Yes, it’s normal to talk to yourself, and science says it often works in your favour. Most people do it every few days, while plenty do it hourly. Research ties self-talk to calmer reactions under stress and faster object searches.
The High Crowd covers where wellness culture meets everyday life. This lifestyle feature sits right there. Below, we break down:
- Two key scientific studies on self-talk
- Three practical scripts you can use today
- Straight answers on when to speak to a professional
Why Do I Talk to Myself Out Loud?
Speech can help your brain:
- Hold focus
- Manage feelings
- Organise thoughts
Psychologists view self-talk as a natural cognitive tool. Children use it out loud to learn tasks like tying shoelaces, and adults keep the habit going internally; we do it more quietly.
The publisher behind one major study reported that most people talk to themselves at least every few days (Taylor & Francis, 2012). Some do it hourly. That makes it a regular habit, not a red flag. Plenty of people chase upgrades through gadgets and even microchip implants, yet self-talk needs no hardware. It’s a zero-cost cognitive reset you already know how to use.
Definition: Self-talk is the habit of speaking to yourself, aloud or silently, to guide your thoughts, feelings or actions.
Where it helps most:
- Calming a racing mind before it spirals
- Finding lost keys by saying “keys” out loud
- Steadying yourself before a tough conversation
Does Talking to Yourself in the Third Person Calm Stress?
Yes, it can. In two experiments published in Scientific Reports, people who used their own name showed less emotional reactivity than people who said ‘I’ (Moser et al., 2017). In the brain-wave experiment, the drop appeared within the first second of seeing a disturbing image.
The idea is simple. Talk to yourself the way you’d talk to someone else.
More research is needed before anyone can say for sure. For now, treat it as a promising tool, not a miracle fix for everything. The same stress can show up when a session tips into weed anxiety, where thought looping is a common sign. Those studies didn’t test cannabis use, so practical fixes matter most in that moment.
How Does Saying an Object's Name Out Loud Help You Find It?
It keeps a mental picture of the object switched on while you search. Say “banana,” and your brain pulls up the yellow, curved shape it already knows. In the lab, people who spoke an object’s name found it about 50 to 100 milliseconds faster; quicker than a blink.
Researcher Gary Lupyan added a catch. If you can’t picture it, saying its name won’t help and may even slow you down.
The authors also couldn’t say whether the habit helps you spot the target or recognise it faster. Fittingly, the study was partly inspired by Lupyan’s own habit of muttering at the fridge or supermarket shelves.
Does Self-Talk Help You Focus?
For quick, targeted tasks, yes. To carry you through an entire workday? Don’t bank on it. Kids narrate tasks aloud to stay on track. Adults mostly do it silently. Studies show that blocking inner speech makes switching between tasks harder.
When a quick pep talk isn’t enough, explore South African cannabis wellness retreats for breathwork, yoga, and a deeper mental reset. Use vocal cues to sharp-turn your focus, but let real rest do the heavy lifting.
Put it into practice with these three quick scripts:
- For stress: “[Your name], you’ve handled worse. What’s the next small step?”
- For lost stuff: Picture it, then say it. “Keys. Silver, blue tag.”
- For focus: “[Your name], phone down. Ten minutes on this one thing. Go.”
Have a self-talk technique that actually works for you? Get in touch and let us know.
FAQs About Talking to Yourself
Find fast answers to the questions people ask when they notice how often they talk to themselves.
Is talking to yourself a sign of mental illness?
No. Talking to yourself is common and, on its own, is not a sign of mental illness.
Pay attention if you:
- Can’t stop the talk.
- Hear voices that aren’t yours.
- Feel distressed or confused.
Speak to a doctor or psychologist, or call SADAG’s free 24-hour helpline on 0800 456 789.
Is it better to talk to yourself out loud or silently?
Both can work. The third-person studies used silent self-talk, while the object-search studies had people say the name out loud. Pick whichever suits the moment.
- Silent works on a crowded taxi
- Out loud works at home
Is it normal to argue with yourself or answer back?
Yes. A 2015 review in Psychological Bulletin describes inner dialogue as a familiar part of human experience. Psychologist Charles Fernyhough says our inner voice usually runs in short fragments and switches to full sentences when we’re stressed or stuck on a problem. So a chattier inner voice under pressure fits the research.
Why do I talk to myself more when I'm high?
This happens often because THC can bring on racing thoughts and anxiety. In a lab study reported by PsyBlog, people given THC reported:
- More anxiety
- Thoughts echoing
- More negative thoughts about themselves
That study measured paranoia, not self-talk. Short, calm cues are a low-risk place to start. But if racing thoughts become a pattern, it’s always worth checking in with a healthcare professional.
Casually curious about cannabis culture? Explore our THC420 page, where the Crowd gathers.
Lifestyle Culture Without Borders
At The High Crowd, we talk about the habits people usually keep quiet. Self-talk is one of them, and research gives it more credit than the stereotype. High-grade human interactions start with the one you have with yourself.
Led by lived experience, we pair candid voices with socially grounded storytelling, right where cannabis culture meets elevated entertainment. We don’t sanitise the scene. We celebrate it. Built around shared identity, we spark conversations that matter and make space for the trendsetters, creatives and connoisseurs shaping what’s next.
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