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Has anyone else seen/experiences this?

D

DishTV

New Member
Hello! I’m Ben. I have a question: has anyone seen or experienced somebody with autism speak to themselves? I’m asking his because an old friend of mine from grade school did this a lot. He would talk as if he was reading a script to a sci-fi film. It was usually at speaking level (if there was enough background noise) and he would even do it in class (much quieter)

Can anyone else relate? Please let me know, I am very curious.
 
Welcome! I’m a newbie myself and this is my very first post.

You mean self-talk? It happens to me, I involuntarily speak whats in my mind like a list of things to do within the day. But it usually happens when I’m at home, when I’m not so self conscious with the people around me.
 
Yes. My autistic nephew does it as well as several autistic students I have taught over the years. We call it "self talk", and I think it is a type of stimming. I have to remind them to use discipline while in class to not "self talk" because it disturbs the others who are trying to listen and learn. After one or two reminders, all I have to do is to quietly say the word "discipline". This also helps them to curb other stimming activities while in class.
 
I talk to myself sometimes, but I don't think that it is exclusively an ASD thing. My NT partner speaks to himself a lot - that's how he deals with stress or processes things. In fact, he does it more than I do.
 
Welcome to AutismForums. He could be scripting, practicing what he is going to say to someone. Just so he will get it right.
 
I have always talked to myself while doing things. I used to do it when I was at school, while I was working, while doing groceries. It’s in those cases just repeating to myself what I’m doing and why I’m doing it, constantly evaluating the task. When alone on my own I talk to myself even more and in a louder voice. It’s not a conversation or discussion, just a narration of whatever I’m doing. Sometimes it’s also asking myself for advice on how to act. My ex would always get confused and bring that up as an annoying trait for him, because he couldn’t understand if I was speaking to him or not.
 
Sometimes I say something like "What was I doing?"

Sometimes I talk to myself very lightly under my breath (a math problem does well) when walking to the parking lot when I don't want strangers interacting with me (also wearing overalls works for some reason, but I don't wear those to work).

Sometimes I have conversations with my dogs . . . it is amusing to try to give them voice, or make people laugh. "<Dogs name> a hamburger eating does sound like a good idea, let me think about it."

I think I do a good job at reading what it is that my dogs want (I can tell when they are hungry, thirsty, board, want a treat, or the like).

Reading aloud to yourself can help some folks with retention . . . that is somewhat related. Actors do this to learn their parts.
 
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A quite common trait with people on the spectrum. I've done it on occasion.
 
Internally, I talk to myself all the time. It's a continual internal commentary on how I'm doing: "Rex, you've got to pull yourself together." "Nice job, Rex!" "You could have handled that better."

Verbally ... only when I think I'm alone.

The more embarrassing behavior for me is that I do the hand gestures and facial expressions of whatever internal conversation I'm having. So, I'm walking down the hall, gesticulating or making faces, and I notice someone else ... and immediately stop. Internally, the dialog is:

"Crap. They saw me. Drop your hands and act causal."
"What does casual look like?"
"I don't know. Just walk like they're walking."
"They're still staring at you!"
"You're not doing it right!"

Also, when I read, I apparently make the faces that I imagine the characters I'm reading about are making. My daughter says it's fun to watch me read.
 
I am capable of it.
If I’m outside in public I’m usually accompanied, dog or family member.
I can disguise anything that’s spoken.

People generally assume that nobody talks to themselves so I must have been talking to my dog/relative right? :)

I can answer someone’s question with part of a movie script or song lyrics but it may usually be great sounding words, lots of bouncy syllables, or recently discovered or made up words I think about, get huge pleasure from and they may have escaped before I remember where I am.

I believe it’s usual for those on the spectrum.
 
Gracey said:
I am capable of it.
If I’m outside in public I’m usually accompanied, dog or family member.
I can disguise anything that’s spoken.

People generally assume that nobody talks to themselves so I must have been talking to my dog/relative right? :)
Click to expand...

Reminds me of a story I read where a lady was always known to be singing while she worked. One day, someone visiting listened what she was singing and heard stuff like, "I've got to get the dish started now. Where did I put my pan?" The lady explained that she talks to herself all the time, but discovered that if she sings it, everyone assumes she's just happy and ignores what she's actually saying.
 
Nervous Rex said:
Reminds me of a story I read where a lady was always known to be singing while she worked. One day, someone visiting listened what she was singing and heard stuff like, "I've got to get the dish started now. Where did I put my pan?" The lady explained that she talks to herself all the time, but discovered that if she sings it, everyone assumes she's just happy and ignores what she's actually saying.
Click to expand...

Brilliant :D
Well done that woman :)
 
I have done it and so does my older brother who is also on the spectrum,It’s more that I’m thinking out loud and do it a lot when I’m trying figure something out like when I’m drawing for example and I’m deciding what to do next.
 
I talk to myself all the time when I'm alone at home. Sometimes when I'm concentrating at work, I do it there too, and then get embarrassed and hope no one heard me. I also sing to myself, things like "I have to get ready for work."
 
I speak to myself often. It helps me to think clearly therefore I think it's natural.
Nevertheless, I do it only when I'm alone because otherwise, other people start to ask stupid questions such as "Who're talking to?".

I'm talking to myself, don't you see?
If you asked "Why are you talking to youself?", it wouldn't a stupid question.
 
Thoughts in your head are not in language. It is kind a jumbled mess of ideas, images, and stand alone phrases. In ones head, an idea may make sense, but putting that idea into words can be a challenge. I talk to myself to organised ideas, and practice translating thoughts into words. Along with having stim value, I find it to be useful.
 
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