How can I stop talking to myself it's really annoying!?

Show all answers

Post your answer

Stumpy	Schizophrenia...have fun with your new found you???? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

dodds	Tell yourself to stop lol sorry. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

smart_mom60	it's ok, but do you answer yourself? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

starrwoode	sounds like the start of ocd, talk to a doctor. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Warren D	Insist on getting answers. Actually, there's nothing too much wrong with this. You want to analyze things and verbalizing them helps you do that successfully. I do the same thing. I've learned to control it but it still happens, and my youngest son occasionally teases me about it. Fortunately I love him and he loves me and we have fun with it. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

prikydick	honestly, a lot of people do it too. but if you reallly want to put a stop to it, start telling your conscinece that i want to stop. afterwards you start thinking of the procedure to use to gradually end it. To my best of knowledge, go to the seashore or a river anytime you have a lot of stuffs in your head and shout or yell everything that is in your head out. Finally you will get exhausted and realise that there will be nothing more to say. that way, it keeps you quite and not talking publicly because it sometimes it gets people irritated and have negative thoughts about you. i use to do that, but after i watched a soap opera with such an alternative, it worked. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

tao	has been proven that if you instead of talking to youself when you feel the urge to talk to yourself take some paper and write down what you were going to say. After a few weeks it will pass. on a side note talking to yourself is perfectly normal Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

little_friend	I do that too especially when driving. Wouldn't worry about it if I were you, lots of people do it. Just look (and listen) around :) Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

saywot?	i think it is quite endearing, mainly because my daughter has that habit. she also gets annoyed with herself. I looked it up on the site http:///www.helpyourselftherapy.com/topics/selftalk.html and I quote;" In old movies if you wanted to show that someone was really crazy you'd show them talking to themselves. Even if they were only doing it mentally it was supposed to be a sure sign of mental illness. What's really bizarre about this is that the act of talking to ourselves is actually a sign that we are self aware and that we seek insight into our own actions. talking to ourselves mentally is actually a hallmark of being human and proof that we are a higher species. we all do it. we all have mental conversations with ourselves " o.k it goes on to explain more and to give tips ,if you want to make some positive changes. I buy it, you are just very self aware and that is not a bad thing. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Colorado	What do you think it is like from our side, a picnic? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

