Thoughts aloud constantly the person expresses what to do. A person talks to himself: causes, possible diagnosis

What does it mean to talk to yourself? Why can this happen? We will talk about this in this article. If a person talks to himself out loud, what diagnosis can he make? The first thing that comes to mind is schizophrenia. But don't be so quick to classify him as mentally ill. It's not always easy to make a diagnosis. A person can talk to himself for other reasons. We, as well as mental illness, will consider them in the article.

Loneliness and responsibility

Behavior is considered normal when a person, after a working day or a load, speaks to himself, repeating information in order to remember it easier. This means that the person is very attentive and afraid to make a mistake. Although it looks unusual, it is not scary. And also, perhaps, the reason for his conversations is loneliness, when you want to talk, but there is no one with whom.

Sign of psychological illness

But it happens when a person talking to himself, in addition to the usual pronunciation of the text, argues with a non-existent person. This is a sign of mental illness, sometimes congenital. These pathologies include: psychopathy, schizophrenia, split personality.

Split personality

Split personality is a disease that can manifest itself as a result of mental trauma in childhood. Physical or sexual stress affects the behavior of an already matured person. It begins to seem to him that two entities live in him, and different ones. By the way, there can be more than two of them. In this state, he feels not only depressed, but may also attempt to harm himself.

Schizophrenia

Many people suffer from schizophrenia. They are perfectly adequate until they start talking to themselves out loud. Very often you can observe that schizophrenia is diagnosed in creative people, they seem to withdraw into themselves from the constant stress of the world around them. Such diseases are treated by a psychiatrist, but in any case, it is necessary to examine a person, and not make an unreasonable diagnosis.

Stress

A person who has experienced a strong stress shock has been completely alone for a long time, he is used to thinking out loud. In this case, he will begin to behave strangely. After all, that is why the reasons why people talk to themselves are different. Not always these symptoms are a sign of pathology. But it is worth noting that if someone in the family has already had schizophrenia, then this must be taken into account. Since the disease is very often inherited. And at some point, it may well happen again.

mental disorder

If a person is talking to himself or an imaginary friend, perceives unknown voices or other hallucinations, it is necessary to assume a mental disorder. The final conclusion is established by the attending physician in the study of human behavior and complaints. Schizophrenia and multiple personality disorders have similar symptoms, but there are differences. Patients can inherit these diseases or get them due to exogenous and endogenous factors.

The first manifestations of a mental disorder in a male are noticed in adolescence and at the age of 25, and in a female - from twenty to thirty years. Only a highly qualified specialist can distinguish schizophrenia from a split personality. After that, based on the diagnosis, adequate treatment is prescribed.

Neuropsychiatric disorder. Why does it occur?

Nowadays, people are in a state of stress and anxiety almost all the time. Their thoughts are constantly busy resolving problems, as a result of which sleep and rest are disturbed. If a person is constantly in tension, this can lead to a weakening of the nervous system and neurotic reactions. Prolonged depression, emotional wounds, tragic events can be the cause of a neuropsychiatric disorder. With such ailments, a person often talks to himself. However, it should be noted that women, due to their emotionality, anxiety, are more often prone to neuroses.

way to express emotions

Almost all people carry on a conversation with their own thoughts. This is a dialogue that no one hears, but sometimes people speak without having a listener around. However, one should not panic and think about mental disorders. In many cases, self-talk is not pathological. This is a common method of protection against loneliness, a way to express accumulated emotions. But there are cases when such behavior signals mental disorders. People, coming to a specialist, seek help, thinking that such behavior is a manifestation of a serious illness.

However, first of all, it is necessary to find out what is normal behavior and what is a manifestation of a psychological disorder.

introverts

For closed people - introverts - talking to yourself is considered normal. Such a person is not very willing to make contact with others, not allowing others to enter his personal life. They live in their own world. They do not need too much communication with the interlocutor. After all, they prefer to understand the situation mentally, discussing the causes and consequences.

