Worries, Fears and Anxiety Disorders / Question
Published: January 29, 2010
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I have a question concerning my psychological health. Sometimes when I am alone, I start talking to myself. It is usually partly unconscious, and I don't really fully realize I am doing it for a while. And the things I say are starting to become scary, like killing people and profanities. I never yell though. Also, I do not actually feel violent hostilities towards anyone. I have been doing it more and more recently. I have never really been that concerned about this problem, but I am now wondering if maybe I should be. It's not normal. I have seen psychiatrists before concerning other things such as my learning disability and social-anxiety, but I haven't ever been diagnosed with anything related to this. What do you think?
Signed: Talking To Myself
Dear Talking To Myself,
For many people talking to themselves can be way of thinking out loud, a form of self motivation or as a way of challenging negative thoughts, which is the basis for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It is usually a conscious decision to engage in self -talk and the person is aware what is going on.
What is concerning about your situation is that you are not always fully aware of the process and do not seem to have control over the content of your self-conversations or the frequency. Since you are not fully aware of the conversations it is possible that they might be louder than you think. Imagine the embarrassment this would cause you.
Since you have a prior relationship with a psychiatrist, TeenHealthFX recommends that you make an appointment with this person and fill him/her in on what you have been experiencing. This person knows you and your history and will do a far better job diagnosing a problem than anyone could do on the web.
If these thoughts become more intrusive or you get to the point that you may act on them then it is critical that you get help right away. You can call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room. In northern New Jersey you can also call the crisis hotline from Morristown Memorial hospital at 973-540-0100. Outside this area call the Suicide & Crisis Hotline, 1-800-999-9999, 24 hours, 7 days a week
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Teens who drink are more likely to be victims of violent crimes and sexual assault, have serious problems in school, be involved in drinking-related traffic crashes, and develop problems with alcohol later in life.
