Why Do People Talk Within Themselves?

“Writing is like talking to yourself, just in a way that makes it look like you’re not crazy!” ―Mary Kate

When I was a child I often talked with others. When I was a professor I often talked with students. When I became an author, I sometimes talk to myself. I wanted to identify my personality and psychology. In this regard, we will discuss why some people talk within themselves and differentiate between internal self-talk and external self-talk.

People have a myth that talking within themselves is a mental illness. The truth is that it is a symbol of strength, not an illness. People who talk within themselves are often considered either confident or crazy.

Talking within oneself is intrapersonal communication. People often talk to God to communicate. At times, they communicate within themselves with or without external sound. Some treat intrapersonal communication with external sound as a mental illness. In fact, it is not a mental illness. Intrapersonal communication strengthens your willpower, grit, and determination. It offers clarity to your thought process and ensure effective communication. It is usually prevalent more in introverts who are shy to talk to others.

Internal Self-Talk versus External Self-Talk

Self-talk is different from talking within themselves. Self-talk involves inner dialogue without any external sound and lip movement whereas talking within themselves involves external sound and lip movement. The former is internal self-talk while the latter is external self-talk.

Talking to yourself is also known as an inner voice or internal monologue or private speech. It is usually prevalent more in dyslexics. Here are some advantages of talking to yourself. It eliminates anxiety and stress. It creates ideas and improves clarity in your mind and thinking process. It organizes your ideas and thoughts effectively. It enhances your concentration and improves your memory. Overall, it improves your productivity and performance. To make your talk productive, talk preferably in the second person or third person, not in the first person.

In the initial stage of my teaching and training career, I prepared the draft and practiced it aloud to improve my accent and overcome tongue twisters because English is not my native language. I was amazed to find my creative juices flowing with fresh ideas and insights on the topic. It created new triggers to do further research. Additionally, it improved in mastering the subject, teaching effectively to my students, and adding value to them immensely.

There is nothing wrong with talking to yourself. When you teach and write, it provides clarity to your mind. Similarly, when you talk to yourself, it provides clarity to your mind and strengthens your willpower.  Taking to oneself is one of the characteristics of geniuses. Eminent people including Albert Einstein talked to themselves.

Conclusion

Everyone has an internal monologue which can be either positive or negative. But for some people, the internal monologue slips to external monologue. Both internal and external self-talk is good as long as they are within the healthy and permissible limits. When the external self-talk crosses the healthy limits, it is advisable to consult a therapist or psychiatrist. Here are some tools to overcome excessive external self-talk. Find new friends and talk to them. Join nonprofits and serve the people. Participate in community services. The best way is to socialize with others physically and talk to them to overcome excessive external self-talk. To conclude, enjoy talking to yourself to unlock your hidden potential and achieve amazing success.