Therapists explain 6 fascinating personality traits of people who talk to themselves

Ever find yourself talking out loud while deciding what groceries to buy or before walking into a party you have been avoiding? While talking to yourself may seem odd, it's actually a very common behavior.

One study found that 96% of adults report having an inner dialogue. So if you have been wondering, "Is it normal to talk to yourself?"—it definitely is.

"Talking to yourself is the act of verbalizing your thoughts out loud rather than keeping them to yourself," Sarah Panzer, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist at The Loom Wellness, tells Upworthy. "It can include narrating what you're doing, rehearsing conversations, working through problems, or expressing feelings."

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Panzer adds that talking to yourself is essentially how many people work through how to do something.

"For most of us, it's a natural extension of our internal dialogue and thought processing," she shares. "It may become more noticeable during problem-solving, planning, or heightened emotional states. Like most coping behaviors, talking to yourself exists on a spectrum. It may signal a trauma response when it's paired with other dissociative experiences, such as feeling profoundly disconnected from your body or reality."

Why do you talk to yourself?

While there may be many reasons people talk to themselves, Panzer explains that it is usually completely healthy and functional.

"It can be a way to organize thoughts, regulate emotions, or focus attention, especially for verbal processors who think best by hearing ideas out loud," she adds. "Talking to yourself can also serve as a grounding or self-soothing strategy, as it mimics the kind of support we might seek from someone else."

And no, you're not crazy for talking to yourself.

"From a psychological perspective, self-talk is not a sign of instability—it is a core feature of human cognition and emotional regulation," Jen Loong-Goodwin, therapist and founder of LifeLoong Therapy, tells Upworthy. "How we speak to ourselves plays a powerful role in shaping our sense of self, our emotional well-being, and the way we relate to others."

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Personality traits of people who talk to themselves

If you talk to yourself, you may have certain personality traits. Here are six things it might mean:

1. You're likely a strong verbal processor

"Some people simply find verbalizing their thoughts helpful, the same way someone might prefer an audiobook over reading," says Panzer. "If you're a verbal processor, talking out loud can help you make sense of your feelings, work through a problem, or organize your thoughts."

2. You're likely self-aware

Talking to yourself reflects self-awareness and cognitive organization.

"People who talk to themselves often have higher levels of self-reflection and mental organization," explains Loong-Goodwin. "Studies have shown that self-directed speech can improve focus, problem-solving, and emotional clarity. This kind of self-talk helps individuals slow down and respond more intentionally rather than react impulsively."

3. You may be multifaceted

If you are a self-talker, you likely have a personality that has many "parts."

"Talking to yourself can reflect different 'parts' of the self communicating with one another," adds Panzer. "For example, a protective part may speak up in response to vulnerability or stress, offering guidance, warnings, or criticism in an effort to maintain safety. Your inner critic may speak up when your ego or sense of belonging feels threatened, such as pushing you towards perfectionism or control to help avoid rejection, failure, or harm."

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4. You may be frequently stressed

According to Chloë Bean, a somatic trauma therapist, self-talk can be a sign that your nervous system is under stress and working to adapt.

"Self-talk often increases during overwhelm and stress," Bean tells Upworthy. "Have you ever heard someone say 'nooo!' as an expression of how they are feeling or 'what was I thinking?', expressing disappointment or frustration with themselves or the situation. Rather than indicating pathology of some kind, it can reflect a system trying to ground itself, make sense of a situation, stay organized, or push through demand."

5. You might struggle with anxiety and depression

Talking to yourself may also reflect underlying mental health struggles.

"It is not whether someone talks to themselves that predicts mental health outcomes, but how they do it," says Loong-Goodwin. "Research in cognitive behavioral therapy shows that harsh, critical self-talk is associated with anxiety, depression, and burnout. In contrast, compassionate and supportive self-talk is linked to resilience, emotional regulation, and lower stress levels."

6. You may be self-critical

Loong-Goodwin notes that positive self-talk can serve as a form of "reparenting" for people who grew up with emotional neglect or high levels of criticism.

"Positive self-talk can function as a corrective experience," she explains. "This process is often described as reparenting, where adults learn to provide themselves with the validation, reassurance, and guidance they did not consistently receive growing up. Recent research in self-compassion and attachment theory shows that learning to speak to oneself with care can reduce shame, improve emotional safety, and strengthen psychological well-being."