Does Talking To Yourself Mean You're Crazy?

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20 Jul 201502:59

Summary

TLDRThe video script from DNews addresses the common misconception that talking to oneself is a sign of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. It clarifies that schizophrenia involves hallucinations, not multiple personalities. The script highlights that self-talk can be beneficial, aiding in organizing thoughts and setting goals, as supported by studies on children and adults. A 2001 study showed that adults talking to themselves while solving problems improved their performance. While talking aloud may not significantly speed up finding lost items, it's generally harmless and can be a normal part of cognitive processing.

Takeaways

🗣️ Talking to yourself is often mistakenly associated with schizophrenia, but they are not the same.
🤔 Schizophrenia involves hallucinations, whereas talking to oneself is a normal behavior not necessarily linked to mental illness.
👩‍⚕️ Dr. Linda Sapadin suggests that positive self-talk can be beneficial for mental health.
💪 Speaking out loud can help organize thoughts, motivate, and set goals, according to Sapadin.
🧠 Studies on children show that talking to oneself while performing tasks can improve performance.
🧒 A study on preschoolers found that those who used self-talk during tasks performed better.
🧠 Adult studies also indicate that talking to oneself can aid in learning and remembering complex tasks.
🔍 A 2012 study found that speaking out loud while searching for items had a minimal impact on search speed.
🔑 Talking to oneself may not speed up the process of finding lost items significantly.
💊 Schizophrenia is treatable, and advancements in treatment methods are being explored.

Q & A

What is the common misconception about talking to oneself?
-The common misconception is that talking to oneself is a sign of schizophrenia or mental illness.
How is schizophrenia different from multiple personality disorder?
-Schizophrenia involves hallucinations of voices or visions, while multiple personality disorder is characterized by having multiple distinct personalities.
What does Dr. Linda Sapadin believe about the benefits of talking to oneself?
-Dr. Linda Sapadin thinks that talking to oneself can be beneficial, especially if it's positive, as it can help with self-motivation, complimenting oneself, organizing thoughts, and setting goals.
How does talking to oneself affect children's performance on tasks?
-Studies show that children who talk to themselves while performing a task, especially if it's challenging, tend to perform better.
What was the result of the study where preschoolers were asked to perform a task with and without private speech?
-The study found that children performed better when they used private speech while performing the task.
How does internalizing thoughts change as people age?
-As people age, they tend to internalize their thoughts more, but they can still benefit from talking to themselves.
What did the 2001 study involving adults and tasks reveal about talking to oneself?
-The study showed that adults talked to themselves more frequently when attempting a difficult task for the first time, and the frequency decreased as they repeated the task, suggesting that talking to oneself aids in learning and memory.
What was the conclusion of the 2012 study on talking out loud while searching for items?
-The study concluded that talking out loud while searching for items in a supermarket provided no significant difference in the speed of finding something.
What does the script suggest about the relationship between talking to oneself and mental illness?
-The script suggests that talking to oneself is not necessarily a sign of mental illness, and if someone is experiencing hallucinations, schizophrenia is treatable.
How can viewers submit questions to DNews for potential answers?
-Viewers can submit questions to DNews in the comments section or on their Facebook or Twitter pages.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Talking to Ourselves: A Sign of Sanity or Schizophrenia?

This paragraph discusses the common misconception that talking to oneself is a sign of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. It clarifies that schizophrenia involves hallucinations and is distinct from multiple personality disorder. The script also introduces the idea that talking to oneself can be beneficial, as suggested by psychologist Dr. Linda Sapadin. She argues that positive self-talk can be motivational and help in organizing thoughts and setting goals. Studies on children support this view, showing that verbalizing thoughts during tasks can improve performance. The paragraph also mentions a 2001 study on adults that suggests talking to oneself can aid in learning and remembering complex tasks.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Talking to oneself

Talking to oneself, or self-talk, is the act of speaking one's thoughts out loud when alone or seemingly to no one in particular. In the context of the video, it is discussed as a common behavior that is often misunderstood as a sign of mental illness. The script clarifies that unless it's a symptom of schizophrenia, self-talk is not necessarily negative and can even be beneficial. For instance, the video mentions how children who talk to themselves while doing tasks tend to perform better, illustrating the positive aspect of this behavior.