Sociable people

Sociable individuals also talk to themselves. They have been talking to themselves since childhood. Psychologists say that such conversations help the endless development of personality. They allow you to put your thoughts in order and make the right decisions. During the period of such communication, the functioning of the brain improves, as a result of which the information received is better perceived and processed, and attentiveness and observation increase. People who talk about the problem to themselves are more successful.

Speaking problems out loud

Self-talk is the cause of loneliness, as it replaces real communication for people. However, when an interesting real interlocutor appears, the need for such conversations disappears. Also, according to experts, such a conversation is useful. It has a positive effect on brain activity, the system of perception and comprehension of information. If a person speaks the problem out loud, then he will much faster realize what should be done and what decision to make.

Learning material

It is also considered normal if people claim that they memorize educational material in order to understand it faster. This means that they are willing to fully understand the information by speaking it. This behavior cannot arouse suspicion.

The benefits of such conversations

The undeniable benefit of such conversations is that they perfectly help a person put his thoughts in order, coordinate actions, and sort out the problem in detail. And also such a conversation is beneficial and emotional state. The ability to express aloud, even in private, all your accumulated and boiling emotions and experiences, anxieties, anger and other negative information helps and contributes to significant relief. In addition to all this, a person, having thrown out most of the negativity in the process of talking with himself, can now talk with other people in a more balanced, deliberate and calm way to discuss the problem.

If a person starts talking without noticing anyone around, this is a sign of a malfunctioning psyche. Auditory hallucinations are a false acceptance of the real reality, a reaction to an external stimulus that does not exist.

Finding out why people talk to themselves is not difficult, you just need to contact a specialist. He will determine the cause in each case.

Improper nutrition, pessimism, stress, responsibility, lack of rest and joy, increased anxiety can lead to neurotic disorder, depression. This condition negatively affects the functioning of the body and can cause various diseases. You need to contact your doctor who will prescribe the right treatment. You can not take sedatives without a prescription from the attending physician, because each type of neurosis has its own treatment technique, and drugs have side effects. It is necessary to take care of your nerves, relax, avoid stress, not overstrain, and also enjoy life and love it.

It's no secret that many people have a habit of talking to themselves. Sometimes this happens in the form of an internal monologue, but it is not uncommon for a person to talk to himself out loud. Having noticed such inclinations behind you, you should not be afraid and suspect any mental deviations in yourself. Scientists who have devoted a large amount of time to studying this issue agreed that conversations with oneself in most cases are not a deviation from the norm and are even useful in many ways.

Positive sides

The undeniable benefit of such monologues lies in the fact that they greatly help a person to streamline his thoughts, coordinate actions, and sort out an existing problem in detail. Conversation with oneself brings undoubted benefits to the emotional state of a person. The ability to express aloud, even in private, all the accumulated emotions, worries, anxiety, anger and other negativity contributes to significant relief. In addition, by throwing out most of the negativity during a monologue with oneself, a person talking with other people can discuss this problem more balanced and calm.

During a conversation with oneself, the work of the human brain improves, as the perception and processing of information accelerates, attention and observation increase, as a result of which a person quickly and easily comes to the correct solutions to the tasks facing him. Moreover, the effectiveness, speed and fruitfulness of his activities are several times higher than the results of those people who do not tend to talk to themselves. As can be seen from the results of research by scientists, most people who talk to themselves are completely normal and even more successful in solving some problems.

When should you worry?

However, in some cases, such conversations, along with other symptoms, can still serve as an indicator of mental abnormalities. Determining this is easy enough. Most of us, talking to ourselves, conduct a kind of monologue, thinking about a serious issue, splashing out negative emotions, looking for a solution to the problem. In case of deviation from the norm, a person does not just talk to himself, he seems to be talking to an invisible interlocutor, answering his questions, arguing, swearing. At the same time, active gestures and facial expressions are often present.

Such behavior may indicate the presence of such serious diseases as schizophrenia, split personality, and more. If, in addition to dialogues with an imaginary interlocutor, a person has hallucinations, inappropriate behavior, isolation, obsessions, emotional disorders, then a visit to the appropriate specialist should not be postponed.