CuteeWorried	u talk to urself cz u have no real friend to talk to and share stuff... and because u have a lot of wasted time that time u do nothing in it.. i think u should start occuoy urself more and more.. and it will be gone by itself... * just at the moment wn u talk to urself make sure u r alone* Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Ajeesh Kumar	May be you have to know what is OCD. This problem mostly happens to OCD people. The typical OCD sufferer performs tasks (or compulsions) to seek relief from obsession related anxiety. To others, these tasks may appear odd and unnecessary. But for the sufferer, such tasks can feel critically important, and must be performed in particular ways to ward off dire consequences and to stop the stress from building up. Examples of these tasks: repeatedly checking that one's parked car has been locked before leaving it; turning lights on and off a set number of times before exiting a room; repeatedly washing hands at regular intervals throughout the day. Symptoms may include some, all or perhaps none of the following: Repeated hand-washing Specific counting systems - i.e. counting in groups of four, arranging objects in groups of three, having objects grouped in odd/even numbered groups, etc. One serious symptom which stems from this is "counting" your steps, e.g. you must take twelve steps to the car in the morning, etc. Perfectly aligning objects at complete, absolute right angles, etc. This symptom is shared with OCPD and can be confused with this condition unless it is realised that with OCPD it is not stress-related. Having to "cancel-out" bad thoughts with a good thought. Examples are: Imagining harming a child, and having to imagine (for example) a child playing happily to "cancel" it out. Unwanted sexual thoughts. Two classic examples are fear of being gay or fear of being a pedophile. In both cases, the sufferer will obsess over whether or not they are genuinely aroused by the thoughts. A fear of contamination; some sufferers may fear the presence of human body secretion such as saliva, sweat, tears or mucus, or excretions such as urine or feces. Some OCD sufferers even fear the soap they're using is contaminatedA need for both sides of the body to feel even. As in, a person with OCD might walk down a sidewalk and step on a crack with the ball of their left foot. They might then feel the need to step on another crack with the ball of their right foot. Also, if one hand gets wet, the sufferer may feel very uncomfortable if the other is not. There are many other symptoms. It is important to remember that one must be diagnosed by a doctor to officially suffer from OCD in medical terms; furthermore possessing the symptoms above is not an absolute sign of OCD and vice-versa. Obsessions are thoughts and ideas that the sufferer cannot stop thinking about. Common OCD obsessions include fears of acquiring disease, getting hurt, or causing harm to someone. Obsessions are typically automatic, frequent, distressing, and difficult to control or put an end to by themselves. People with OCD who obsess about hurting themselves or others are actually less likely to do so than the average person. Compulsions refer to actions that the person performs, usually repeatedly, in an attempt to make the obsession go away. For an OCD sufferer who obsesses about germs or contamination, for example, these compulsions often involve repeated cleansing or meticulous avoidance of trash and mess. Most of the time the actions become so regular that it is not a noticeable problem. Common compulsions include excessive washing and cleaning; checking; hoarding; repetitive actions such as touching, counting, arranging and ordering; and other ritualistic behaviors that the person feels will lessen the chances of provoking an obsession. Compulsions can be observable — washing, for instance — but they can also be mental rituals such as repeating words or phrases, or counting. Most OCD sufferers are aware that such thoughts and behavior are not rational, but feel bound to comply with them to fend off fears of panic or dread. Because sufferers are consciously aware of this irrationality but feel helpless to push it away, untreated OCD is often regarded as one of the most vexing and frustrating of the major anxiety disorders. In an attempt to further relate the immense distress that those afflicted with this condition must bear, Barlow and Durand (2006) utilize an odd example. Strangely enough, they implore readers not to think of pink elephants. Their point lies in the assumption that many people will immediately create an image of a pink elephant in their mind even if told not to do so. The more one attempts to stop thinking of these colorful animals, the more they will succeed in generating these mental images. This phenomenon is termed: the “Thought Avoidance Paradox”, and it plagues those with OCD on a daily basis, for no matter how hard one tries to get these disturbing images and thoughts out of his/her mind, feelings of distress and anxiety inevitably prevail. Although everyone may experience unpleasant thoughts at one time or another, these are usually warranted concerns that are short-lived and fade after an adequate time period has lapsed. However, this is not the case for OCD sufferers. (K. Carter, PSYC 210 lecture, February 14, 2006). People who suffer from the separate and unrelated condition obsessive compulsive personality disorder are not aware of anything abnormal with them; they will readily explain why their actions are rational, and it is usually impossible to convince them otherwise. People who suffer with OCPD tend to derive pleasure from their obsessions or compulsions. Those with OCD do not derive pleasure but are ridden with anxiety. OCD is ego dystonic, meaning that the disorder is incompatible with the sufferer's self-concept. Because disorders that are ego dystonic go against an individual's perception of his/herself, they tend to cause much distress. OCPD, on the other hand, is ego syntonic--marked by the individual's acceptance that the characteristics displayed as a result of this disorder are compatible with his/her self-image. Ego syntonic disorders understandably cause no distress (K. Carter, PSYC 210 lecture, April 11, 2006). This is a significant difference between these disorders. Equally frequent, these rationalizations do not apply to the overall behavior, but to each instance individually; for example, a person compulsively checking their front door may argue that the time taken and stress caused by one more check of the front door is considerably less than the time and stress associated with being robbed, and thus the check is the better option. In practice, after that check, the individual is still not sure, and it is still better in terms of time and stress to do one more check, and this reasoning can continue as long as necessary. Not all OCD sufferers engage in compulsive behavior. Recent years have seen increased diagnoses of Pure Obsessional OCD, or "Pure O." This form of OCD is manifested entirely within the mind, and involves obsessive ruminations triggered by certain thoughts. These mental "snags" can be debilitating, often tying up a sufferer for hours at a time. As of 2004, headway continues to be made by specialists. It is believed by many that Pure O OCD is in fact more prevalent than other types of OCD, although it is likely the most underreported as it is not visibly apparent, and sufferers tend to suffer in silence. In this disorder, the sufferer tries to "disprove" the anxious thoughts through logic and reasoning, yet in doing so becomes further entrapped by the obsessions. "Pure O" OCD is thought to be the most difficult form of OCD to treat. Some OCD sufferers exhibit what is known as overvalued ideas. In such cases, the person with OCD will truly be uncertain whether the fears that cause them to do their compulsions are irrational or not. After some (possibly long) discussion, it is possible to convince the individual that their fears may be unfounded. It may be extra difficult to do ERP therapy on such a patient, because they may be, at least initially, unwilling to do it. OCD is different from behaviors such as gambling addiction and overeating. People with these disorders typically experience at least some pleasure from their activity; OCD sufferers do not actively want to perform their compulsive tasks, and experience no tangible pleasure in doing so. OCD is placed in the anxiety class of mental illness, but like many chronic stress disorders it can lead to clinical depression over time. The constant stress of the condition can cause sufferers to develop a deadening of spirit, a numbing frustration, or sense of hopelessness. OCD's effects on day-to-day life — particularly its substantial consumption of time — can produce difficulties with work, finances and relationships. The illness ranges widely in severity. The illness affects many people and it is not cureable but can be treated with anti-depressants. This illness affects millions of people worldwide, and the number keeps growing. Cognitive Behavourial Therapy may be useful for your problem. Consult a Clinical Psychiatrist. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Isis	My son used to do this also. I took him to a Psychiatrist who simply laughed and said it's normal. He said when there would be cause for concern is if a person starts answering themselves. I think he meant if the person who is talking to themselves doesn't realize it's their voice and thinks someone else is talking to them and therefore replies accordingly. Given that a Psychiatrist says it's normal-I think that should put your mind at ease. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

