Do you even talk to yourself? People who do so have a big life advantage over those who don't, psychology explains

Talking to yourself out loud can look strange when someone else catches you doing it. Whether it is saying “where did I keep my keys?”, going through a problem while walking or giving yourself instructions before starting a difficult task, many people still feel the need to lower their voice when someone is around. But psychology suggests that self-talk is not necessarily something to be embarrassed about.

In fact, speaking your thoughts out loud may help make them easier to organise, understand and act on. It can also give people a little distance from their own thoughts, which may help them make better decisions.

Talking out loud can make thoughts clearer

According to Cleveland Clinic, self-talk is a normal part of everyday life and can be used to organise thoughts, process feelings and work through difficult situations. Health psychologist Grace Tworek, PsyD, describes it as a way to check in with yourself and organise thoughts and feelings.


When a thought stays in your head, it can sometimes feel vague or confusing. Saying it aloud forces you to put the idea into actual words. Once you hear yourself saying it, it becomes easier to notice gaps in your reasoning or look at the situation from another angle.

Reviive Therapy also notes that speaking through a problem can break it into smaller parts, making it easier to identify possible solutions.

It may also help with focus and memory

Research has found that self-directed speech can be useful during tasks. A study from Bangor University found that reading instructions aloud could improve people's control over a task compared with reading them silently.

Another study by Gary Lupyan and Daniel Swingley, published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, looked at visual searches. Participants who said the name of the object they were searching for out loud were able to find certain targets more easily. In simple terms, saying what you are looking for can help direct your attention towards it.

This could explain why people sometimes repeat words such as “keys” or “wallet” while searching around the house. It is not necessarily a sign of being distracted. The spoken word may actually help the brain focus on the target.

The way you talk to yourself matters

Not all self-talk is equally useful. Positive or instructional self-talk can help with motivation, concentration and emotional control, while constantly putting yourself down is unlikely to provide the same benefits.

Tworek recommends using your own name instead of “I” when talking yourself through a difficult situation. “It gives you a little bit of emotional space,” she says.

She also advises people not to be overly harsh with themselves. “If you’re negatively talking to yourself, it’s not really going to increase or help your performance,” Tworek says. “So don’t be hard on yourself. Instead, try to make the conversation uplifting and productive.”

Why children do it too

Self-talk is not something humans suddenly discover as adults. Developmental psychologist Lev Vygotsky studied children's “private speech”, where they talk themselves through play, instructions and problems. This speech can help children guide their behaviour and gradually develops into more internal forms of thought.

So, talking to yourself out loud may simply be an old mental tool that remains useful in adulthood.

There is one important distinction, however. Cleveland Clinic says self-talk is generally normal when a person knows they are talking to themselves. If someone believes they are speaking to another source or is experiencing hallucinations, professional mental health support may be necessary.

For everyone else, that conversation in the car, kitchen or while searching for lost keys may be less odd than it feels. Sometimes, saying your thoughts out loud is simply another way of helping your brain work through them.