Talking Aloud To Myself

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I have this practise of talking to myself. I live in a tower block with flats on both sides of me and two across from me. Also I have a [new] neighbour directly above me. There are no flats on the floor below me as it is the ground floor.

I have this constant compulsion to talk. When I was younger many people would call me 'motor mouth'. Anyway, I am almost always talking to myself whilst at home. It is my way of organising my thoughts and thinking through things, especially things that are awkward. I also give my self pep talks at times. I tend to talk as if I am having a converstion with another person. Sometimes I give sermons or lectures. Once my parents came to visit and my mum thought I had a group of friends over [strange, as I have few friends.]

Anyway, a new neighbour moved in next door to me about a year ago. After about a month of living next door to me he started turning up his stereo. He prefers rap/hip-hop music, which infuriates me for many reasons. He had his music turned up so loud I could hear it in my bedroom. I also could feel the vibration in my lounge. As a result I finally had to rearrange my furniture.

At first I thought maybe he was either being obnoxious or just liked loud music and didn't realise that everyone else in the area also was being subjected to it. Finally, I noticed that the music didn't come on until I started talking to myself. My neighbour who lived (he died about four months ago) in the flat above me started to thump on the floor with some type of object as well. Even after I stoped talking the music would persist usually until later that night.

In an effort to drown out the rap junk from my neighbour I bought a hi-fi with two very large speakers. No, I didn't engage with him in dueling stereos. My speakers play softly and loud but they don't carry. I tested the loudness by going outside my door with it shut. No noise outside my flat! This worked for awhile but then he started turning up the base on his boom box. So I ended up with 'boom boom shake the room' for hours.

After a week of this nonsense I finally went to a local antique shop and purchased a phonograph record of Lotte Lehmann, a classic opera singer whom I like. When I got home I played the record and cranked my stereo for about a minute. That put an end to my neigbours rap and hip-hop for a few days. Alas, this was short lived as he resumed his rap after that. I used the opera record method a few more times which worked temporarily but I was afraid I would be the source of complaints so decided to discontinue with this.

Anyway, I know if I stop talking to myself this problem would go away on its own. I have tried to not talk to myself but it is very difficult. Also, for me it is a coping mechanism that I haven't found an adequate replacement for. I also do this to dispell boredom and loneliness. If I try to talk to my neighbour [not the friendly sort] he will either tell me to bug off or at the most listen but not understand. If I complaint to the manager, it will come back at me as my neighbour will complain that I have been talking to myself almost constantly for the past year. This has also made me increasingly unpopular with other people on my floor.

Recently, after talking to a relative about this [who was aware that I do this], I was informed by the same relative that I start off talking low but then I tend to get louder and louder until I can be heard in the next rooms. I have also been given hints by people to lower my voice when speaking. I don't always realise that my voice is getting louder. To make it worse my voice naturally carries.

So, my question is, what if anything can I/should I do about this?

I look on talking aloud to myself as a kind of rehearsal to condition me for a real life conversation.
I have always talked to myself. If fact I am more fluent in speaking when I talk to myself than when I talk to another person. Often when I speak in conversation to another person I get speech apraxia and I seize up as gear has seized up in my throat unless I have well rehearsed what I want to say when I talk to myself. If I was not talking to myself I will never be rehearsing was I want to say when I meet someone in real life and I would probably would have ended up as a non-verbal autistic.

Paul .

I have conversations with other people "in my head" all the time...but seldom out loud.I try and be supportive on this forum...thats why we are here in my opinion.That being said....I work at a residential house and one of the "clients" here is a compulsive talker...it is not stop...even in his sleep,and I have to say it is the most irritating experience of my life.I also hate loud stereos and thumping bass can send me up the wall in a rage but so does hearing people talk,talk,talk.....

Living in an apartment isn't easy for any of us, we have to figure out ways to be respectful of others sensory issues...AS or NT...I would reccomend you put as much energy and creativity into figuring out how you can continue your conversations and monitor the volume of your voice...dont assume that it is less irritating to others then the obnoxious lyrics and annoying bass is to you...Once you have found away to talk quiter ,you will be fully justified in reporting this other tenant to the manager or even police(there are noise ordences most places)....If you can solve both problems you will be very appriciated by the other tenants in your building!!!Good luck.

I have a somewhat similar problem, PIC. Sometimes, when I try to speak, the words will get caught in my throat, especially if what I want to say begins with a "hard" sound, like a P, B, or K, or another sound that requires a bit of force to say. That's why I sometimes talk to myself to practice these sounds.

i talk to my head all the time, he understands me.
i rarely talk out loud escept when i swear and am angry.

I talk to myself when I'm alone and when I'm walking. I never talk out loud all I do is move my lips, which is bad enough I guess.

Maybe if you tried to whisper? Like you I also have a conversation with another person, try to imagine this person is very close to you and you have to whisper in order not to disturp the neighbours.

I do that.

Most of the time, I am thinking about my past.

oh i always talk to myself

I've been told I do it. My husband does it all the time, especially playing video games or doing math. He just sort of thinks out loud.
I love the frog picture (avatar?).

I talk to myself out loud. I used to do it quite often as a kid. My mom told me that when I first started reading, I HAD to read out loud. Anyways, getting back to today: now, I usually talk to myself when I'm reading something on the computer and discussing things to myself while online. I also talk to myself, when I'm trying to think of something that I need to say before I say it to somebody. Like when I'm nervous about saying it or somethng important that needs to be said. Sometimes, I will talk out loud to myself when I'm not in a good mood. It helps me to calm myself down.

I'd like to thank every one for their response.

I noticed that someone suggested that I try to keep my talking aloud to a whisper. I have tried this many times. Unfortunately, I find whispering or listening to people whisper irritating. Also I start out talking at a level just above a whisper and then without realising it everyone around my flat must hear me. I just can't maintain a low voice level for very long. I think I get so caught up in my thoughts and talking I loose track of my voice level.

To make this situation more complex, for some reason I tend to do more of this talking after nine in the evening. I just got through a talking spell a few moments ago and have just discovered it is now after four in the morning. My neighbour just turned on his stereo. It seems that the only way I become aware of how loud I am talking is when he turned up his stereo.

What am afraid of is that he is going to file a complaint against me for disrupting the peace, especially being the time it is. The manager will tell me something along the line of 'Asperger related problem or not, this isn't acceptable and you are not going to continue if you want to live here.' She has already posted a memo to the effect of people disturbing the peace. She didn't name any names but I am afraid I am the one she was trying to give a hint to. Also, a friend who lives on the floor above me said there were no notices given on his floor.

I am in no way trying to be obnoxious or disrespectful of my neighbours. I am not choosing to do my talking on purpose at the wee hours of the morning. This is the time of day when I am at my best for processing and thinking. Also, I tend to loose track of the time as well.

Anyway, please keep your suggestions coming if you have any more.

Yes all of the time. Most NTs think I'm crazy when I talk to myself aloud.

I talk to myself because I would never tell myself that my problems are all in my Head. I also like the sound of my Accent. I talk to myself about the different issues that I have with the people on the streets and with change. I give myself solutions on how to work around my problems.

I do this too. I also try to think through various problems as well as my well as on various things in the world. Sometimes it has a conversational tone. I will think something and respond out loud.

Sometimes I have trouble keeping my from myself from vocalizing my thoughts (say when there are people around, especially late at night). I think doing this habit troubles people in my immediate family a bit.

You're welcome!