Table of contentsClick link to navigate to the desired location
We start talking to ourselves in childhoodWhy we sometimes speak aloudSelf-talk helps better memorize informationTalking to oneself helps make decisionsAddressing oneself by name helps control emotionsWhy athletes almost always talk to themselvesWhen self-talk helps cope with stressThe inner critic: when self-talk starts to harmWhy some people have almost no inner voiceSelf-talk and creativityHow normal self-talk differs from symptoms of mental disorderHow to make self-talk more beneficialWhy you shouldn’t be ashamed of talking to yourself
This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
Most people have caught themselves at least once speaking their thoughts aloud. Some mumble while cleaning, some repeat their shopping list out loud, some comment on their own mistakes while driving, and some even carry on entire dialogues with themselves. After this, the awkward question often arises: “Am I okay?”
Modern psychology provides a rather unexpected answer: in most cases — yes. Moreover, numerous studies indicate that talking to oneself can help with concentration, better memorization of information, decision-making, emotional control, and even more effective execution of complex tasks.
According to researchers, internal monologue accompanies most people daily. External self-talk — when a person speaks their thoughts aloud — is also much more common than it seems. If a person is aware that they are talking to themselves and does not perceive their own thoughts as foreign voices, such behavior is considered a normal part of brain function.
Scientists have been studying this phenomenon, called self-talk or inner speech, for several decades. And as more research accumulates, it becomes increasingly clear: a person talks to themselves not because there is “something wrong” with them, but because this is how the brain helps itself think.
We start talking to ourselves in childhood
One of the first to propose a scientific explanation for inner speech was psychologist Lev Vygotsky. Back in the 1930s, he put forward an idea that has since been confirmed by many modern studies.
Perhaps you have noticed how small children constantly comment on their actions while playing: “First, I will build a tower,” “Now the car will go here,” “No, that won’t work.” For a long time, adults perceived this merely as a childish habit.
Vygotsky offered a different explanation. In his view, such speech helps a child manage their own behavior, plan actions, and solve new tasks. With age, it gradually becomes quieter and eventually transforms into an internal dialogue that accompanies a person throughout their life.
That is why inner speech is considered a natural stage in the development of human thinking.
This idea is also supported by modern neuroimaging studies. During inner speech, a significant part of the brain's language network is activated, although this activity is usually less pronounced than during spoken conversation. In other words, when we “speak mentally,” the brain uses many of the same mechanisms as during regular conversation but does not send commands to the speech muscles.
Why we sometimes speak aloud
If the inner voice is almost constantly active, why do we sometimes vocalize our thoughts?
Psychologists explain this quite simply. When a task becomes difficult or requires maximum concentration, the brain seems to “bring” the inner dialogue out into the open. This helps organize information, not miss important steps, and maintain focus.
That is why many people talk to themselves when assembling furniture, repairing equipment, cooking unfamiliar dishes, performing complex calculations, or trying to find a lost item.
This behavior can also be observed in professionals. Surgeons, engineers, mechanics, programmers, pilots, and chess players often vocalize individual actions aloud while working. This helps maintain the sequence of operations and reduces the risk of errors.
Self-talk helps better memorize information
One of the most interesting studies in this field was conducted by a team led by psychologist Gary Lupyan from the University of Wisconsin.
Participants were shown various objects and asked to find a specific item as quickly as possible. Some people performed the task silently, while others repeated the name of the item they needed to find out loud, for example: “banana,” “apple,” or “hammer.”
The result was quite unexpected: people who vocalized the name of the item found it faster.
The authors of the study suggest that saying the word helps engage the brain's language and visual systems more actively, making it easier to focus attention on the desired object.
That is why many people intuitively repeat aloud:
“I put the keys on the shelf.”
or:
“The passport is in the inner pocket.”
Such simple phrases can indeed help better remember the action performed.
Talking to oneself helps make decisions
Everyone is familiar with the situation when a difficult choice needs to be made.
Sometimes a person literally starts arguing with themselves:
— If I agree, I will have to move.
— But it’s a good job.
— But it’s far from friends.
From the outside, this may seem strange. In reality, the brain is modeling different scenarios at that moment.
Professor Charles Fernyhough from Durham University, who has studied inner speech for many years, believes that it is precisely through such internal dialogues that a person can evaluate different viewpoints, predict the consequences of their decisions, and even better understand other people.
