# Why DO people talk to themselves? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771 "2002-12-01T13:27:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/1 "2002-12-01T13:27:23Z")
I was going to add this to the being alone thread, but I thought this deserved a thread of it’s own. So why does one talk to themselves is it like the being alone situation? Does it provide mental stimulation? What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/2 "2002-12-01T13:38:57Z")
I’m the most appreciative audience I have. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/3 "2002-12-01T13:40:10Z")
You mean hold conversations with themselves or think out loud? If I say what I am thinking it makes the thought more concrete for me. Similiar to constantly repeating something to remember it faster. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/4 "2002-12-01T13:44:45Z")
In my case, I do it in the photo darkroom to relieve boredom. ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/5 "2002-12-01T14:09:06Z")
This isn’t as peculiar as the OP – or the general public thinks. Everyone talks to themselves. It’s just that fewer people articulate out loud. People rehearse presentations, confrontations, explanations to significant others all the time. Those who speak out loud are just more concerned with the final, auditory effect the planned (potential) rehearsed speech creates. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/6 "2002-12-01T15:41:05Z")
I’m no expert, but it’s my understanding that the language systems to some degree are hardwired in our brain. Perhaps saying things out loud forces thoughts into a different pattern. Ferisntance, you can’t parralel process your output, you can only say one thing at a time, which must force some kind of focus to the thinking. Seems like that might be desirable sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/7 "2002-12-01T16:26:30Z")
I meant that people who talk to themselves on their own, for no apparent reason. ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/8 "2002-12-01T16:38:47Z")
I got that, Ryan. I was on stage in my youth, and, as a manager, have had to present many tricky issues to individuals and to groups. I practice out loud because the mental mechanism to assess what sounds correct and plausible appears to rely on the words and sounds coming in through the ear. Repeating them voicelessly does not accomplish the same thing. Of course, people with severe mental problems, who hear voices, have imaginary companions, etc. also talk to themselves. Many, afraid of being tagged as anything but “normal”, instinctively avoid that behavior. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/9 "2002-12-01T16:42:03Z")
Sometimes it’s the only way I can get intelligent conservation. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/10 "2002-12-01T17:00:30Z")
> [@](#): > > For I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying. ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/11 "2002-12-01T17:25:01Z")
Probably for the same reason folks come on here and make post after post after post after post after post after post … …they maybe just like to hear themselves talk. 🙂 : D&R: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/12 "2002-12-01T17:51:29Z")
I talk to myself as an alternative to making those silent facial expressions. 😉 🙂 :mad: 😕 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/13 "2002-12-01T18:05:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ryan\_Liam \* > \*\*I meant that people who talk to themselves on their own, for no apparent reason. \*\* You mean there are people who don’t talk to themselves when concentrating on some task?!:eek: Freaks! ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/14 "2002-12-01T18:19:04Z")
If you ever see me walking by myself, holding an animated conversation with apparently nobody, don’t worry, I’m not insane. When I’m writing something, I tend to speak the dialogue before I write it, and I do that when I’m alone or have afew minutes to spare or whatever. I find that if the dialogue doesn’t _sound_ right, then it really shouldn’t be put to paper. ---
**Author:** ![Another\_Primate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Another\_Primate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Another_Primate)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/15 "2002-12-01T21:30:27Z")
I talk to myself, mostly inside my head, but sometimes vocally. It’s gotten worse in the past few years, because I now live alone. But I shocked myself a few months ago, with an inside-my-head comment, to which I replied (silently), “Well, you know me, …” Eeek! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/16 "2002-12-01T21:36:24Z")
I wonder if talking to pets is sometimes connected to talking to oneself? “Well now, Fluffy, what’ll we watch tonight?” Sure it is. 🙂 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/17 "2002-12-01T21:43:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > \*\*If you ever see me walking by myself, holding an animated conversation with apparently nobody, don’t worry, I’m not insane. When I’m writing something, I tend to speak the dialogue before I write it, and I do that when I’m alone or have afew minutes to spare or whatever. I find that if the dialogue doesn’t _sound_ right, then it really shouldn’t be put to paper. \*\* Mmmm Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/18 "2002-12-01T21:57:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ryan\_Liam \* > \*\*I meant that people who talk to themselves on their own, for no apparent reason. \*\* I have obssessive-compulsive(or is that obssessive/compulsive)(and did I spell that right?)(maybe I should check the dictionary) disorder. At times a particular thought(for me these range from social anxiety flashbacks to a series of thoughts that lead to a sever panic attack) keeps recurring. Talking to myself helps focuse on something else. At times, saying a sentence or even just a phrase helps break the thought loop. A character on _Ally McBeal_ (I don’t care if misspelled that one) had a stutter. When he really had difficulty with it, he would stop it by saying" Poughkipsie". It’s the same principle. [sub]I have tried saying Poughkipsie as a thougt-stopper. It works for me.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/19 "2002-12-01T22:05:37Z")
Whats a social anxiety flashback? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771/20 "2002-12-01T23:03:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ryan\_Liam \* > \*\*Whats a social anxiety flashback? \*\* I could post the definition of social anxiety from the DSM. But I think that describing feelings rather than giving facts will be more effective. Social anxiety disorder is pretty much what it sounds like. Rather than being nervous, a person with SAD will have negative emotions on the scale of phobia. Sometimes it’s fear. For me, it’s a profound sense of shame and embarrasment. For a long time, I couldn’t ask strangers for directions. I wasn’t embarrassed that I was lost, I was just embarrassed. ``` A flashback is suddenly being overwhelmed by the memories, emotions, and often sensations of a past, almost always negative, experience. People who have been raped or molested often suffer from flashbacks. Mine are less severe than that. But they are a very negative, and unpleasant experience. ``` [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-talk-to-themselves/139771.md?page=2)