💡Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. The video script explains that it is distinct from multiple personality disorder and that it is not accurate to associate talking to oneself with schizophrenia unless it is a symptom of the condition. Schizophrenics may communicate with hallucinated voices or visions, which can be mistaken for talking to oneself. The video aims to dispel the misconception that all self-talk is indicative of schizophrenia.

💡Multiple personality disorder

Multiple personality disorder, now more commonly referred to as dissociative identity disorder, is a mental condition where a person displays two or more distinct personality states. The video script differentiates this from schizophrenia, noting that individuals with multiple personality disorder switch between distinct personalities, whereas schizophrenics experience hallucinations. This term is used to clarify that talking to oneself is not inherently linked to having multiple personalities.

💡Private speech

Private speech refers to the internal dialogue or self-talk that individuals engage in, often silently or quietly. The video script discusses how private speech can be beneficial, helping with self-motivation and thought organization. Dr. Linda Sapadin's view is presented, suggesting that positive self-talk can be advantageous, as it can serve to compliment oneself or provide motivation, as exemplified by the video's mention of giving oneself a compliment after a job well-done.

💡Psychologist

A psychologist is a professional who studies behavior and mental processes, often to help individuals understand and overcome personal challenges. In the video, Dr. Linda Sapadin, a psychologist, is cited as an authority on the benefits of talking to oneself. Her insights are used to support the video's message that self-talk can be a positive tool for personal growth and task completion.

💡Self-motivation

Self-motivation is the ability to encourage oneself to take action or make progress toward a goal. The video script suggests that talking to oneself can be a form of self-motivation, helping individuals to get started on tasks or to persist through challenges. This concept is illustrated by the idea that speaking out loud can help one decide what they want and set goals, which is a form of self-motivation.

💡Thought organization

Thought organization refers to the process of arranging and structuring one's thoughts in a logical and coherent manner. The video explains that speaking out loud can assist with thought organization, helping individuals to clarify their ideas and make decisions. This is exemplified in the script by the suggestion that talking to oneself can help in setting goals and organizing one's approach to tasks.

💡Preschoolers

Preschoolers are children typically aged between three and five years old, who are in a critical phase of cognitive and social development. The video script references a study involving preschoolers to demonstrate how talking to oneself can aid in learning. In the study, children who used private speech while performing a task did better than when they did not, highlighting the developmental benefits of self-talk.

💡Internalizing thoughts

Internalizing thoughts is the process of moving from external expressions of thoughts, such as talking out loud, to internal dialogue within one's mind. The video script notes that as people age, they tend to internalize their thoughts more, which means they may speak to themselves less out loud but still engage in self-talk internally. This concept is used to explain the developmental shift from external to internal self-talk and its continued relevance.

💡Origami

Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, often used in educational settings to teach patience, focus, and fine motor skills. In the video, origami is used as an example of a task where adults were observed to talk to themselves more frequently when learning the skill for the first time, suggesting that self-talk aids in learning and remembering complex tasks.

💡Hallucinations

Hallucinations are sensory perceptions that occur without an external stimulus and are a symptom of certain mental disorders, including schizophrenia. The video script mentions hallucinations to emphasize the difference between the normal behavior of talking to oneself and the symptomatic behavior of a schizophrenic, who may 'talk' to hallucinated voices. This term is crucial for understanding the video's aim to separate common self-talk from pathological symptoms.

Highlights

Talking to oneself is often misunderstood as a sign of schizophrenia, but it's not entirely accurate.

Schizophrenia involves hallucinations, not multiple personalities.

Private speech, when positive, can be beneficial, according to psychologist Dr. Linda Sapadin.

Speaking out loud can help organize thoughts and set goals.

Children who talk to themselves while learning perform better on tasks.

A study found that preschoolers perform better when using private speech during tasks.

Adults also benefit from talking to themselves, especially when learning new tasks.

Talking to oneself while searching for items does not significantly affect the speed of finding them.

Schizophrenia is treatable, and treatment methods may become simpler in the future.

The association between talking to oneself and mental illness is a common misconception.

Dr. Linda Sapadin suggests that positive self-talk can be motivational and helpful.

Studies on children show that talking to oneself can aid in learning and problem-solving.

Adults tend to internalize their thoughts but can still benefit from external speech.

A 2001 study indicates that adults talk to themselves more when facing difficult tasks.

Talking to oneself may help with learning and remembering complex tasks.

A 2012 study found that speaking out loud while searching has a minimal impact on search speed.

The DNews segment encourages viewers to submit questions for future episodes.