Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
I have just noticed (DUH) that I talk to myself....like all the time. In the car, when I am lying in bed I whisper to myself so my hubby can sleep, I move my lips and talk to myself silently when I am in the car w/my family or there is a lull in the conversation.....
AM I NUTS?I am way too ashamed of this to talk to T. about it. I looked online for stuff about this but came up empty.
Does anyone else do this? What does this mean?
I am very lonely....was left alone for very long periods of time as an infant, child, and up....I do not have DID but wonder what this is. I am way way way too ashamed of this to tell anyone in my f2f circle.
I have conversations with myself or talk to my T. as if she was there...and this is WAY TOO DISTURBING TO ME...can't tell hubby because he already thinks I think my T. is like God and perfect in every way...can't tell my friends (who have never gone to T)....and I feel I can't tell my T because then I will just be admitting how much I think about her and miss her between sessions and that is way too revealing and risky for me right now.
Any comments are greatly appreciated. Until then I am going to go have a cup of coffee with myself and have a nice visit. :)
Posted by Dinah on March 1, 2004, at 10:03:32
In reply to I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
I think that sounds perfectly normal. My therapist always tells me I'm supposed to internalize him so that I can ask him in my mind what he thinks about something, and can guess what he'll answer. So don't worry about mentioning it to your therapist.
As far as I know plenty of people do it. My father used to keep up a running commentary as he worked. I think it's only problematic if you hear someone answering that you don't think is you, and that others don't hear.
Posted by Medusa on March 1, 2004, at 14:04:42
In reply to I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
A German psychiatrist, Fritz Simon, says that humans are the only animals that can't stop talking to themselves. The difference between "normal" people and "crazy" people is that "normal" people talk to themselves constantly inside their heads, and "crazy" people talk to themselves out loud.
(Simon rips off - oh, sorry, 'interprets' - a lot of other thinkers' ideas, so I dunno if this is original or if he was quoting someone else with the presumption that the reader would know who the original came from.)
I have a lot of things come out of my mouth very impulsively, not in conversation with someone else, but specific phrases directed at specific people who aren't there. I've tried various 'responses', but haven't discussed this with a therapist, or actually with anyone. Yep, you got me to come out with pretty much my most embarrassing theme. But I bet it's really common.
I know someone who quotes conversations she had with herself, but she's brilliant and fascinating so it flies.
Posted by Raindancer on March 1, 2004, at 16:55:22
In reply to I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
My T says the same as Dinah's and I often have conversations with him and sort of check out what he would say. I think it is completely normal to talk to yourself and good as well in that you are relating to yourself rather than being cut off from yourself, which can often happen. All the best. R
Posted by missamor on March 1, 2004, at 17:10:45
In reply to Re: I talk to myself....am I nuts????? » KindGirl, posted by Raindancer on March 1, 2004, at 16:55:22
i dont think its nutty, i talk to myself and always have. sometimes im the only person i talk to all day! what is nutty though is when i first learned to write in cursive script i would trace the words in the air as i spoke or thought them. it was constant and something i worked to control for about a year and when i was a little older and learned to finger spell in sign language clases i did the same thing. i would spell every word i said and thought, that stopped because it was really to time consuming after about one year as well. i did these with or without others around. i dont know why i did either of these things and dont care. because i dont anymore, but for some reason seems a little simular to me. so dont feel nutty!!!!
has anyone else ever done something like this? just wondering.
Posted by tabitha on March 1, 2004, at 23:54:13
In reply to I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
I do the same thing. I live alone, so there's no limiting factor. I also talk to myself in the car. I'm afraid I'll be overheard sometime. I do it the most when I'm worked up over something.
I read somewhere that some schizophrenics have to talk to themselves to process the day's events.. they sort of repeat conversations and re-do them to turn out better. I thought Hey, that's sort of what I do.. then Wait a minute, I'm not schizophrenic, what gives?
Posted by tinydancer on March 2, 2004, at 0:59:06
In reply to Re: I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by tabitha on March 1, 2004, at 23:54:13
I don't like to call anyone nuts. I don't think that there truly exists someone who is "nuts". It's kind of a hurtful way to describe human beings....
