Autism and talking to yourself

I do this a hell of a lot. I've worked as a support worker with people with more severe autism and this talking to oneself is present in some of these individuals too. 

I definitely do this. I was watching “Aspergers from the inside” on YouTube recently and he was saying how he has conversations over and over again because they weren’t perfect the first time. This is generally the route of my self talk. Either I had a conversation and wish I had said everything differently, or there is an up coming conversation I try to prepare for by talking both parts either out loud or in my head. I find It comforting and helps prepare me, which manages the anxiety better.

People are difficult but I desperately need them.   Talking to myself is a ‘virtual’ form of experiencing the presence of others.  I get to control

all aspects of the conversation without worrying 

Happens to me as well and I've been tested for ASD and was diagnosed with it. 

It is a form of "verbal stimming." It is generally caused by two things:

1) Drown out unpleasant sounds

2) It feels good

My constant singing is due to verbal stimming: it happened when I am distressed, which is 99% of the time. It is also why I constantly talk to myself.

Interesting

 Hadn't considered that one

No you are not Autistic, this is just an excuse. You are just eccentric that's all. I talk to myself, I am shifty eyed, I will only relate to women who are exceptionally beautiful, I have "funny" ideas, I like thigs to be neat and orderly, I like maths, I become very focused on things that interest me. I am not Autistic, I am eccentric. 

I do this literally all the time, I imagine my favourite fictional characters are there, it’s completely fine, I do think it’s related to ASD but I’m not certain.

I talk to myself all the time when I'm on my own. I have quite a busy brain, so it helps me put my thoughts in order. I tend to go over my to-do lists for each day, vocalise my thoughts and ideas on things, and sometimes rehearse conversations that I want to have with actual people. No shame in that!

i don't know if i talk to myself, or whether i'm just saying the thoughts out loud and providing a running commentary on what's going on. if it was proper talking to myself then i would answer myself back and i don't answer myself back so it's not really a conversation.  it's a very one-sided conversation so it seems more like just making a verbal commentary on what's going on. i don't know enough about the science of autism to know if this is a trait or not. it sounds more like a personality disorder than autism, but i'm not an expert.

All the time. Particularly when it's something that bothers me. I hash out the conversation in my head and it always makes perfect sense with the recipient understanding my point of view. Unfortunately I then try to translate it into real life. Crash and burn every time. 

Yes I do something like this too, talking to myself alot and thinking out loud. I've done it as long as I can remember, back as I child i would play outside by running up and down the side of my house talking to myself and using my imagination to create a story with real or fictional characters I voiced and so on all the while I was talking out loud. 

Eventually as I grew up I stopped running up and down the side of the house but I still pace my room sometimes doing this, now aged 23 and I talk to myself at work, at home and pretty much everywhere whenever I feel alone. 

I'm pretty sure tho everybody talks to themselves but probably not to that degree. I like doing it tho, I think of it as my way of channeling my thoughts and ideas, and of course playing with my imagination which is fun. I think the more creative someone is the more likely they are to do these type of things like talking o themselves out loud and maybe acting them out like i do. 

Honestly I don't think it's a bad thing and won't ever stop doing it even if I should because it helps me get through every day and entertains me and I'm almost certain it builds ones imagination. 

me to.  I though that everyone talked to themselves

My cat is way too smart. He picks up if I'm skipping meals and will bug me until I sort myself out.

I thought it was an attention seeking thing - I only figured it out when I did all his stuff (tummy tickles, clean water, snacks topped up) and he ignored the lot until I'd made a meal, sat down and scoffed it. 

Then, and only then, did he tuck into his own. 

I'm not sure if it's an autistic trait or something to do with OCD (I was diagnosed with both so it's sometimes difficult to work out which condition causes it) but it's something I often find myself doing. Like you, it's usually some random sentence (for me it's usually 'got work tommorrow' even though I've been on leave for over a year :p 

I realise when it starts it can be quite alarming, talking to yourself being one of the stereotypical 'crazy' things 'crazy' people do, but I've met enough NTs who do the same, so I don't think it's strictly limited to those with mental conditions. 

Not sure I have noticed a few people with autism repeat phrases on tv but not sure about just speaking out that just seems a normal thing to do i don't care much for normal i just do what i want.

I talk to myself all the time, it's how I think in order to just move through the world I'm constantly asking myself questions. Some times I get a bit too "in my own head" and i think I've answered someone when they've asked me something but I didn't I just said it my head like, Mum will ask if I want a tea or something I'll say yes and she waves in my direction to get my attention to answer her

Hi Jake!

I do this so much! I actually find it to be really comforting. Sometimes I use an American accent or pretend to be my favourite characters from shows. I have an Autistic brother and he talks out loud to himself a lot too! I think it is very much an ASD trait! 

Pets are the best confidants (except maybe not parrots). Cats in particular are special, sometimes they act like they understand.

haha yes a lot of the time when I'm by myself I say things aloud like "No [my name], don't be an idiot" or "right, you can do this" or "come on, I know you're tired but let's do one more question" to motivate myself, or I think aloud when I'm working. Maybe this is why I don't get lonely, I just keep myself company...

Also stuff inspired from counselling like "look, it's only anxiety that's telling you that" and "if that thing you're worried about did happen, what's the worst that could happen?".

I think it is an effective emotional regulation strategy. I reckon I give myself sensible logical advice and it has more authority if I say it aloud so it works better than saying it inside my head.