At some point, it’s likely that you walked out the door and said to yourself, “Oh, I almost forgot my phone!” or you’ve watched your favorite show and made commentary out loud. Maybe you tend to mumble along your notes as you study. You might not even realize that you were talking to yourself, and that’s OK.
Talking to yourself is something that we’ve probably all done, but it’s a concept that has a negative connotation, which might make you feel embarrassed or “weird.” While self-talk can, in rare cases, accompany certain mental health conditions such as dissociative or psychotic disorders, in most situations it’s a completely normal and healthy behavior.
If talking to yourself affects how you feel about yourself, then learning about why the behavior is OK may be helpful.
Here are four reasons it’s normal to talk to yourself:
It can boost your self-confidence.
If you aced a test or put on a new outfit that you love, you deserve to give yourself a compliment out loud, even if there’s no one there to celebrate it with you. By talking to yourself in a positive way, you’re boosting your confidence and strengthening your sense of self. Hearing encouragement in your own voice can feel especially affirming.
Talking to yourself in a motivational, positive way usually involves self-talk with statements like:
- “I’m capable of success.”
- “I’m proud of my achievements.”
- “I’m valued by my friends and family.”
It can help you process your emotions.
When you feel overwhelmed by your emotions, whether they’re positive, negative or a confusing mix of the two, it can be difficult to untangle them. If you’re having a hard time processing a situation, talking to yourself about it can help you to work through the emotions and thoughts that stem from it.
Talking to yourself can help you not only process your emotions, but regulate them as well. This is important for reducing stress and heightened negative emotions that may be affecting your overall productivity and communication.
It can help you solve problems or make decisions.
Cognitive functioning, like problem-solving or decision-making, can be difficult when you’re feeling overwhelmed by thoughts and emotions. Talking out a problem or possible decision to yourself can enable you to guide yourself through the steps needed to reach a conclusion. You’re able to clarify your thoughts on the matter to gain perspective because they are easier to understand when you hear the words hit your ears.
You can talk to yourself as a way to organize your thoughts by:
- Weighing the pros and cons
- Challenging your initial thoughts
- Asking yourself about the reasonableness and logic of a certain direction
It can improve your memory.
As a teen, studying is probably one of the most time-consuming (and potentially stressful) aspects of your everyday responsibilities. If you’re trying to boost the effectiveness of your studying, talking to yourself may be the strategy that you’re looking for.
A study in 2017 showed that reading information out loud had the greatest effect on the participants’ memory, as opposed to reading silently, hearing someone else read or even listening to a recording of themselves reading aloud. The benefit likely comes from being actively engaged in the learning process. Speaking, and hearing yourself speak, refers to the production effect, which helps your long-term memory.
These benefits show that if you have a mental health condition that impacts your cognitive functioning, such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, talking to yourself can help your productivity.
Even though talking to yourself isn’t usually a sign of deeper mental health distress, talk to your provider if it occurs in conjunction with other potential symptoms, such as hallucinations, social withdrawal or disorganized speech.
If you’re talking to yourself because you’re experiencing negative thoughts that you’re having trouble managing, or you’re struggling with your confidence, you may find it helpful to talk through your challenges with a mental health professional, like a therapist.
If you need more intensive support for your mental and emotional well-being, Lightfully’s levels of care are worth considering:
Our licensed clinical experts provide evidence-based, data-driven and whole-person-centered care to help you become the best version of yourself.
Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.
