Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIs It Normal?BenefitsHarmful Self-TalkSigns of a DisorderWhen to Get Help
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Is It Normal?
Benefits
Harmful Self-Talk
Signs of a Disorder
When to Get Help
Talking to yourself is a normal and common behavior. Whether internal or spoken aloud, most people engage in self-talk regularly. When it’s positive and supportive, self-talk can be a healthy way to process thoughts, reflect on experiences, or make decisions. In fact, research has shown that positive self-talk can boostself-confidenceand help reduce stress or fear when performing high-pressure tasks.
With that being said, there are some situations when talking to yourself is neither normal nor healthy. Self-talk that consistently reinforces negative beliefs about oneself can lead tolow self-esteem, depression, and other mental health challenges. There are also a handful of self-talk patterns that can be a sign of an underlying mental health issue.
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Is It Normal to Talk to Yourself?
Two theories that explain why people talk to themselves include:
Different functions of self-talk include:
Overall, self-talk is a common behavior people use to process thoughts, experiences, and everyday decisions. Research strongly links the behavior to mindfulness, self-awareness, and emotional regulation.
Self-Talk Benefits
When self-talk is done in a positive and encouraging manner, it can be helpful in several ways. Positive self-talk can help you:
Talking compassionately to yourself can reduce anxious worrying, shame, and self-blame. It enhances the ability to cope with personal challenges, forgive mistakes, and regulate emotions and behaviors, all of which are exceedingly healthy.
Am I Smart if I Talk to Myself?
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. While many people use self-talk to work through their mental processes, being overly aware of those mental processes can lead to obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors.
Forms of negative and potentially harmful self-talk include:
Research also supports the idea that some people who talk to themselves more frequently do so out of loneliness, or because they don’t have healthy or enough social relationships.Talk to amental health providerif self-talk is associated with feeling alone or with symptoms ofanxietyordepression.
Is Talking to Myself a Mental Disorder?
In most cases, talking to yourself is normal and does not indicate a mental health disorder. However, self-talk can be a symptom of certain mental health conditions, including:
It’s important to distinguish between healthy self-talk and potential signs ofpsychosis, such as losing touch with reality. Healthy self-talk feels like a conscious internal conversation, not a conversation with someone else.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
While self-talk can often be beneficial, it may sometimes signal a need for professional support. Negative or critical self-talk can create an unhealthy narrative that impacts your self-worth and overall well-being.
If you find it difficult to stop engaging in self-talk, feel excessively anxious, or notice your self-talk becoming increasingly negative, it may be time to seek help.
In particular, if you experience any of the following, it’s important to consult a mental health professional:
A mental health provider can help assess your symptoms and provide the appropriate treatment or coping strategies. 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. People talk to themselves for many reasons, including self-criticism, self-reinforcement, self-management, social assessment, problem-solving, and motivation.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Grzybowski J, Brinthaupt T.Trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-talk: A correlational analysis of young adults.Behav Sci (Basel). 2022 Aug;12(9):300. doi:10.3390/bs12090300Columbia Health.Is it normal to talk to yourself?.Brinthaupt TM.Individual differences in self-talk frequency: social isolation and cognitive disruption.Front Psychol. 2019;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01088Oleś PK, Brinthaupt TM, Dier R, Polak D.Types of inner dialogues and functions of self-talk: comparisons and implications. Front Psychol. 2020;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00227Ruiz-Castañeda P, Molina E, Loaiza H, Daza González M.Positive symptoms of schizophrenia and their relationship with cognitive and emotional executive functions.Cogn Res. 2022;7(1):78. doi:10.1186/s41235-022-00428-z
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Grzybowski J, Brinthaupt T.Trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-talk: A correlational analysis of young adults.Behav Sci (Basel). 2022 Aug;12(9):300. doi:10.3390/bs12090300Columbia Health.Is it normal to talk to yourself?.Brinthaupt TM.Individual differences in self-talk frequency: social isolation and cognitive disruption.Front Psychol. 2019;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01088Oleś PK, Brinthaupt TM, Dier R, Polak D.Types of inner dialogues and functions of self-talk: comparisons and implications. Front Psychol. 2020;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00227Ruiz-Castañeda P, Molina E, Loaiza H, Daza González M.Positive symptoms of schizophrenia and their relationship with cognitive and emotional executive functions.Cogn Res. 2022;7(1):78. doi:10.1186/s41235-022-00428-z
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Grzybowski J, Brinthaupt T.Trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-talk: A correlational analysis of young adults.Behav Sci (Basel). 2022 Aug;12(9):300. doi:10.3390/bs12090300Columbia Health.Is it normal to talk to yourself?.Brinthaupt TM.Individual differences in self-talk frequency: social isolation and cognitive disruption.Front Psychol. 2019;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01088Oleś PK, Brinthaupt TM, Dier R, Polak D.Types of inner dialogues and functions of self-talk: comparisons and implications. Front Psychol. 2020;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00227Ruiz-Castañeda P, Molina E, Loaiza H, Daza González M.Positive symptoms of schizophrenia and their relationship with cognitive and emotional executive functions.Cogn Res. 2022;7(1):78. doi:10.1186/s41235-022-00428-z
Grzybowski J, Brinthaupt T.Trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-talk: A correlational analysis of young adults.Behav Sci (Basel). 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. 2019;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01088
Oleś PK, Brinthaupt TM, Dier R, Polak D.Types of inner dialogues and functions of self-talk: comparisons and implications. Front Psychol. 2020;0. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00227
Ruiz-Castañeda P, Molina E, Loaiza H, Daza González M.Positive symptoms of schizophrenia and their relationship with cognitive and emotional executive functions.Cogn Res. 2022;7(1):78. doi:10.1186/s41235-022-00428-z
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