IS TALKING TO YOURSELF A SIGN OF A MENTAL DISORDER

We all talk to ourselves. Sometimes in front of the mirror, in the shower or when we quietly mutter under our breath about how much of an a**hole a person is. Oftentimes we catch ourselves blurting out those statements we have been thinking in our heads out loud.

There is a stigma attached to talking to yourself, especially in public. However, research has shown that Self-talk is essential for social development. As Lev Vygostsky,  a soviet psychologist pointed out, as we grow and mature from childhood into adulthood, we learn to differentiate between social and private speech. Hence, talking to yourself as an adult seems weird and embarrassing, but it isn’t and shouldn’t be.

In this article, we will explore the act of self-talk, why it is important and when it should be regarded as dangerous and concerning.

 

IS TALKING TO YOURSELF NORMAL/ HEALTHY?

In most cases, it is. It is more common for people to talk to themselves than not.

In fact, most psychology researchers encourage self-talk in children and adults. Recent study suggests that there is a strong correlation between self-talk and self-awareness, whether it is conducted in our heads or out loud.

The more we talk to ourselves, the more we become self-aware. Talking to yourself also allows you to verbally identify and process information about your current mental and physical experience.

Unless associated with other symptoms of a mental health condition, self-talk is normal and encouraged for a better quality of life.

 

WHY DO YOU TALK TO YOURSELF.

So why do we talk to ourselves? There are a plethora of reasons we do this. It is often associated with a variety of advanced mental functions like reasoning, problem solving, planning, attention and motivation. We talk to ourselves to;

 

Organize our thoughts

Self-talk is a healthy problem-solving tactic. It helps in visual processing of information, reasoning and concentration to help us learn and understand things better.

Studies have shown that verbal instructions are very helpful in completing complex tasks.

A study by Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch, two British psychologists, highlight the relationship between subvocalization and working memory. In their research, they theorized that subvocal sounds and words may be used to hold information in place when trying to complete challenging visual or verbal tasks. In essence, you cognitively need to talk to yourself to aid your working memory.

 

For Motivation

This is a type of self-talk that we are all familiar with. We often mumble words like “I can do it” or “you are a badass” to ourselves at different times in our lives to motivate ourselves through the hardest of experiences.

This type of self-talk is highly encouraged by psychologists and researchers. Positive self-talk is an internal or external dialogue that makes a person feel good about themselves. Negative self-talk is the opposite of that and is never encouraged.

Recent research in sports psychology has shown that motivational and instructional self-talk has been shown to enhance performance whereas negative self-talk is detrimental to overall sports performance of an athlete.

Positive self-talk is a form of self-reinforcement, be generous with it.

 

Process or regulate emotions.

The psychodynamic theory suggests that self-talk is influenced by a person’s unconscious thoughts and emotions. This theory also connotes that people use self-talk to cope with their unconscious conflicts. Negative self-talk is usually a defense mechanism against these mental conflicts to provide a sense of mastery and control over negative emotions.

A study by Julian Fritsch and Darko Jekauc insists that self-talk is an integral part of emotional regulation. According to them, goal directed self-talk directly enhances positive emotions and reduces anxiety. They hold that sports athletes can use this type of self-talk (e.g., “be happy”, “don’t be anxious” or “mistakes are important for learning”) to enhance happiness, deal with debilitative emotions or alter the perspective of a situation positively.

Further studies suggest that when we talk to ourselves in third person, it can significantly enhance our ability to regulate negative emotions and  cope with challenging experiences. 

WHEN IS TALKING TO YOURSELF NOT NORMAL?

Experts insist that talking to yourself is usually normal and healthy. However, it becomes not normal when it is an accompanying symptom of a mental health disorder. So, when is self-talk not normal?

When it is Negative

Negative self-talk happens to the best of us at least once in a while. It becomes problematic when it is a continuous occurrence in your thoughts and vocabulary. If you find yourself constantly engaging in this type of talk, either internally or out loud, it may have already made its way to your mental wellbeing.

Constantly engaging in negative self-talk is usually a symptom of anxiety and depression. It also doesn’t help your self-esteem, worsening any pre-existing case of anxiety and depression. The more you bring yourself down verbally or internally over not doing things right, the less confidence you have in yourself.

Negative self-talk can be combated by developing a form of self-empathy. You will never repeat those nasty things you say to yourself to close friends, family members or even strangers. You deserve to treat yourself with the same courtesy as you treat others.

 

When it is Pressured Speech

People with illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mania or people that experience extreme anxiety, go through a condition known as pressured speech. The use of stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines also cause this condition.

Pressured speech is a condition that causes a person to experience rapid speech without pause, loud speech at a higher volume than usual, talking about subjects in a disorganized manner often difficult to understand, speech that occurs at inappropriate times, and so on.

Pressured speech is not a disorder in itself but rather a symptom of various disorders.

Those on the Autism spectrum and people with ADHD may also experience pressured speech as a result of their struggle with social skills, communication, focus, concentration and impulsivity.

If you frequently experience pressured speech without being officially diagnosed with any underlying mental condition, you might want to reach out to a licensed mental health practitioner for a diagnosis and treatment plan. 

Those already diagnosed with any of the above are encouraged to take their drug and physical therapy more seriously. A change of medication may be advised if symptoms persist.

 

Summary

Talking to yourself is normal healthy human behavior even though self-talk in public has a stigma attached to it.

Self-talk is encouraged in children and adults by psychologists and researchers because it helps with visual processing of tasks and thoughts, anxiety and motivation.

Self-talk becomes concerning when it is negative, demotivating, loud and erratic, impaired and uncontrolled.