According to research by psychologists, it turns out that people talk to themselves about 70% of the time. The conversation is conducted with an inner voice, that is, with oneself. We ask him questions, consult, ask him to evaluate our actions ...

Currently, psychologists around the world argue that such a conversation is only for the benefit of a person. It helps to prevent many mistakes in actions, concentrates attention and frees us from excessive internal stress. Let's look at the reasons for this phenomenon. Why do we sometimes talk to ourselves and why is such an internal dialogue useful?

Reasons for talking to yourself

First

People who are insecure receive from such a conversation, first of all, the opportunity to concentrate. And this, in due time, gives them confidence in the correctness of the choice of their actions. It turns out that self-talk helps them plan and control their actions.

Second

People who have a predominantly auditory type of body language are more likely to talk to themselves. They learn information through sounds. Research by scientists has shown that about 25% of people belong to this type.

Audials can often talk to themselves a lot. They absorb information better by ear. For them, a verbal explanation of a particular action or process is of great importance. They listen more. Therefore, it is important for them to have such a dialogue with themselves.

Third

Self-talk (in other words, sounds) gives a person an emotional coloring to his thoughts. This helps him find the right justification for his actions and deeds. In silence, we do not experience such emotions. After all, sound (speech) is initially an emotional reaction of the human body, which prompts to perform certain actions.

Fourth

Talking to himself, a person is freed from the emotions that are overwhelmed at the moment. They need to be discharged, to go outside. And in this case, it comes at the expense of self-talk. Thus, we get rid of excess emotions and significantly reduce our internal stress, otherwise it can happen.

Fifth

Self-talk has a significant impact on the structure of human thinking. A person begins to think and behave differently than when there would be no such conversation with himself. The process of thinking becomes much more efficient if our thoughts are spoken out loud. This has long been confirmed by psychologists in their studies. It is better remembered when we say something out loud.

sixth

Psychologists have proven that dialogue with oneself, even mentally, helps a person avoid ill-considered actions and better control his own sometimes impulsive behavior. It has been experimentally revealed that the number of such actions decreases sharply if a person has spoken to himself before. The control over unpredictable human behavior also increases markedly. It has also been proven that if you say out loud the details of some new business, then it is better remembered and mastered faster.

What to do if you notice that you often talk to yourself?

If such dialogue helps you make the right decisions and actions, then do not try to get rid of it. You can just make some adjustments to this situation.

Firstly:

Try not to do it so loudly so as not to attract people around you. This will save you from embarrassing situations.

Secondly:

Prepare in advance when you go anywhere.

When you go to the store, you can make a list of necessary goods that you need to buy. When leaving - calculate the time of leaving the house. Think through every detail before leaving their home. Check the apartment again. So that everything is turned off and nothing is forgotten with you from things. Thus, you partially save yourself from talking to yourself. Thoughtful preparation will also give confidence in your further actions, and you will say less what you want to remember or doubt something.

We all have internal dialogues with ourselves, as in the well-known song: "Quietly with myself, quietly with myself, I am talking." And such “conversations” do not surprise anyone from the surrounding people, because no one hears them. But sometimes you have to deal with someone who is very passionately talking to an invisible interlocutor out loud. It is clearly seen that such a person does not even understand that he is not just thinking about some serious issue, as we all do, “talking” to ourselves in our minds, but that he is conducting a dialogue, responding to words that, as it seems to him, come from from the outside. Why do people talk to themselves and why do they not notice that in fact they have no interlocutor?

Self-talk is a sign of psychosis

When a person talks to himself without expecting an answer, this may be an early symptom of schizophrenia. Of course, if he mumbles something under his breath for only a day or two, then this is not necessarily a sign of pathology. But if someone laughs for no reason, or if he talks out loud for quite a long period, and all this along with other behavioral abnormalities - such as hallucinations, social isolation, emotional disorders, strange behavior - then this person , without a doubt, needs urgent psychiatric consultation.

The most characteristic manifestation of psychosis is the presence of hallucinations. A hallucination is a false perception of reality in any of the five sensory modalities, when an external stimulus does not really exist, but people subject to hallucinations see, hear or feel a non-existent object. Hallucinations may occur in the twilight state between sleep and awakening, in delirium, delirium tremens, or exhaustion; they can also be invoked under hypnosis. The most common hallucinations are visual.

