real people, and then project them into my head. Later, when I’m alone (or rarely, when I’m actually in a group), I’ll start up a conversation with them in my head. And we usually have some sort of argument, going back on forth with whatever issue we want.
I’m very convincing, though. I did this with my friend Madison for 45 minutes before my mom finally stopped and asked me why I had been talking with myself. Turns out, I had hung up on her earlier and continued the conversation without her, without even realizing I had.
Also, I suffer from mood swings and depression. I cut myself, and other things of that nature. Thought this might be relevant, if someone thought I were bipolar.
I would say you aren’t crazy. You’re a bit wierd(IMHO), but that’s not a mental health issue.
In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with talking to yourself or to the cat/dog, but if you start talking to people who aren’t there(like a 6 foot tall bunny rabbit named Harvey) or to the chair, table, then you have issues that probably you should see a therapist about.
Not really crazy, bit eccentric maybe but then again I always maintain that if you want a really intelligent conversation that a good chat with a wall or a beer mug(preferably a beer mug) is the only way to get one.
First off, IANADoctor/Therapist/Psychiatrist/Professional of any kind. I’m a Psych minor. But I really don’t think we know enough symptoms, etc. to judge. With the mood swings, depression, and cutting, you should talk to a professional.
It doesn’t sound like bipolar to me. Bipolar is usually extreme highs and lows of mood, not extreme talking to yourself.
You can say better than I whether you have symptoms of either, but if you’re cutting yourself, please see a mental health professional. I’m sure someone’ll be along shortly who knows a lot more than I do.
I too am a mere Psych major, and I concur with GMRyujin.
If you are cutting yourself, please seek medical help ASAP. I’m not certain how the system works where you are, but it may be a good idea to consult with your GP and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist.
You mentioned you suffered from depression. Was this diagnosed by a specialist, or is this a loose term you use to convey that you are generally in an unhappy state? And as regards your talking to yourself for 45minutes without realising you were, and stopping only when your mother brought it to your notice, IMHO that is a tad bit excessive.
I do this too. Projecting people I know in my head, and talking to them. Not out loud, though, and I’ve never been at all confused about whether the person I was talking to was real or not.
Sometimes, though, the imaginary person says something funny, making me laugh. Out loud. At something no one else can see. I’ve gotten some strange looks from that :D.
The cutting, depression and mood swings sound more worrying than the internal dialouges to me (but I’m not even a student of psychology, so…).
Hi. I talk to myself, and Spock, and the Australian guy and the English guy that wander around my head, and projected versions of people who I know at the time are not there, but who I sometimes forget later I have not actually had the conversation with; and sometimes I talk to trees, and have long, helpful conversations with them that often involve hugs. I had a great conversation with some yogurt a few months ago.
But what it all comes down to, is the fact that I have had a lot of practice differentiating reality and fantasy; and when I come to ask myself which I am living in, I know without hesitation. That is the most important qualification for sanity in my book. This is the real world, and this is the fantasy world. Even though for ten years of my life I attached no importance to reality, I could see it clearly delineated from the place where I was living.
I consider myself a fundamentally happy person. I’m now at the point where I’m considering how to hold the real world at bay when I get out of school and my parents stop paying my way. I’m making up fantasy worlds to sell. I am happy when I write, or draw pictures, or do something cool for the world that only I can do because of the strange stuff that happens in my brain.
I knew a retired psychologist once, who said that talking to yourself is good for you. People who have problems talk to themselves more, because they have more need of working things out within themselves. Don’t crush the symptom because it is a symptom. You have to deal with the problem at the root. Then, perhaps, you will have less need to talk to yourself; but I have always found it to be valuable to my sanity, and my happiness, to have a free forum of expression like that. When you know no one is listening but you and the powers that be.
Writing can also be like that. Maybe that’s why I love it so much.
I am sure that everyone, to some degree continues certain conversaitons on in their head after that person is not in the vicinity any longer. Especially arguments IMO. I do this, but not out loud, occasionally if I think of a sentence in the fantasy argument that would piss off the person IRL to whom I am having the fake chatter, or if I say a line that is quite prfound I might repeat it out loud as a way of getting closure. I dont speak to myself in public but I think everyone is aloud to shout out “eureka” or whatever they want from time to time as long as they can provide a valid reason for doing so, which you do have but as others have said the length of the chatter does seem to be of concern. You could lose hours of your life chatting to no-one, and you could end up getting more stressed out because it is really hard to win an argument with yourself. You know all your moves. Do you have trouble sleeping dude?
The people in my head are all characters in my stories that are in work. Some have been camped there for twenty years. They are in the premier club in my cerebellum.
Some times I work out scenes outloud. Sometimes I finish the things I reallywant to say to someone that I know I never can because …well…either they can’t handle the truth or it would be impolite or…I am just a coward. Learning how not to burn bridges is possibly the biggest lessons in my life.
Sometimes I’ve won an Oscar ( well, twenty seven , too date, but I’m not one to brag.
I can’t imagine my life any other way and I don’t drink, smoke, do drugs, or any thing else reprehensible. Not even Franklin Mint. I’m so Average its bloody sickening. If I were anymore average I would be the perfect corporate clone/stay at home mom/drone.
I’d rather be crazy than sane.
I was diagnosed with manic depression in 1994. Two of my mother’s brothers are bipolar and my grandfather was schizophrenic. It is a condition that you can live with if you are aware of it. I have several imaginary friends that I talk to all the time. My wife catches me frequently. It’s more embarrassing to be caught talking to them in public. I don’t care, John Nash has imaginary friends and he won the nobel prize.
Do you ever find yourself feeling that you are probably better than you think you are?
Have you ever found yourself driving down the road at a high rate of speed (65-70 mph) and thought, “I’ve had enough, if I swerve left into the next on-coming car that will be all”?
These are moments when lapses in judgement are critical. Don’t worry I took my lithium this morning.
I talk to myself all the time. I do it so much that the other day I said something to my office assistant and she just kept working on whatever she was doing…after a bit, I said “Hon, did you hear me?” and she said “Of course, but I just thought you were working out a problem. Out loud. You know, talking to yourself. Didn’t you know you DO that?”
Well, of COURSE I know I do that. I just didn’t think I did it at work, that’s all. I apologized for annoying her by doing that, and she said “Don’t apologize, mostly you are very entertaining.”
So, there you have THAT.
The cutting worries me, though. Please listen to the previous posters and look into getting some help.
