Do you talk with yourself outloud?

[Pieplup]

I just realized, that this says with yourself not talk to yourself. implying it's a two way street.

 

[Bikutoso]

I do it a lot when alone with a near silent voice. I'm a very quiet person, and don't want to make more noise then necessary.

 

[FoxLovinPat]

So I've had something I've been wondering to myself for a while now but just didn't have any way of finding out more info on it.. until now that is.

But anyways, I've been wondering how common the practice of talking to oneself is amongst those on the Spectrum.
You see I have been talking to myself for years now, both by speaking my inner thoughts out loud and by the more bizarre act of having full blown conversations with myself. I also do this odd thing thing where I'll make up conversations between two random people and act them out, also out loud, and oftentimes it's weird nonsensical conversations too.

However I'm unsure if this is a trait of ASD or if it came on as a result of my loneliness over the years. As I most often do it when I'm alone, but that could also be due to me just masking that aspect of myself out of fear seeing as my father's reaction to my talking to myself was more oftentimes than not "Stop talking to yourself, it's weird!".
And I didn't really have any friends during my teenage years, for a number of reasons but I won't get into that right now as that's not the point of this.

But yeah I'm just trying to figure out if this is a common trait amongst those with ASD or if it was just brought on by loneliness during my teen years or perhaps a mix of both?

 

[MildredHubble]

Albert Einstein readily admitted he talked to himself a lot. So you are in good company!

I talk to myself a lot, some of what you described is similar to what I do. I think it's just a stim. I've mentioned it before on here and no-one seemed the least bit phased by it.

I tend to pace a lot while doing it and I've become more aware recently that I tend to also slightly raise my arms while repeatedly tapping my fingers and thumbs together kinda like a lobster clapping it's claws.

I find it calming and pleasant to do, but I always try to hide it because I'm worried what people will think. I'm sure it probably looks weird to others so I always try to do it in relative privacy.

I'm not officially diagnosed with ASD but I don't believe that this sort of stimming is particularly unusual for people on the spectrum.

 

[tazz]

Yeah I do that too. I think for me the pacing is calming - something about the rhythm and motion. And I rub my hands while I do it.

Besides finding it relaxing, I also combined it with coping with social anxiety. Pacing up and down for 30 minutes to a few hours, rehearsing conversations. Could be specific conversations that I knew were coming up and I was particularly anxious about. Or when I was just generally anxious or stressed I'd pace up and down talking as if I was giving a lecture or explaining something to someone. I think the process of organizing my thoughts on a particular topic really helps to settle me and bring me back away from the verge of having a meltdown.

It occurs to me this is like an antidote for two-way conversations which I find extremely difficult and exhausting. One way speech, like giving a lecture, is much easier and actually quite relaxing.

 

[MildredHubble]

It occurs to me this is like an antidote for two-way conversations which I find extremely difficult and exhausting. One way speech, like giving a lecture, is much easier and actually quite relaxing.

It feels like your reading my mind here! I think a lot of people would be shocked to find out that I find two way conversations exhausting. I make a good show most of the time of appearing to be enthusiastic about being in a conversation, but I'm secretly looking forward to it being over all the way through.

Also the problems with me not really being great at knowing when it's time to stop talking, probably gives people the impression that I just loooooove conversation.

I've had times where someone outside of the conversation has become angry and aggressive towards me, usually to the surprise of everyone else, because they perceive some sort of "arrogance" on my part (because I'm oblivious to the fact I'm talking to much). That certainly doesn't encourage me out of my shell and it's kinda crazy that it feels like a "high wire" act to me the whole time and I'd really rather hide in another room.

It takes so much energy and concentration for me pretty much all the time.

 

[tazz]

It feels like your reading my mind here! I think a lot of people would be shocked to find out that I find two way conversations exhausting. I make a good show most of the time of appearing to be enthusiastic about being in a conversation, but I'm secretly looking forward to it being over all the way through.

Also the problems with me not really being great at knowing when it's time to stop talking, probably gives people the impression that I just loooooove conversation.

I've had times where someone outside of the conversation has become angry and aggressive towards me, usually to the surprise of everyone else, because they perceive some sort of "arrogance" on my part (because I'm oblivious to the fact I'm talking to much). That certainly doesn't encourage me out of my shell and it's kinda crazy that it feels like a "high wire" act to me the whole time and I'd really rather hide in another room.

It takes so much energy and concentration for me pretty much all the time.

@MildredHubble I am currently attending weekly meetings at my local specialist autism service. There are 6 of us autistic people regularly attending and this week the topic of conversation was conversation. Every one of us had this exact same story. Everyone described conversation as exhausting and several reported that same experience - they come across as very capable and lively in conversation - but it's all masking.

 

[MildredHubble]

Everyone described conversation as exhausting and several reported that same experience - they come across as very capable and lively in conversation - but it's all masking.

When I was at university I used to come home after lectures and lab sessions and be so exhausted by the interactions that I would get right into bed and sleep for 4 hours, despite having slept a good 8 hours and had only been out of the house for 4-5 hours.

I guess unless you mask it's almost impossible for people to understand.

 

[Misty Avich]

I do it indoors but not in public or where I know people can hear me.

 

[Rodafina]

Do you talk with yourself outloud?​

Of course! Frequently. It’s very useful.

 

[Cryptid]

Sometimes.

At least I know I am talking to an intelligent person who understands me completely.