Persistent hallucinations are characteristic of schizophrenia. In one form of this disorder, affected people believe they hear an accusatory commanding voice, to which they react in complete panic, complete obedience, or an attempt at self-defense or even suicide. Illusions are somewhat different from hallucinations - if hallucinations occur without any stimulus from the outside, then illusions are characterized by a false perception of the actual stimulus.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness characterized by a variety of symptoms. Among them are loss of contact with reality, bizarre behavior already mentioned above, disorganized thinking and speech, decreased emotional expressiveness, and social isolation. Usually, not all, but only some of the symptoms occur in one patient, and each person may have an individual combination of these symptoms.

The term "schizophrenia" itself comes from the Greek words "schizo" (meaning "split") and "freno" ("mind, soul"), and can be translated as "separation of the soul." However, contrary to a fairly common belief, schizophrenia cannot be attributed to a person with a split personality or multiple personality syndrome.

What is the difference between schizophrenia and split personality?

Often schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder are confused, and some people believe that they are one and the same. In fact, these are two completely different diseases. Schizophrenia is a disorder of the functioning of the brain; some people are already born with this disorder, because it can be inherited. But the symptoms of the disease usually do not develop for many years. In men, symptoms begin in their late teens or twenties; women typically show symptoms between their twenties and thirties. It happens, of course, that the symptoms of schizophrenia appear in childhood, but this happens extremely rarely.

When a person suffers from schizophrenia, he experiences hallucinations and delusions, sees things that do not exist, talks to someone whom he sees quite clearly, believes in things that are in no way true. For example, he can see the demons who sit down with him at the table during dinner; or may quite sincerely believe that he is a son of God. People with these disorders also suffer from disordered thinking, decreased concentration, and trouble focusing. They also lose the ability to take the initiative and make and implement any plans. As a rule, such people cannot be socially adapted.

Often, a person with schizophrenia believes that the voices they hear are there to control or harm them. He probably gets very scared when he hears them. He can sit for hours without moving and talk, talk ... A sane person, watching a patient with schizophrenia, will not catch a single drop of meaning in his speech. Some people with this disorder seem quite normal; but this is only until they start talking, and most often talking to themselves. Schizophrenia is also marked by clumsy, uncoordinated movements and an inability to take care of oneself sufficiently.

The main difference between schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder is that the latter disorder is not congenital. This mental state is caused by certain events that occur in a person's life, and they are usually associated with some psychological trauma received in childhood. This may be, for example, physical or sexual abuse. People with this condition seem to develop additional personalities as a way of coping with the traumatic event. To be diagnosed with a split personality, a person must have at least one alternate personality that significantly controls their behavior.

In just one patient, up to a hundred personalities can develop, but on average their number is ten. These may be "additional" personalities of the same sex, the other sex, or both sexes at the same time. Sometimes different personalities of the same person even take on different physical characteristics, such as a particular mode of transportation or different levels of health and stamina. But depression and attempts at self-harm can become common to all facets of the personality of the same person.

There are several signs that are the same for both schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder. Patients with schizophrenia may have hallucinations; while people with multiple personalities do not always experience them, about a third of patients do experience hallucinations. A split personality can cause behavioral problems and difficulty concentrating while studying at a young age; this can be confusing to professionals, who sometimes confuse the disorder with schizophrenia, as it also develops and manifests most often during adolescence.

As you can see, if a person is talking aloud to an invisible interlocutor, this can be a sign of a very serious condition. Therefore, you must do everything possible so that the person close to you receives the necessary help as soon as possible - otherwise he may cause irreparable harm to himself!

Loneliness, rehearsal, dissatisfaction, habit from childhood or psychological disorders, imaginary conversations can occur for any of these reasons. Let's discuss the meaning of these conversations in detail.

Society does not consider imaginary conversations with oneself to be something normal. Because it is not accepted by society, people tend to feel uncomfortable with this habit. However, not every person who talks to himself suffers from the disorder. Generally speaking, there are several situations in which people feel the need to discuss a few issues, just with themselves.