In other words, one’s own voice becomes a kind of thinking tool that helps analyze the situation and search for the best solution.
Addressing oneself by name helps control emotions
One of the most interesting modern studies belongs to psychologist Ethan Kross and his colleagues from the University of Michigan.
Participants in the experiment were asked to think about a stressful situation. Some people asked themselves:
“What should I do now?”
Others addressed themselves by name:
“What should you do now, Olena?”
or
“How can you handle this, Andriy?”
Even such a seemingly insignificant change helped people calm down faster and make more balanced decisions.
Psychologists call this technique self-distancing. When a person addresses themselves as if they are talking to a friend, emotions become less intense, and thinking becomes more rational.
That is why many sports psychologists recommend athletes use positive self-talk before important performances.
Phrases like:
“You can do it.”
“Take it step by step.”
“Don’t rush.”
— are not just motivational words. They help the brain switch from worrying to performing a specific task.
Why athletes almost always talk to themselves
In sports psychology, the concept of self-talk has long existed — purposeful self-dialogue used to improve performance.
Meta-analyses of dozens of studies have shown that well-structured self-talk can improve results in both strength and technical sports. It helps maintain concentration, boosts confidence, and facilitates the execution of complex movements.
Interestingly, professional athletes often don’t even notice how they talk to themselves. Before a start, they repeat short instructions: “Keep the pace,” “Breathe evenly,” “Don’t rush,” “Work until the end.” Such phrases work like commands that help avoid distractions from outside thoughts.
This principle is used not only in sports. Rescuers, pilots, military personnel, doctors, and representatives of other professions where the cost of error is particularly high often vocalize individual stages of their work. When a person says: “Check the equipment,” “Next step,” “Don’t rush,” they rely less on memory alone and find it easier to control the sequence of their actions.
When self-talk helps cope with stress
Talking to oneself often arises precisely in moments of high tension. Before an important meeting, exam, public speaking, or difficult conversation, a person may repeat: “Calm down,” “Don’t rush,” “You know what to do.”
At first glance, this seems like a regular attempt to calm oneself. In reality, such self-talk can serve as a kind of psychological regulator. It helps avoid getting stuck on worries and refocus attention on specific actions.
Short phrases that do not deny the problem but direct a person to the next step are considered particularly effective. For example, instead of saying “Don’t panic,” it is more helpful to tell oneself: “Take a deep breath and start with the first point.” It is easier for the brain to execute a clear instruction than simply to stop worrying.
That is why psychologists recommend paying attention to how we talk to ourselves. If the inner voice constantly repeats: “I messed up again,” “I won’t succeed,” or “I’m hopeless,” such self-talk can amplify anxiety and insecurity. In contrast, calm, specific, and supportive phrases help restore a sense of control.
At the same time, it is important not to confuse this with mindless positive thinking. Self-talk is most beneficial when it is realistic. Not “I will definitely succeed perfectly,” but “I can take the next step.” Not “I’m not scared at all,” but “Yes, I’m scared, but I know where to start.”
The inner critic: when self-talk starts to harm
Not every conversation with oneself is beneficial. Sometimes the inner voice turns into a ruthless critic that does not help but only exhausts.
Perhaps everyone is familiar with the situation when, after an unsuccessful conversation or an embarrassing mistake, thoughts keep returning to the same event. “Why did I say that?”, “They definitely thought I was weird,” “I should have answered differently.”
This endless replaying of the same worries is called rumination by psychologists.
Rumination differs from healthy analysis. Analysis helps understand what happened, draw conclusions, and move on. Rumination, on the other hand, only maintains emotional tension without bringing one closer to solving the problem.
That is why it is important to pay attention not only to the fact of talking to oneself but also to its content. If the inner dialogue helps structure thoughts, make decisions, or calm down — it is working in one’s favor. However, if it constantly belittles, frightens, or forces one to endlessly relive the same events, it is worth learning to change its nature.
One simple way is to shift from self-criticism to problem-solving. Instead of saying “I’m a failure,” it is better to ask oneself: “What exactly went wrong, and what can I do next time?”. This approach does not excuse mistakes but also does not allow them to define a person’s self-esteem.
Why some people have almost no inner voice
Interestingly, the inner voice does not sound the same in all people.
For some, it is a constant companion: the person thinks in words, engages in internal dialogues, rehearses future conversations, or comments on their own actions. Others report that they think mainly in images, sensations, diagrams, or abstract concepts without clearly formulated sentences.
