Turning Down the Volume. Part 1: Is Talking to Yourself Really Crazy?

Internal speech, often referred to as the little voice in the head, hidden speech, or inner monologue, is a ubiquitous yet often misunderstood phenomenon. Its common to observe individuals who talk to themselves and, unfortunately, such behavior can lead to judgments about their mental state. But is talking to oneself really an indication of insanity?

Observations of children provide insightful clues into this behavior. When children play alone with toys, they frequently engage in self-talk, vocalizing the actions and dialogues of their play characters. This can range from elaborate monologues by a single toy to conversations with imaginary friends. This form of speech isnt limited to play; children also use self-directed speech to guide their actions during tasks like learning or problem-solving.

Contrary to some beliefs, this self-directed speech doesnt vanish as we grow; it simply becomes internalized. As children mature, they become self-conscious about their vocal self-guidance and gradually shift this external speech inward, making it inaudible to others.

The term "internal speech" was introduced by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky to describe the phenomenon of children talking to themselves during play, which aids their cognitive development (Vygotsky, 1934). Internal speech refers to the subjective experience of language without the need for explicit and audible articulation (Alderson-Day and Fernyhough, 2015).

Internal speech is believed to play a crucial role in self-regulation and behavior control throughout life, from childhood to adulthood. For instance, when preparing for an exam or a job interview, you likely rehearsed your responses internally, imagining potential questions and formulating answers. This mental rehearsal helps you organize your thoughts and prepare for future actions. Its also a common feature of everyday tasks, such as reminding oneself of what to buy at the grocery store or to remember essential items like a phone. 

To develop self-analysis and self-awareness, its essential to listen to yourself, both in moments of anxiety and in times of good mods and high spirits. One potentially effective tool for this self-reflection is to try to answer the following questions (and write down your answers, if possible):

1. What does your inner voice say when things are not going your way?
2. What does your inner voice say when you make a mistake?
3. What does your inner voice say about your appearance when you stand in front of a mirror in the bathroom?
4. What does your inner voice say when you succeed in getting what you want?

One of the most critical "inner voices" is the internal critic, which evaluates and negatively comments on a person’s actions, feelings, thoughts, and appearance. The internal critic and the possibilities for psychological work - such as the ones we work on during online mental health councelling, virtual cognitive behavioural therapy, and virtual psychotherapy - will be discussed in the next article.

D.Avtonomov©