Talking to yourself

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Isn't it annoying when people try to get into something that is none of their buisness by trying to play like they're a innocent child. Like "It's a worry that your son is talking to himself" Like they're really saying, you can't get upset with me for being nosey, cause all I'll do is glare at you with wide eyes like a frightened 10 year old yelled at by an adult. Behaving childishlessly, seems to be the popular cop-out these days for having to behave like an adult.

My son talks to himself a lot. he also recites lines from movies and favorite TV shows. I've gotten used to it, but I know a lot of others haven't.

When I talk to myself it's always when I am stressed. It just starts happening and I don't notice it starts.

I also pace across the room and my arms and hands are by my sides and my hands twist at my wrists back and forth towards the inside and outside of my body.

I don't know why I do this. I just do.

Lainie

It's not all that uncommon really. One thing I noticed with husband though is that he does it a lot, and will carry on, even laughing...lol...and then when I ask him what is he talking to himself about, he always says nothing. LOL I am certain he is an undiagnosed HFA.

violet_yoshi, you are so right about that. I was really pissed off when the woman mentioned it, but I bet if I had said anything rude back, she would have acted amazed. I'm hopeless at quick and witty retorts. At the moment when one is required my mind goes blank, which is very annoying. I need to memorise a few, I think. Any ideas?

Thanks everyone for all your replies -they are great to read!

Temma

HAHAHA, Witty Remarks Flash Cards!

What a concept!

i talk to myself outloud all the time, sometimes when there are people around. I don't notice it

Same here. I did, a lot, when I was younger, about ages 4-11, in both dialogue and monologue. Then I stopped suddenly for some reason--I was probably criticised for it or made fun of--and now I have no one to talk to.
I still have conversations with myself in my head, though, and that's almost as satisfying.

I know I would have gone off on her. I find that comment extremely irritating. I've had people stare at us when my son is spinning or do something atypical in public, but people don't say anything to me. I think they know I will scream back at them.

I only do it when I am by myself and thinking really hard about something.

My NT 4 year old does it constantly. He also goes around the house singing nursery rhymes for hours on end. My Aspie on the other hand is content to lay in the floor and watch cartoons or play video games and not make a sound.

I've had monologues "leaking" out of me since I was 3 years old. My parents gave me quite a rap for it when they caught me doing it, so over the years I've learned to control it to the point that I never do it when someone else is within hearing range of me. Nowadays I do it almost exclusively whilst at home and alone.

YES! What other people weren't giving me was acceptance, assistance, comfort, emotional support, or validation that I was, indeed, "Okay" (i.e., worthy of living and breathing). So whenever I'd get stressed out, I'd talk to myself, say things that I wish I had a friend to say to me, help me sort out whatever difficult situation I was in, give myself pep talks, whatever it took. Sometimes I'd stand in front of a mirror. Sometimes not.

Perhaps she said that because she used to do it herself, and was told it was a bad thing and she should stop, and she's internalized that and just mirroring what was said to her, because she doesn't know any better. I've heard several people here say they used to talk to themselves or flap or whatever and were made to feel terrible about these behaviors and don't do them any longer. Maybe she's one of those people. Not saying it's RIGHT, just saying...maybe she wasn't actually intending to be vicious or hurtful.

I know my mother's MIL wasn't trying to be hurtful when she suggested we just "find a good military school" to send our son away to. She's a lovely woman who means well - she's just woefully ignorant about AS and autism, bless her heart. Screaming or getting nasty at her would not have educated her at all, except to make her think people with AS/autism are violent hateful nutjobs who should probably be locked up for the good of society. That doesn't serve anyone.

I talk to myself alot too. Its only a problem if you are talking to yourself in an audible voice. Because then it either creates confusion or alerts everybody to how much you do it, prompting judgements.

Wrong Planet is a goldmine of interesting topics.

I am a very analytical person who often engages in external echolalia (talking to myself after hearing something interesting spoken either by my IRM* or another human being). I can have quite the dialogue/monologue(nanologue?!) . Sometimes if my voice gets a little excited I open my cellphone and pretend I'm talking to someone. Most NTs are extremely intolerant of the eccentricies of those who are different, including those of us on the Austism Spectrum. I have had supervisors/co-workers complain to Human Resouces about my behaviour, which has been a partial reason for my current unemployment.

However, this is part of who and what I am and I am not going to apologize. We should not have to.

*Internal Role Model (IRM)