Do you talk to yourself?

[theeverydaydancer]

I was going to namechange but in the end I couldn't be bothered.

I have always had a habit of sort of whispering/muttering to myself. I've done this since I was a child. Sometimes it might be about something mundane like what I need to buy from the shops etc but it can also be me working stuff out or sort of "practising" what I would say to someone else or talking about something that I find interesting. I remember my parents doing this (but they are both a bit nuts so that doesn't reassure me...).

Am I strange or is this normal? Posted in relationships because I've always had a lot of support here, I know its probably not technically in the right place so apologies.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I do it as well. Therefore it is supremely normal . Long drives can turn into utterly fascinating one-woman conversations in which I invariably sparkle and win the day. Tell me, as a kid did you have an imaginary friend or a dolly/teddy that could 'talk back'?

[RalphRecklessCardew]

All the time.

[RalphRecklessCardew]

Ok, not ALL the time. If I'm alone. I disguise it by talking to baby or cat.

[theeverydaydancer]

Oh thank god for that. I wasn't sure if I was just a bit loopy

I think I did have an imaginary type friend when I was a child, and always had a favourite doll.

I think I would be mortified if I ever got caught with my mutterings.

I'm asking really because I sort of do it without thinking i.e when I'm doing the housework etc and my 2 yo DD is always asking "Mummy, what are you talking about?" and its made me think perhaps I need to stop doing it....

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

At least your mutterings are semi-private. When you start jotting mutterings down, putting them on a blog and thinking others would be even remotely interested.... that's when you need to start worrying :)

[shinny]

Frequently....especially in the car (when Im not singing very loudly). I work things out by talking to myself about them plus lists etc etc. You are not alone.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

Sometimes I mutter out loud to myself, sometimes I just run long stories and monologues and dialogues in my head.

I always thought it was entirely normal and that everybody did it until DP looked at me like and said it wasn't. But I still reckon most people talk to themselves.

And yup yup to Cogito. Maybe blogging is what the people who apparently don't talk to themselves do instead?

[maparole]

I've always done this. As a child, I didn't have an imaginary friend, but I did used constantly to pretend I was writing a book about everything I got up to, so there was a sort of running commentary in my head, often vocalised.

It helps me work things out. Nowadays, I do it a lot when out walking, often quite loudly. Very embarrassing if I unexpectedly bump into another walker (I usually try to pretend I was singing )

[Mabelface]

Oh yes, loads! I do it in work when I have a process to go through, I even apologise to customers for doing it, but they find it funny and usually agree that it's the best way to get a process right. I do it at home when I'm working out what I need to do, I do it (a lot more quietly) out and about and I talk to the cats too.

[HotDAMNlifeisgood]

Oh, all the time. Happy running commentary when alone at home, for example.

I also have animated conversations in my head. When I'm really deep in a conversation with myself, I sometimes exclaim things out loud, which can be very embarrassing when there are others around.

Luckily I usually have a dog when out and about in public, so I can pretend I was talking to her. I also actually talk to her a lot.

[Wilding]

I was having a conversation with some friends the other day about just this subject (in RL, not in my head!) and was staggered to find out that there are some people that don't do it. I always think about things by having conversations with myself/other people in my head (although I do tend to do the facial expressions which can be a bit embarrassing in public)

[TheSparklyPussycat]

I do it. And to my joy and amusement, the plumber who fixed my heating recently does it too!

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Another observation. I find talking helps me remember things better. If I just read a piece of information, hear it or look at it, it doesn't seem to sink in anything like the same as if I say it out loud. I bet educational psychologists have a term for it that is a lot kinder than 'in love with sound of own voice' :)

[JenBehavingBadly]

All the time here too. My DH picks me up on it all the time.

[Northumberlandlass]

Yes - it's usually to berate myself about something or other. Although I had a rare day to myself recently and found myself saying out loud "ooo shall we have a cuppa?" and also "how about a bacon sarnie for lunch?"

[DustBunnyFarmer]

I often talk things through when I'm problem-solving or role playing a situation I need to get through, but I am more self-conscious of it these days & rarely do it when others are around. I used to do it a lot with my boys when they were babies/toddlers, but realised maybe I did it a bit too much when DS1's friend asked why I was saying everything to them as his mum didn't - was giving him a lift at the time. My driving instructor also used to tell me off in my teens, as he basically said I was pointing out lots of the errors I was making that might otherwise pass the examiner by. Drives DH nuts as he says he'd rather I didn't verbalise all the options & just give him my final answer. So now I keep quiet most of the time & have a internal monlologue, occasionally startling husband or passing walkers when I blurt something out 'eureka!' style. Sadly, the damage is already done with DS1 - his teachers have already commented on the stream of consciousness. On the plus side, people frequently comment on my sons' extensive vocabulary.

[NotGoodNotBad]

I do it in the supermarket. Came across a neighbour the other day while I was telling some saucepans in Morissons that I really didn't need them .

Yet, hypocritically, I find it really irritating that DH constantly talks to the computer!

[VelvetSpoon]

I do it a lot in my head, I have a constant running commentary going.

I also rehearse whole conversations (sometimes out loud) - some that I know I'm going to have imminently, others are ones I hope to be having in future if things go to plan - yesterday I had a conversation in my head with DS1 about the 6th form place he'd got (which we wont know about for another 3 months)

I think I'm a bit odd!

[Busybusybust]

Oh, yes all the time! I intend to get a dog as soon as I retire, then I cn pretend that I am talking to the dog!

[FluffyJumper]

Yes. Sometimes it can get quite animated

[paulapantsdown]

All the time. I have very detailed one way conversations with people I'm cross with, and really give em what for!

I find it helps me clarify my feelings and thoughts, although sometimes I worry if it's because I'm a bit sort of lonely when feeling blue?

DH is always catching me at it, and looks at me like I'm mad,

[antimatter]

I usually talk to myself if I am tired at work and a particular task needs me to be concentrated.

[WeGotTheKrunk]

Yes, all the time! Catch myself saying whole sentences out loud in the street, or at work. It has got me some very strange looks let me tell you!

I like to try & convince myself that talking to yourself is a habit of the highly intelligent - we're all so smart we can't keep all of our thoughts completely in our heads

[StormEEweather]

I do this, out loud when I'm alone (or think I am) or in my head. DH does it too, I can often see him zone out when I am talking to him and have a chat in his head. He gives himself away with his facial expressions and hand gestures . When he's on his own, washing up for example, he does it out loud and gets very animated.

[redundantandbitter]

All the time! DDs are always asking "who are you talking to mum?" . Bless they have no idea I'm quite bonkers