duke_abbaddon	i do talk in my head all day long it tends to be the only way i think... i used imagry sometimes .. but complex imagry is definitly harder to make so you use words... or dream it ! rub your jaw like tickle it... it will want more give yourself something else to doo oil your gun barrel ! soldure Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

genghis41f	I do it at times too, I've ben caught talking to myself before, people think I'm odd.... Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

devine_gem22	its like a bit of a coping mechanism...i do it too & i find if i dont, i feel out of control! u just have a very active brain, think of all these people (mainly men!) who dont give things a second thought....they normally make mistakes or dont giv a **** bout anything..............so id say its a good thing!! but hey im a bit bias!!!! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

dogpatch USA	maybe try working on your rhetoric or taking a course in public speaking at least u might not annoy yourself so much Good luck use guys ! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Eyeline	About the talking-out-loud-situation, I wouldn't know what to do... About the thinking: you are probably worried about something OR insecure about yourself. It all depends of what you are thinking about. If you are thinking about situations that happened to you, and you rethink all the time what you could have done instead; OR think of stuff that didn't happened yet, but possibly may come... It can drive you insane. Perhaps you need to go to your doctor and talk about this. He might know something that can help you, or give you some tips on how to be more relaxed... It helped me anyway. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

LisaHW	The talking is just a way of getting the thoughts out of your head, verbalizing them in order to make them less abstract/muddled, and returning them to your head all neatly verbalized. Also, there is a different process going on when you verbalize; and you may have discovered that using all the processes available to you helps you think more effectively. Sometimes, too, talking to yourself is a way to get yourself to listen to what you're saying! Going over and over things/situations is the process you're using to let everything go around and around until somehow something clicks and stops the over-and-over thing from continuing. You're waiting for the click, which is the idea that you can seize and go with from there is a more directed way. When you have the over-and-over thing going on with a situation, and there's no "click" you may either get tired or decide to stop, in which case you let all the "circulating thoughts" just stop circulating and lay there until you decide to get them going again. Its all normal. If its annoying talk to yourself and tell yourself to find another way to think. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Robert B	I know who knows the answer and when I get in I will find out and let you know. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

★yaya spheres★	we are same. but not too chronic i guess!! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

cute sexy little feet	its fine i do it as well Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Thomas Didymus	The internal dialogue, the "inner civil war" as Bob Geldorf put it, the "mind's house-dog" according to T S Eliot: all this is how we solve our problems -- it's an evolutionary thing. And if we actually vocalise these thoughts, so what? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Georgie	Shouldn't the question be :- "Why to I keep asking this question ?" Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

donpolix	'coz there's no one else around for you to ask.. next time, look up and ask the heavens your questions. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

SarinaAnn	Lay off the drugs. No I am j/k the same thing happens to me sometimes. Good question. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Caro	Don't worry - perfectly normal. I solve all the worlds problems in conversation with myself (or with my cats!) I sometimes find myself talking out loud to myself in my car - can be a little embarrassing at traffic lights! Most people 'rehearse' upcoming difficult situations out loud. It clarifies the situation in your mind. Who cares if other people look at you a little oddly - it's none of their business. You need to worry only if you find yourself getting really argumentative & violent with yourself. If you give yourself a black eye, then it's time to stop! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Anchor Cranker	It's just a natural way of your brain working through a problem. I do it myself, another quirk I have is when concentrating very hard on a subject is my tongue sticks out the side of my mouth. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Hicktowngirl66	That is too funny! I suppose everyone does it, but some people like me do it a lot. It helps me think better when I talk to myself outloud. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

kitty fresh & hissin' crew	Try pissing yourself off, then you won't want to talk to yourself until you apologize to yourself. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Heather28Tampa	Talking out loud -- This is a memory function. You remember things you've heard (auditory memory) about ten seconds longer than you remember silent thoughts. If you're coming up with important points, you may talk to yourself just to keep them at the forefront of your mind. An easy way to stop this is just to write down what you're saying, since the paper will remember it for a lifetime. Thinking over and over -- In psychology it's called "ruminating." It can be bad for you, actually -- if you're prone to depression. This is why women get depression more often than men... they ruminate more. You can stop ruminating by learning how to mind-map. You can look it up online, but, basically, you get a blank piece of paper and write the subject in the center. Everything that comes to mind from that topic, you splinter off to the sides with lines. Just a word or two for each, or pictures. Then you do it again for each of those. (Not in order, just do your thinking naturally, whatever comes up; this is a visual way of seeing how the brain naturally works.) In this way, you can explore every bit of the topic you're thinking of without having to go over and over it again to remember things, or remembering to double-back to look at tangents. This isn't a mindmap, per se, but it will give you the idea: http://www.visualthesaurus.com/ Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No