Do you talk to yourself? Don’t be shy! You are not alone. It is quite common. I myself do it. And be assured that it is totally normal.

Though this everyday normal task looks common, many times we do not accept this because of fear. What is that fear?

Our fear is People may call us Mad or Mentally disordered people. 

It is a myth that those who talk to themselves have some kind of mental issue.

I myself faced this. When I was just six years old, I realized that I talk to myself and often quite loudly as if I am talking to someone sitting opposite to me. My mother heard me one day and scolded me saying that only mad people talk to themselves. But I have never stopped it! I am sure some of you may have faced this type of situation.

Why do people talk to Themselves?

Most people talk to themselves at least a few times every day, some more frequently than others, and it is usual for children to begin talking to themselves while they are young. While children frequently talk to themselves, parents should not be worried. It is a method of enhancing performance while completing tasks, improving language, and keeping stimulated during a task. 

Researchers in the 1880s were particularly interested in what is the purpose of self-talk and what things people say to themselves in general. According to one theory, persons who stay longer alone are more inclined to talk to themselves. Because they engage with others less frequently, their self-talk may serve as a type of social communication.

According to another study, those who feel lonely and have a tremendous need to connect are more prone to speak to themselves.

Types of Self-Talk:

Generally, self-talk can be split between Positive and Negative. However, there are a few more types to check on.

• Positive: Positive self-talk may include offering self-affirmations or words aimed to keep you on track and inspired. Positive self-talk has been shown to reduce distress and promote concentration.
• Negative: Negative self-talk frequently revolves around self-critical or blaming sentiments. Usually consists of harsh and discouraging dialogue.
• Informative: This type of inner speech focuses on talking through activities you'll need to take to solve an issue or complete a task.
• Motivational: This style of speech is intended to motivate people to do a task. You may, for example, congratulate yourself on your achievements or reaffirm that you are willing and prepared.

Benefits of Self-talk:

By now I am sure you have understood there must be some sort of benefits of self-talk. Let's go through the list of benefits of self-talk:

• Self-aware: Talking to yourself can help you gain space from your own experience. It helps you to ponder on what is going on in your life. It can be a wonderful method to see things more rationally by giving you some space. It can help to reduce the intensity of your emotions.
• Motivation: Talking to yourself can be a source of motivation also. For instance, sometimes I motivate myself if I feel low or if I am unable to do a task. One study showed that those who used instructive statements did the activities with more accuracy, and those who used motivating comments completed the tasks considerably faster.
• Problem-solving: Talking to oneself might also help you work through challenges. This technique, known as self-explaining, can assist people in tracking their performance and enhancing their skills as they work through a challenge.
• Better memory: According to the research, the participants improved their memory and built a stronger relationship between the words they were speaking and the physical objects they were searching for by talking to themselves.

Should we stop self-talking? When and How?

There is nothing wrong with self-talking. Nonetheless, there may be sometimes, when your self-talk may become problematic or a source of disruption. Or, your negative self-talk can create problems in your life and make you more vulnerable to obstacles. 

So in this case, what can you do to stop or reduce self-talking?

• Communicate with others: If you talk to yourself to find solutions for any issue at hand or want to acknowledge something, talk to someone nearer to you. Believe me, even I, who lives in her own cocoon, feel great when sharing my thoughts with others occasionally. 
• Distraction: Finding some ways to distract yourself can help in reducing self-talk. Like listening to a song, watering the plants, making something for yourself. 
• Journalizing:  This is a great way to process your emotions and explore and relieve your stress.

Final Talk

As we come to the end, let's face it we all talk to ourselves. So if we see others talking to themselves we should not demean them or ridicule them in any way. 

Self-talk is a normal task that is not harmful until you are engaged with negative self-talk. 

So, go ahead and embrace self-talking confidently.