Research on inner experience shows that such differences are quite normal. The frequency and form of inner speech can vary significantly from person to person.
This does not mean that some think “correctly” while others think “incorrectly.” The human brain uses various strategies. Some find it easier to analyze a situation in words, while others do so in imagined images or spatial models.
Therefore, it is not surprising if one person says: “I constantly have a conversation in my head,” while another replies: “I almost never think in words.” Both options can be perfectly normal.
Self-talk and creativity
Self-talk also plays an important role in creativity.
Writers, artists, musicians, designers, and inventors often engage in internal dialogues: they ask themselves questions, argue with an imaginary interlocutor, test different ideas, and search for the best solutions.
When a writer works on a text, they often seem to hear it before they write it down. An artist may mentally evaluate the composition: “There’s too much dark here,” “This element should be shifted.” Such internal remarks help see the work from different angles.
Scientists believe that such internal dialogues can foster creative thinking, as they allow one to consider a problem from multiple perspectives simultaneously.
In this sense, talking to oneself is not a strange habit but one of the natural tools of the creative process.
How normal self-talk differs from symptoms of mental disorder
The most common question is: can talking to oneself be a sign of a mental disorder?
In most cases, the answer is no.
If a person is aware that these are their own thoughts, can control the inner dialogue, and uses it for planning, concentration, or self-soothing, such behavior is considered normal.
A different situation arises when a person hears voices that they perceive as foreign, cannot control them, feels that they are commanding them to do something, threatening, or causing intense fear. In this case, it is necessary to consult a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, especially if accompanied by drastic changes in behavior, insomnia, anxiety, or loss of touch with reality.
It is important to distinguish between inner monologue and auditory hallucinations. An inner monologue is perceived by a person as their own thoughts. Hallucinations, on the other hand, are experienced as an external voice, even if it sounds “inside the head.”
It is also advisable to consult a specialist if the inner dialogue becomes obsessive, exhausting, or completely out of control. In this case, the problem lies not in self-talk itself but in its negative impact on daily life.
How to make self-talk more beneficial
The good news is that self-talk can be consciously used to one’s advantage.
First of all, it is worth paying attention to its tone. Does the inner voice sound like a harsh judge who only criticizes? Or rather like a calm mentor who helps find solutions?
Equally important is specificity. Our brain responds better to clear instructions than to general calls.
Instead of saying “Pull yourself together,” it is more effective to say: “Open the document and write the first paragraph.” Instead of “Don’t be nervous” — “Take three slow breaths and review the plan.”
Another technique, whose effectiveness has been confirmed by research, is addressing oneself by name or in the second person. For example: “Olena, you don’t need to solve everything at once. Start with one call.” This method creates psychological distance, helping one think more calmly and objectively.
Why you shouldn’t be ashamed of talking to yourself
We tend to think that thinking happens silently. In reality, the brain constantly uses language as one of the main tools for organizing information. Sometimes this process remains unnoticed, while at other times it comes to the surface — especially when one needs to focus or cope with a difficult situation.
Self-talk helps transform a chaotic flow of thoughts into a coherent action plan. It allows for structuring information, calming emotions, and better understanding one’s own decisions.
Therefore, there is no need to be ashamed if you occasionally catch yourself speaking your thoughts aloud. It is quite possible that at that moment, the brain is using one of its most effective tools for problem-solving.
People talk to themselves not out of eccentricity or because “something is wrong.” Self-talk is a natural part of human thinking that begins in childhood and accompanies us throughout life.
Modern research shows that inner dialogue helps plan, memorize, concentrate, regulate emotions, and make complex decisions. Moreover, its conscious use can enhance the effectiveness of learning, work, creativity, and even sports training.
Of course, what matters is not just the fact of talking to oneself but its content. Supportive and constructive inner dialogue becomes a reliable ally. In contrast, constant self-criticism or intrusive thoughts can be exhausting and may require the attention of a specialist.
Perhaps the most interesting conclusion of modern science is that when a person talks to themselves, they are not actually demonstrating strange behavior. They are using one of the most complex and sophisticated tools created by evolution — human language directed at oneself. It is this inner dialogue that helps us better understand the world, other people, and ultimately ourselves.
Like it?React
🧵
This post doesn't have any additions from the author yet.
