Talking to yourself is a normal and common behavior.
Whether internal or spoken aloud, most people engage in self-talk regularly.
With that being said, there are some situations when talking to yourself is neither normal nor healthy.
Westend61 / Getty Images
There are also a handful of self-talk patterns that can be a sign of an underlying mental health issue.
Westend61 / Getty Images
Is It Normal to Talk to Yourself?
Research strongly links the behavior to mindfulness, self-awareness, and emotional regulation.
Positive self-talk can:
Talking compassionately to yourself can reduce anxious worrying, shame, and self-blame.
You may also use self-talk as way to enhance learning and process information.
Am I Smart if I Talk to Myself?
Talking to yourself doesnt necessarily mean you are smarter than others.
Self-talk is a healthy and normal behavior practiced by people of all intelligence levels.
That said, positive and compassionate self-talk can reflect strong emotional regulation and mindfulnesskey aspects of emotional intelligence.
When Isn’t It Normal?
Self-talk often mirrors how we feel about ourselves and the world around us.
When those feelings are negative, self-talk can amplify them.
Frequent self-talk can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and other mental health challenges, too.
Is Talking to Myself a Mental Disorder?
In most cases, talking to yourself is normal and does not indicate a mental health disorder.
Healthy self-talk feels like a conscious internal conversation, not a conversation with someone else.
Negative or critical self-talk can create an unhealthy narrative that impacts your self-worth and overall well-being.
Seeking support early can make a significant difference in managing your mental health.
Summary
Self-talk is a normal and natural part of being human.
Sometimes, however, self-talk can be a cause for concern.
If this is the case, speak to a mental health provider.
2022 Aug;12(9):300. doi:10.3390/bs12090300
Columbia Health.Is it normal to talk to yourself?.
Brinthaupt TM.Individual differences in self-talk frequency: social isolation and cognitive disruption.Front Psychol.
2022;7(1):78. doi:10.1186/s41235-022-00428-z
