Skip to main content

Talking to yourself

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

Hey, does anybody out there talk to themselves, especially when they are alone and performing certain tasks? :o

Submitted by socks on Wed, 07/02/2003 - 10:52 AM

Permalink

My internal dialogue is so loud sometimes,that when I am washing dishes,and someone interupts me,I act like I was talking to someone and they walked right up and interupted the conversation! No one is there,just me,the dishes and my mind..
Then other times,I will think outloud.My husband will have to tell me,”listen,whatever your talking about,you must have been talking to someone else,because I only got the last part of the sentence” In other words,I will think the first part of the sentence,and say the second part outloud,of course NO ONE knows what I am talking about,except me.

In answer to your question,yes,I talk to myself.

Submitted by socks on Wed, 07/02/2003 - 9:53 PM

Permalink

I think it is a by product of my ld. Hyperviligance,hyperfocusing,obsessive thinking,all things that lder’s do. But ,I often think that it is a result of learning to live with ld,rather then being ld. I’ll have to think about it!

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 07/03/2003 - 3:46 AM

Permalink

Yes!!! Oh yes! I do talk to myself all the time! My husband always teases me about it too. He says he has co-workers that do it too. He hasn’t said that they are LD, however.

I definitely think, for me at least, it is part of my LD. I think it just helps me process things easier. Also, hearing myself say what I’m saying assures me I’m doing things right. I used to have a full-fledged dialogue with myself when I was much youinger. Nowadays, it’s usually when I’m performing a task, I just talk myself through it. I often catch myself doing it at work and pray that no one hears me!

Christine H

Submitted by Lil on Tue, 07/08/2003 - 11:17 AM

Permalink

I talk to myself a lot. I mutter under my breath, and use facial expressions and arm gestures when I have these conversations. My young son has been identified with LDs (probably runs in the family) and he is an auditory learner. So, when he reads, does math, writes, etc. I encourage him to talk under his breath so he can HEAR what he is doing. It reinforces the information in his brain. I wonder sometimes if that is what I am doing subconsciously.

Submitted by Toni on Tue, 07/08/2003 - 5:02 PM

Permalink

LoL, there are times when thats the only way I can have an intelegent conversachon. LOL no, but realy I can relat to all most all the replys to this subgect. I must say thoue that there are times that my intere dialog trys to beat me up. I mean I can realy pound on my self. Over the years I have lerned to how to shut that part down. Sounds crazy, I know but I thinck it’s just somthing that most people wont confes to.
To anser your queston yes, I do and yes it dos rear its self especholy when Im consentratting. Some times it’s a huge help thow.
I wish I had a web sit with some studdy on this but I dont even know where to begen to look. If you fined one let me know please
Toni

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 07/09/2003 - 2:50 PM

Permalink

Thanks everyone for your replys, its been very helpful.

Submitted by jkm on Thu, 07/10/2003 - 2:57 PM

Permalink

I talk to myself occasionally and there’s nothing wrong with it. It helps to talk to yourself to calm down and give you confidence. :lol:

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 08/04/2003 - 10:30 AM

Permalink

My grandma has Tourette’s syndrome and she manages to corral all her verbal tics into words people normally say to themselves. She managed to switch her cuss word tic into “I swanny.” Mountain women say that all the time anyhow.

Reading signs on the road is a normal tic Touretters get. Maybe the finishing a sentence is like a tic.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 09/20/2003 - 11:05 PM

Permalink

Oh wow! Looks like I’m not the only one that talks to myself! I never realized that it could possibly be a by product of LD! LOL yeah, I DO talk to myself! LOL…I figure it’s ok to do it, as long as I don’t answer myself! (Which I haven’t….and hope I don’t!) :lol: 8)

Submitted by dsdmom on Sun, 10/05/2003 - 2:04 AM

Permalink

:o [b]I too do this..LOL
Now I’ve never been Dx’d LD since I’m in my 30’s and when I was in school in the early 70’s things were not in place like they are now.

But yes…I mutter many things to myself. I also “talk” myself through a “task”….know what I mean? It helps me “focus”. Lists are of GREAT value as well. And of course righting things on a calender has helped GREATLY. (Even when to pay the bills). :roll:

LAN

[/b]

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 10/05/2003 - 5:43 PM

Permalink

[quote=”mikemc”]Hey, does anybody out there talk to themselves, especially when they are alone and performing certain tasks? :o[/quote][color=darkred][/color][size=18][/size] :!: :( :oops: :x [color=darkred][/color]

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 10/17/2004 - 6:57 PM

Permalink

:o Wow. I was labeled LD from elementary through high school and in 12th grade, I was diagnosed with ADD (primarily inattentive type with some impulsivity). Over the years, I was teased because I talked to myself. It was something I felt I couldn’t help. I am now out of college (just recently graduated) and still do it: usually when I’m bored, alone, frustrated, need to vent, or need to help myself figure something out or concentrate on something that isn’t particularly easy. Once I figure it out, there’s little need to talk myself through a task. When I first started working at a part time job 3 years ago, my co workers and I made jokes about me saying things to myself. Actually, they started it. One of them said I had a mouse in my pocket. Yeah, very cute. (rolls eyes) I didn’t care. I figured it was just a habit. After all, my parents do it sometimes too and I think they’re talking to me. (or vice versa) I must have picked the behavior up from them. This is odd and slightly off subject, but I have found that I don’t stutter or stumble over words as much when talking to myself as I do when talking to others. Anyone else feel that way? Does anyone else trip on their words all the time? What can I do about either habit?

