Do you know that? That you talk to yourself and sometimes you catch yourself talking out loud to yourself. Is that actually normal?
Yes, it is very normal. Talking to yourself is a positive function of the mind. Without a voice in your head you would not be an individual, not an I-person. Everyone talks to themselves for a large part of the day, that habit starts in childhood. Small children have conversations with their doll or have an imaginary friend. In psychology this is called private speech.
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Also many adults talk to themselves. Psychologist Adam Winsler of George Mason University in Virginia surveyed 48 women, 46 of whom admitted to mumbling aloud to themselves. You can also talk to yourself in your head. This form of speaking to yourself is called inner speech or called inner speech. For example, if you take the laundry out of the washing machine and you say something about this, this is a form of inner speech. Not sure if you should put an umbrella in your bag? That thought is just as much a form of inner speech.
We use inner speech for all kinds of purposes. We solve problems with it and it controls our emotions. We are also our own internal coach. And we can reassure ourselves and or say that something has gone well. Self-talk can be motivating if used correctly. It has been proven that top athletes who instill motivation into themselves actually perform better. Research shows that self-talk also increases willpower and concentration. We have a better focus when we sort things out in our heads.
Especially people who are alone, talk to themselves more often. Everyone needs social contact and sound around them. Inner speech is a resource from which we can always draw confidence and instruction, and it also helps us to think ahead. It is a form of backward analysis. By reflecting on the past and making new plans for the future, you will get a clearer picture of what you want to achieve in life and what you would rather not do again.
Talking to yourself has many benefits, but self-talk can also manifest itself as worrying, obsessively thinking about bad experiences and even being at risk of developing a depression or anxiety disorder.