In such situations, they probably feel the need for their own advice. They may talk to themselves to avoid others interfering in their personal affairs. And then the question arises: are these people different from others? What might this behavior mean? Are they mentally ill? The imaginary conversations can actually be helpful in maintaining your mental health. Let's discuss "self-talk" in more detail - is it a habit, a necessity or a mental disorder.

Possible Reasons for Talking to Yourself

A person can have an imaginary conversation with four completely different entities. These entities may include an imaginary friend, a real friend, God, or yourself. Such people share their feelings, thoughts and experiences, speaking them out loud when they are alone. They may also rehearse an upcoming situation or mentally try to change a past situation by changing what was said or done in their head. Such people also tend to speak out loud in private. Some mental health conditions may also lead to imaginary conversation. Below are the reasons and significance of imaginary self-talk.

❑ Situations- Absolutely any person can find himself in such a situation if he is nervous or not sure about the upcoming meeting. This could include a job interview, talking to some celebrity/highly influential person, preparing for an argument, debate or discussion, a romantic proposal, etc.

❑ Imaginary conversation Given the situation, the person will rehearse by talking to himself. He will say what he wants to say in the upcoming situation. He will also say (on behalf of the interlocutor) what he would like or expect to hear from his interlocutor. However, the real situation, in almost all cases, will never be the same as it was played in the head.

❑ Value. This conversation only indicates that a person lacks self-confidence. He is nervous and unsure of the upcoming situation. Therefore, he wants to prepare in advance. Thus, this imaginary conversation does not mean any mental disorder. It's perfectly normal to be a little nervous in certain situations.

❑ Situation- almost every person has faced some situation in the past with which he is dissatisfied. Most people agree with the fact that nothing can be done in the present to change the past. However, the person who does not accept this fact will replay this situation in their mind.

❑ Imaginary conversation- The person will always think of ways that could improve the situation, which may include better understanding, smart things that should have been said, things that should not have been said, and other things. He spins the situation by changing the actual dialogues. In this conversation, he will speak and respond to altered dialogues, playing the role of the other person as well.

❑ Meaning - dissatisfaction. If a person is extremely dissatisfied with the past, he tries to find satisfaction by changing irreversible situations in his mind. However, this temporary satisfaction later leads to complete disappointment when reality "beats" him. This conversation does not mean a mental disorder, it only means dissatisfaction and a desire to correct a situation that cannot be changed.

❑ Situation- a lot of people are looking for self-motivation before any competitive situation. Whether it's an exam, a match, an interview or a presentation, they like to reassure themselves that they can do it.

❑ Imaginary conversation- in such situations, a person seeks to preserve his spirit. For example, before an exam, you can hear him say: "Come on ____ (what's his name), you will pass this test. You know that you are well prepared, relax and remember everything, and so on. Saying this, a person will feel feel more comfortable to pass the upcoming exam.

❑ Meaning. This conversation signifies the need for self-motivation. Some people have a habit of motivating themselves, as they believe they need motivation to get through the upcoming situation with better results. Talking to yourself for this purpose is not abnormal, and in any case, is not a disorder or disease.

❑ Situations- this situation includes some unfulfilled dreams, or what a person wanted, but did not work out. Wishful thinking can also include situations in the past that the person wants to change, or the future where the person wants to stand in their place.

❑ Imaginary conversation- in such situations, you can hear a person talking about unreal things for himself. It can play various scenarios that have not happened in the past and have no limits in the future. He can also talk about or about an imaginary person, framing the character of a person whom he would like to meet in reality.

❑ Value. This conversation means that either the person is not happy with reality and wants the best, or that he just likes to dream about unreal things, although his reality is not so bad. Such conversations may also stem from the world's media. Movies with happy endings, unrealistic heroism, and quirky characters also play an important role in shaping this behavior. However, this imaginary conversation also signifies a naive, easily suggestible person. It is not part of a psychological disorder or disease.