I have DID, and hear voices and have conversations with alters constantly, and I don't feel nuts and never have. No plans on changing my opinion there.
Talking to oneself doesn't strike me as abnormal or unusual in any way. That could be because I grew up with a brother who did it all the time. I guess the bottom line is...Who is the behavior hurting? Is it altering my life in a non desirable way? It seems like talking to oneself is perfectly normal when you think about it. I would go as far as saying healthy!
Posted by noa on March 2, 2004, at 18:45:57
In reply to I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
I talk to myself all the time. From ordinary things like talking myself through a task or organizing ideas, etc. to rehearsing difficult conversations past or future. I think more people do it than admit it. I think as long as you know when it would be really inappropriate to do so, it's fine.
Posted by Poet on March 2, 2004, at 22:26:33
In reply to I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
Hi KindGirl,
I talk to myself all the time. In my car, at home, I know I do it at work and sometimes in public, too. Think of it as dialoging with yourself. Even if you're talking to your absent therapist, you're still talking about things you need to talk about.
My therapist doesn't think it's crazy, she's just concerned that people will stare at me at work, etc. In my car, let them think I'm singing to the radio or on a cell phone with an ear phone. At work, they're getting used to it and I am not the only one who does.
Call me crazy, but I don't think you are.
Poet
Posted by crystalferriss1985 on March 7, 2007, at 18:34:47
In reply to I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by KindGirl on March 1, 2004, at 8:59:58
hi i read your post and im concerned my mother dose the same thing shes always alone and talks to herself to just the way you do and night when shes in her room i can hear her sometimes she even argues with herself and i don't know what to do even if she in a crowed of people she will put her head down and laugh at nothing (like she talking with someone that not there) i ask her all the time who she is talking to and has admitted that she talks to herself.. she wasn't always like this she started when she lived alone for awhile.. now she lives with me and my boyfriend and i would like to know why it is you do it a want to help her but i think i need to understand why she dose it!!! please write me back or e-mail me ay crystalferriss1985@yahoo.com your not the only one
Posted by Iwillsurvive on March 7, 2007, at 19:43:17
In reply to Re: I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by crystalferriss1985 on March 7, 2007, at 18:34:47
> hi i read your post and im concerned my mother dose the same thing shes always alone and talks to herself to just the way you do and night when shes in her room i can hear her sometimes she even argues with herself and i don't know what to do even if she in a crowed of people she will put her head down and laugh at nothing (like she talking with someone that not there) i ask her all the time who she is talking to and has admitted that she talks to herself.. she wasn't always like this she started when she lived alone for awhile.. now she lives with me and my boyfriend and i would like to know why it is you do it a want to help her but i think i need to understand why she dose it!!! please write me back or e-mail me ay crystalferriss1985@yahoo.com your not the only one
Hi welcome to babble.
This post seems to be attached to an old thread from 2004, so I am not sure how much response you may get.
You can start a new thread on this topic by clicking on 'go to form' under start new thread, at the bottom of the main board page. Then make a post about it.
I myself don't know much about that topic.
Other than asking her doctor about it?
Again, welcome, nice to meet you.
Posted by Dinah on March 15, 2007, at 15:04:26
In reply to Re: I talk to myself....am I nuts?????, posted by crystalferriss1985 on March 7, 2007, at 18:34:47
Crystal, in the absence of other signs of problems I wouldn't worry about it too much. You said she lived alone for a long time. She likely got in the habit of talking to herself. I carry on quite animated conversations with my computer when I work. And luckily I have dogs that I can talk to when no one else is around. And to tell the truth, if the dogs are at the groomers, I've been known to carry on as if they were here.
If she hears voices responding to her, or if she is doing things or thinking she should do things that are harmful to herself or others, you might want to get a neurological workup or a psych exam.
If she clearly is just talking to herself, maybe you could try to see it as a charming eccentricity. The more matter of factly you treat it in company, the less likely it will be that others will be uncomfortable or that you'll be embarassed.
I'm assuming she's getting regular checkups and there's no other problems that might be contributing?
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