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The science behind talking to yourself

A visitor to the Art Gallery of New South Wales looks at paintings by Camille Pissarro in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
Ian Waldie
/
Getty Images
A visitor to the Art Gallery of New South Wales looks at paintings by Camille Pissarro in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images)

Have you ever gotten into an impassioned argument in the shower with a sparring partner who... wasn't actually there?

How about replaying a dinner party conversation from weeks ago but this time, you know exactly what to say and you're saying it... to yourself?

Whether the dialogue is in our heads or said aloud, many of us talk to ourselves, even if we don't realize it. But oftentimes the habit is seen as strange — especially if there are others around.

Why do so many of us talk to ourselves? What are the benefits of self-talk — and when should you be concerned about it?

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