❑ Situations- usually people have a habit of sharing what happens in everyday life with friends, siblings, parents or spouse. However, when a person is lonely and has no one to talk to, they tend to talk to themselves. In most cases, they solve the problems themselves. But they also feel socially inadequate.

❑ Imaginary conversation- talking to yourself as a result of loneliness is more realistic. Having such conversations, a person tends to pour out his feelings into words, maybe out loud or in his head. He can also play actions that are not accepted by society. He will discuss real situations and analyze his feelings. However, escaping loneliness, a person can also wishful thinking and talk about what his life should have been.

❑ Situations- in case of panic and anxiety, people mostly feel negative in everything. They experience intense fear and panic in any situation that seems dangerous or unpleasant to them. The individual engages in his own conversation in case he experiences a panic attack because he is so focused on his problems that he becomes detached from the people around him (the outside world).

❑ Imaginary conversation- in this case, the person has an imaginary conversation with himself in order to improve his situation. Since his mind is already filled with negative thoughts, the person will try to have a convincing conversation with himself. Talking soothes his fear and lowers his anxiety and panic levels. For example, if a person is claustrophobic, in a closed place, they are more likely to say to themselves, “It's okay. This place is not that busy. You still have enough oxygen to breathe. No, you won't suffocate here."

❑ Value. Having such a conversation signifies a desire to overcome fear. A person tries to make himself more comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. Therefore, this conversation proves usefulness for a person and helps him overcome a difficult situation.

❑ Situations- in depression, a person feels lost, useless, excommunicated from the world, he is visited by thoughts of suicide, and gradually he goes crazy. He has lost interest in life and wants to cry for no reason. He may also spend sleepless nights and suffer from insomnia. Depression is usually associated with anxiety.

❑ Imaginary conversation- since depression makes a person feel empty and lost from the inside, it becomes very difficult for a person to interact with people around him. Therefore, talking to his parents and/or friends is something impossible for him. The person may talk to himself due to the feeling of isolation. However, this is a very severe case of depression. A person should see a psychiatrist if he encounters such symptoms.

❑ Value. The meaning of this conversation is depression. From the feeling of emptiness and isolation, a person becomes so ill that he begins fictitious conversations with himself. This may be a sign of a mental disorder. Psychiatric consultation is very important in this case.

Diseases

❑ Schizophrenia

A person suffering from schizophrenia, as a rule, sees hallucinations. He may have visual and auditory hallucinations, as well as respond to them. A person can only visualize some other person (perhaps a relative, friend, or just any person) in the room. Then the person tries to strike up a conversation with an imaginary interlocutor. To the viewer, it may seem that the person is having an imaginary conversation with himself. In an audio case, a person may feel as if someone is talking to them. He can speak in response to what he hears, even if he is alone in the room. Again, someone observing this person may think that he is talking to himself. However, these symptoms are part of schizophrenia. A person suffering from Alzheimer's disease may face a similar situation.

❑ Down syndrome

Most people with Down syndrome have self-talk. These conversations do not involve hallucinations or delusions. These conversations can be about yourself, your toys, or about some third person (imaginary or real). They may also connect with their toy or some object in the room. This behavior is considered normal. However, if the person's tone suddenly changes during this self-talk, it could be a sign of psychological problems. These problems may include anxiety, depression, physical discomfort, or pain.

Other possible causes

There are several other reasons why people might have fictional conversations with themselves.

❑ Habits childhood- Children often have a habit of putting life into each of their toys. Then they talk to their toys and take care of them (more like parenting a toy). Some children go through this stage as they grow up, and some don't. These habits change as they grow older, but do not die out completely. These children have imaginary friends or have developed the habit of talking to themselves.

❑ Natural causes. Last but not least. Every person has an endless conversation with himself. He constantly analyzes, perceives and organizes situations through these conversations. Often, when thinking, people tend to talk to themselves. In addition, they may not even realize that they are having these conversations.

Imaginary conversations basically mean the relationship that a person is trying to create with himself. They also display the level of comfort with oneself. Bringing up past problems and trying to fix them can mean realizing mistakes. However, they can also mean a more serious problem that needs medical attention.