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 10/17/2004 - 6:58 PM

Permalink

:o Wow. I was labeled LD from elementary through high school and in 12th grade, I was diagnosed with ADD (primarily inattentive type with some impulsivity). Over the years, I was teased because I talked to myself. It was something I felt I couldn’t help. I am now out of college (just recently graduated) and still do it: usually when I’m bored, alone, frustrated, need to vent, or need to help myself figure something out or concentrate on something that isn’t particularly easy. Once I figure it out, there’s little need to talk myself through a task. When I first started working at a part time job 3 years ago, my co workers and I made jokes about me saying things to myself. Actually, they started it. One of them said I had a mouse in my pocket. Yeah, very cute. (rolls eyes) I didn’t care. I figured it was just a habit. After all, my parents do it sometimes too and I think they’re talking to me. (or vice versa) I must have picked the behavior up from them. This is odd and slightly off subject, but I have found that I don’t stutter or stumble over words as much when talking to myself as I do when talking to others. Anyone else feel that way? Does anyone else trip on their words all the time? What can I do about either habit?

Submitted by hesterprynne on Sun, 10/17/2004 - 7:24 PM

Permalink

I wouldn’t do anything about it! Do I talk to myself? Hooooo boy, yes! I got teased about it a bit when I was a kid, but I was teased about a lot of stuff, and this was the least of them. I have NO problems with it anymore. In other words, I am not embarrassed about it anymore. If it bothers anyone else, that’s their problem, not mine.

I actually did find official referrence to talking to yourself in Teri James Bellis’s “When the Brain Can’t Hear”. She said exactly what you all have mentioned; people talk to themselves to help focus and stay on track. She actually encourages LD kids to talk to themselves when they’re doing homework.

Submitted by Jan Raper on Sun, 10/17/2004 - 10:24 PM

Permalink

Hey Guys
I’m so glad to have read all your responses! My son is 13 and has gifted/LD and always talks to himself. It can be humerous at times but also very annoying sometimes. He is home schooled since public school can’t cope with a gifted/LD kid. Sometimes he hums or sings but it is always something vocal coming from him. In fact when he was about 3 we were in the store and the ck out lady asked,”Does he ever shut up?” I answered,”No!” That’s the truth! I love him dearly!!! Jan

Submitted by ellyodd on Mon, 10/18/2004 - 8:53 PM

Permalink

I think it is pretty normal?!

I am happy when I talk to myself (and sing). So I don’t mind - it’s not doing it I hate. Ok, I don’t talk with myself out loud in public, but I am almost doing it… :-P

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/31/2004 - 10:06 PM

Permalink

It’s probably normal. My parents even do it sometimes. But they don’t seem to do it as much as I do. Maybe they do it in private too. Hee hee.

Oh, and I just got a new job in November and everyone there talks to themselves or too inanimate objects such as their computers. It is absolutely hilarious (don’t mean to be rude) and I feel like I’m around people who are like me. I feel like I fit in with my coworkers. Not that I didn’t before, but… The job sure fits better.

When my dad gets really mad at the computer, he yells and swears at it and sometimes I think he’s talking to me. Or it can happen the other way around.

Submitted by Sue on Fri, 12/31/2004 - 10:38 PM

Permalink

Here’s to jobs that fit :-) :-)

May this be a year when many are discovered … (mine is also a good fit — though most folks aren’t like me, there are enough close enough and we leave each other room)

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/02/2005 - 12:57 AM

Permalink

Oh, me too! Me too! Whenever I do, someone in the room thinks I’m talking to them! It feels like I can’t stop myself from doing that. It’s like it’s a reflex or something. Why is it so much fun to talk to oneself?

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/03/2005 - 1:20 AM

Permalink

I mentioned awhile back that there were people at my job who talked to themselves. I have just had my hours changed (for reasons having nothing to do with that) and was moved to a different group (in the same room). I don’t fit in there. I know it’s only my second week, but I fit in on the first day in my old group and I was accepted even though I had quirky habits because everyone else did. Now I have to break them. Or at least cut down on them. It’s quieter there and the hours are better, but I feel like I’m putting on an act for these people. I feel like I can’t quit talking to myself. I don’t know if it’s a need, a compulsion, a tic, or a VERY difficult habit to break, or all of the above. I am SOOOO EMBARRASSED!

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/07/2005 - 7:26 PM

Permalink

You never know if there might be one of ‘em or two that are more like the old group and just think it’s a little quirky, even though the rest of the social messages are saying “you’re a little weird, you KNOW THAT?”
I can only sympathize and tell ya to hang in there… could be before long they’re thinking (tho’ not saying, usually) “okay, you’re a little weird, but you’re OKAY.”

Back to Top