Is talking to yourself considered a form of stimming?

[kenaij]

So I am still really new to this autism thing. In the sense of understanding it.
I have found out a lot about verbal stimming and other kinds of stimming. Which got me wondering.
Is talking to yourself out loud a form of stimming?
I do it every day. When I`m on my bike to work. When I go for a walk with my dogs. At work when I am alone.
There is enough awareness that I tend to whisper when I am at work or in a shop, because I know people would otherwise find it weird.
But I like talking to myself and explaining situations to myself.
Or I do it as a form of creating scenarios for future or past conversations.
Which never really work out because people often give different responses than what I think they will give.
Still I keep doing it. And I know I did it when I was 12 up to this day. (33 now) I might have even done it before then, but I don`t really know.
I do remember doing it in my bed at night before falling asleep from a very young age.

Could this be 'explained' as my form of stimming?
Or is this more likely just a personality thing that is not related to autism?
I have not been officially diagnosed btw, I am just figuring out connections which I already have found a lot of.

Thank you for your insight.

 

[autism-and-autotune]

So I am still really new to this autism thing. In the sense of understanding it.
I have found out a lot about verbal stimming and other kinds of stimming. Which got me wondering.
Is talking to yourself out loud a form of stimming?
I do it every day. When I`m on my bike to work. When I go for a walk with my dogs. At work when I am alone.
There is enough awareness that I tend to whisper when I am at work or in a shop, because I know people would otherwise find it weird.
But I like talking to myself and explaining situations to myself.
Or I do it as a form of creating scenarios for future or past conversations.
Which never really work out because people often give different responses than what I think they will give.
Still I keep doing it. And I know I did it when I was 12 up to this day. (33 now) I might have even done it before then, but I don`t really know.
I do remember doing it in my bed at night before falling asleep from a very young age.

Could this be 'explained' as my form of stimming?
Or is this more likely just a personality thing that is not related to autism?
I have not been officially diagnosed btw, I am just figuring out connections which I already have found a lot of.

Thank you for your insight.

I like the way you think! Often I talk to myself as well; I believe you are right--that it's a form of stimming.

 

[Raggamuffin]

I do it a lot too. Stimming is repetitive self-soothing and can take many forms, both verbal and physical. Of which I do both.

Ed

 

[Rodafina]

I speak to myself quite a lot. Sometimes, when I am feeling anxious or disorganized, I talk myself through the steps of whatever I am doing.

Much more often though, I chat away to myself in gibberish. I guess sometimes it is to my dog, but that sort of feels similar to speaking to myself. Lots of other vocal sounds throughout the day.

 

[Sasha22]

I do it too, I never understood why people think it's weird since my voice is available even when people are not around.

 

[kenaij]

Thank you very much for your input.
It is nice to hear many other people around here do it aswell.

@sasha_whos_there I agree. It has never felt weird to me. It actually feels really natural.
I just tend to keep quiet when other people are around because I feel they will find it weird. Which is a form of masking I guess.

I`m really glad I have come to this forum. I know you can find a lot of information in books and on informative sites. But the answers and experiences on here feel a lot more personal and easier to connect with.

@Rodafina My dog has to deal with me aswell. Often times when I walk him I will also tell him all the things we are going to do in the next couple of hours. Like he cares, as long as I do not disturb him in his nap.

 

[Outdated]

Mum always told me that talking to yourself is the only way you'll ever get the right answers.

I talk to myself all the time. And sing.

 

[kenaij]

@Outdated those are some very wise words you were told

 

[Judge]

Excellent question. I think you're onto something.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Yes I talk to myself as well. I pray out loud. I work my way through steps of work or crafts. I sing too.

I don't mean to do it. It just happens. It is comforting. I suppose it could be a stim.

 

[kenaij]

I find it also nice to hear people are saying they also sing. I work at a school as a janitor and ones a week I need to close the school late in the evening after a busy day. My school is like a huge atrium, with small hallways connected to it where the classrooms are. The sound in the atrium is so nice when the building is empty. I sing to my hearts content. I just always sort of did. But thinking about it. It does really feel like a stress reliever. Unconciously I probably already did it because of the stress relieve. I you never really thought about it before. It just feels nice to do.
thank you all very much.

 

[Magna]

I never thought about talking out loud to oneself as a form of stimming, but for me it is an enjoyable, comforting and reassuring experience. I do it often.

One way it manifests itself is finishing thoughts out loud.

Example:

Non-verbal thought: "I wonder when winter is going to end?"
Out loud response to my thought: "I don't know, but I'll go crazy if it continues too much longer."

 

[Aspychata]

I gently give myself therapy when stressed, by saying l am not doing that. Or you will not bully me. I will talk through a situation that made me upset because often times, nobody wants to hear it.

 

[Bolletje]

I talk to myself a lot, but, in my defense, I am an exceptional conversationalist, so I’d want to talk to me too.

 

[Sasha22]

I talk to myself a lot, but, in my defense, I am an exceptional conversationalist, so I’d want to talk to me too.

Sounds good!
Me I feel a bit sorry for myself for making me listen to me all day long. I don't know how she does it

 

[Bolletje]

Sounds good!
Me I feel a bit sorry for myself for making me listen to me all day long. I don't know how she does it

Hahaha, the trick is to set the bar very low But on a more serious note (possibly veering off-topic here) I’ve been practicing being kind to myself, and this is one of the areas I’m trying to do that in. I’m fine with talking out loud, but I have a habit of calling myself stupid or dumb when something doesn’t go my way, and I’m trying to break that habit.

Positive affirmations always sounded a bit touchy-feely and out there to me, but they have been helpful recently. I can talk and sing to myself all I want when I’m alone, and I’ll throw in a compliment or two while I’m at it

 

[AprilR]

I dont know if that is a stim, but i often talk about my cat to myself. He died a few years ago, Somehow talking out about him makes me remember and visualize him and the memory still comforts me.

 

[Lemon Zing]

I do it too, if something is bothering me.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Ramble On, Aspies!

 

[Kisa the tea]

I talk to myself more than I talk to other people (verbally)