It is likely that once you've caught talking to yourself. Perhaps you were asking a question, looking for a solution for a problem that you were worried or simply "noting" a mental note not to forget a pending task. And if you've caught talking to yourself on more than one occasion, perhaps even you wondered if you're going crazy.
Unfortunately, in the popular imagination still remains the idea that talking is just a sign of impending madness, but the truth is that it is not. Albert Einstein, for example, used to talk alone. It is said that he repeated his words softly.
In fact, that conversation with ourselves not only helps us to combat loneliness but also makes us smarter because it allows us to clarify our thoughts helps us make sense of our ideas and allows us to reaffirm our decisions. Only one small caveat: the monologue must be respectful to yourself.
1. Speaking only makes the brain work more efficiently
Psychologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison showed a group of 20 volunteers images of different objects and then asked them to find one. Half the people to do this task in silence, the other half had to repeat the name of the object they were seeking. Curiously, those who spoke aloud during testing found the fastest objects, just in 0.1 seconds, while others took 1.2 to 2 seconds, a significant difference.
These researchers are convinced that language is not simply a means of communication, when we headed towards ourselves not only helps us think more clearly but also amplifies our perception and memory power.
2. Speaking only helps you meet the challenges, speak aloud not only helps us organize ideas but also allows us to motivate us .
Psychologists at the University of Illinois asked to a group of people trying to motivate while solving some anagrams, some were motivated in their mind and others loudly. These researchers found that talking loudly was more motivating, they also discovered that it was still best if used in speaking to the second person view.
Participants were motivated aloud using the "you" instead of "I" solved more anagrams and reported feeling more satisfied with their performance. In practice, these people do not say " I will do well " but " you're going to do well ." According to these psychologists, using the second person activates the memories associated with the support we have received in other situations where we felt unmotivated. In this way we feel better and acquire greater security and confidence.
3. Talk about yourself in the second person relieves stress
Of course, loose talk is not always beneficial, it is important to do it the "right" way. In this regard, psychologists at the University of Michigan found that speak in the second person also helps us relieve stress .
These researchers generated a dose of stress and anxiety in telling participants that they had to prepare a speech, which would face some specialists who would value how they were qualified for the job of your dreams. They were given five minutes to prepare themselves and explained they could not use their notes.
However, half of the participants had to speak with them in person as they prepared for the speech, asking things like " why am I so nervous? ". The other half could speak with them but using the second person, asking questions like " why are you so nervous? ".
Then each participant had to indicate how nervous he felt after the speech and how he thought he had. The results left no doubt: the people who had spoken to their second person reported feeling less nervous and less shame, besides suffering less ruminative thoughts. As if that were not enough, the specialists confirmed that their speeches were better and more persuasive.
The secret is that when we think of ourselves as if we were someone else, we assume a psychological distance from the problem, which helps us to control our emotions, open your mind and evaluate other prospects from a more objective stance. So now you you know, talking to yourself can be beneficial.
Thanks again for reading :)