DM constantly talks to herself and narrates her own thoughts

[Bofster37]

Does anyone else’s mother do this?

She’s staying with us this weekend and I can hear her in her bedroom narrating her own thoughts. She’s been doing it for years. I’ve never come across anyone else doing it before.

My partner does this. Especially when he makes up a conversation in His head he says it out loud. But he gets embarrassed even if it's around me.

I do this. I think I've always done it, it helps me concentrate. I try not to do it in public but I'm told I do it at work sometimes

My mum would do it...it’s difficult because I would be constantly tuning in and out thinking she was talking to me. She wasn’t really aware she did it

MIL does this. She cannot abide a silence. You can find her alone in the kitchen talking to the pots and pans:

"now that will go on for 10 minutes and while that's doing I think I'll carve the beef because it's okay if that's cold, now where's the good knife,oh there, oh this pinny is annoying me, now is there mustard, I'm sure I bought mustard, I told Jean I needed mustard but she doesn't eat it, too strong apparently, oh look that's boiling now so now the beans....."

Also when watching TV (E.g. You've been framed)
"Haha oh isn't that funny, oh dear he's going to fall in the hole, watch out! Oh no he didn't look, well I wonder what will happen next, it's a silly programme isn't it, oh now what's this, a kitten! I think he'll fall off that table, oh look, oh no he's tried to jump but just fallen, hee hee..."

It's exhausting.

My DC does it. Honestly drives me ducking insane.

I’m actually a really quiet person too and the constant noise makes me feel like I can never fully concentrate on anything.

@nakedavengeragain.😅😂🤣

My mum does it too.

It’s so irritating particularly when you think she’s taking to you so will go into the room she’s in and all she does is look at you like you have 10 heads because she was ‘only talking to myself’.

I do this.

Sometimes I just need to have a chat with an intelligent, sympathetic person who sees my point of view.

Me too Cailleachian.

DF (82) has started doing this. I think he always did it in his head, but he's now started doing it so others can hear it. It's unnerving because he does it in inappropriate situations, and he's not narrating but as far as I can tell he's having conversations that didn't happen, but that he imagined happening, or that might happen. He did it during a car ride when there were three others in the car and at least two of us were trying very hard to pretend it wasn't happening and were talking louder and louder to try and cover it up (so the child wouldn't notice). Another time he started doing it at the dinner table. In his case I don't know if it's a sign of dementia or just being old and crotchety but it's definitely made me really uncomfortable.

My DM does it

As pp said, it’s as if she can’t abide the silence.
she will leap ten feet in the air to pass me the salt if I dare suggest db pass me it from within arms reach!

I totally understand but I try not to get annoyed because I’m assuming it’s a throwback from when she had to run after everyone hand and foot. And one day I will ask db for the salt and he will get to pass it and we will all be heartbroken

I do it; have for years. Actually overheard a fellow mutterer in the supermarket the other day.

Oh to add I helps me with my anxiety I think

It* 🤦🏼‍♀️

I wonder if it's a throwback to having small children. I never, ever did this (could happily go about my day in silence) but consciously started to do some of this when I had a baby so that they hear lots of words and my voice.

Really hope I don't make it a habit, I find it quite exhausting!

It must drive you potty ! I can't imagine living with someone who did that .

Lots of people do it. My mum lived alone and talked to herself “for the company”.

Some people do it when stressed. They rehearse conversations out loud, that they know they will need to have.

My ds does it - he creates a whole imaginary world.

Recently I visited an elderly relative and she has whole conversations with her Alexa. She seems quite cheerful about it. It helps her do crosswords

Is this new behaviour or has she done this for years? If it’s new, and you’re worried that perhaps she’s talking to unseen “others”, she needs to see her GP, but if this is just “her” being “her”, then perhaps it’s a symptom of loneliness. A lot of people who live alone do this.

My DM, DB and I do it and my DH thinks I'm absolutely mental. I wish I didn't but it's just honestly like an involuntary thing. We are all quite anxious/highly strung in nature and I think there is just a lot more 'thoughts' to process than my easy going laid back DH.

My DD does is, never shuts up!

Isn't it something to do with being a very external personality?

I do this. Started because it helps children's speech to narrate what you're doing and now I can't break the habit. I'll work harder to pack it in once the baby is older so talking etc.

I had a colleague that did this - she would walk around the office muttering to herself about what she was doing now and what she was going to do next; chattering at the stapler when it failed to work first time, holding entire conversations with the printer when it jammed. I miss working with her, actually. She was like a kettle always just on the boil. A lovely lady.

Oh Christ I’ve a couple of colleagues who do this and I could happily kill the pair of them.

OP has said her mother has done it for years, so it's not a new thing.

I do it, always have. Mind going ten to the dozen. I have imaginary conversations and when I'm alone in the house I talk out loud.

A hospital consultant I work with does this, I tune out until he repeats himself then I know he's talking to me!