We all, at some point, may have engaged in a self-directed speech. A private speech is believed to be a biological mechanism that helps humans solve problems. Also, helps us concentrate, siphon off stress, and reason precisely through difficult decisions. Does the same apply if it’s elderly talking to themselves?
This tends to be different when the elderly talk to themselves. As people get old, their sense of hearing begins to wane. When hearing abilities deteriorates, older adults find it hard to hear their own thoughts. As a result, they begin to mumble, and eventually speak aloud. They go to the extent of answering their questions to arguing with their answers, and ultimately, losing the arguments.
Some of the reasons that can make the elderly talk to themselves include;
Anger
In most cases, you will realize that an older person increasingly seems short-tempered, nasty, angry, or simply intolerant. Could the kids making noise anger the grandpa? Anger is a natural and inescapable response to stress or frustration. When the elderly gets angry, you might see them talking and arguing with imaginary people. However, it can help them suppress their anger and eventually calm down.
Loneliness
We all fear being lonely. Of being left. Of not being needed. Or being loved. Or cared about. It’s an epidemic that affects orderly people most. Spending twilight years alone sounds a bit bleak. When a spouse dies, the other partner is only left with memories they shared for the time they were together. You will find the person talking to an imaginary person, presuming to be his long-gone partner.
Elderly people also miss people to chat with. Someone who can jog their mind for a while before they snore back to their beds. And to some, they find it hard to talk out their emotions. All these situations make people talk to themselves. Furthermore, the study shows that loneliness is a silent killer. Perhaps, we should all train ourselves to enjoy solitude moments.
Schizophrenia
Well, this might not be a major cause of elderly talking to themselves, but we cannot ignore it. It affects how the person thinks, acts, and feel. As with many conceptual disorders, there is no defined cause of Schizophrenia. However, many factors can trigger this disorder.
- Chemical imbalances in the brain
- Environment
- Use of drugs
- Genes
- Family relationships
Symptoms of Schizophrenia include:
- Hallucinations– older adults who have Schizophrenia will hear sounds and see images that do not actually exist. The patients might respond to non-existing people or sounds.
- Delusions – a senior may believe other people are out to get them. This can lead to bizarre ideas and plots. Probably talking on how powerful they are to oust anyone trying to outsmart them.
- Disorganized thinking – When a person has Schizophrenia, their speech deteriorates and can reply questions with dissimilar answers. Other common signs include neologism (a person uses made-up words), or constantly switch conversation topics.
Conclusion About Elderly Talking To Themselves
Self-talk cuts across all age sets. In fact, the experts say it’s healthy to have positive self-talk. However, for the elderly, it may mean something different. If you discover your senior relative or elderly talking to themselves, check on the above causes and you will find a solution.
