Spotlight LIVING | ADVICE Is it normal to talk to yourself? What it could really mean Nicole Fallert USA Today Jun 2, 2026 Jun 2, 2026 Updated Sep 3, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save 'Am I normal?'kAm%92EVD 2 BF6DE:@? >2?J @7 FD 2D< @FCD6=G6D[ =:E6C2==J] $A62<:?8 E@ J@FCD6=7 :D 6IEC6>6=J 4@>>@?[ 2?5 >2?J @7 FD 2C6 5@:?8 :E H:E9@FE 6G6? C62=:K:?8] qFE @FC :?E6C?2= >@?@=@8F6D 2C6?VE ;FDE 6>AEJ H@C5D — E96J AC@G:56 :?D:89E 23@FE @FC C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 @FCD6=G6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ ADJ49@=@8J 6IA6CED]k^AmkAmw6C6VD H9J H6 E2=< E@ @FCD6=G6D 2?5 H96? E@ <?@H :EVD 8@:?8 E@@ 72C]k^Am Adobe Stock k9am(9J 5@ H6 E2=< E@ @FCD6=G6Dnk^9am kAm(6VG6 2== 366? E96C6i x? E96 42C[ 2? 6>AEJ 4@?76C6?46 C@@> @C 2 32E9C@@> DE2==[ H6 FEE6C @FE =@F5 @C :? @FC >:?5D F?7:=E6C65 E9@F89ED 2?5 766=:?8D] |2J36 H6VC6 C6962CD:?8 2 E@F89 4@?G6CD2E:@? @C AC@46DD:?8 2? :?E6C24E:@? E92E ;FDE 92AA6?65]k^Am People are also reading… Cadaver dog helps search Smyth County site Smyth school board to research consolidating smaller population schools Smyth voters convey their priorities Veterans Day, flag retirement ceremonies coming up in Chilhowie, Marion Cuts to schools, social services on Smyth supervisors' agenda Gift of a Guitar: FG4K provides free guitars to Wytheville Minnick School Susan Smith seeks release 32 years after killing sons Public safety: Chilhowie, Marion ask county to restore EMS funding Citizen files court complaint trying to upend Smyth's data center zoning regulations 3 takeaways from Virginia Tech football's loss at SMU Smyth School Board takes next step to address buildings' needs A matter of time: HEART air transport celebrates new location Hungry Mother to host Santa's Elves Bash as fundraiser US lifts nationwide flight shutdown caused by communications failure kAmQ%2=<:?8 @FE =@F5 96=AD FD >2<6 D6?D6 @7 D:EF2E:@?D[Q D2JD y@C52? !:4<6==[ 2 C6=2E:@?D9:A 6IA6CE 2?5 EC2F>2 4@F?D6=@C 32D65 :? '2?4@FG6C[ r2?252] Q(6 >:89E ?@E:46 :E >@C6 :? E:>6D @7 DEC6DD … xE 42? 2=D@ 4@>6 FA H96? H6 766= 6DA64:2==J =@?6=J]Qk^AmkAmQ(92E A6@A=6 42== VE2=<:?8 E@ E96>D6=G6DV :D @7E6? 5:776C6?E A2CED W@7 E96:C >:?5DX 92G:?8 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[Q D96 255D]k^Am kAm%2=<:?8 E@ @FCD6=G6D 96=AD C68F=2E6 @FC 6>@E:@?D 2?5 4=2C:7J H92E H6 H2?E E@ D2J E@ @E96CD[ 244@C5:?8 E@ tE92? zC@DD[ AC@76DD@C @7 ADJ49@=@8J 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:49:82?]k^Am kAmQ~FC V:??6C G@:46V =6ED FD <66A :?7@C>2E:@? 24E:G6 :? @FC >:?5D … D:>F=2E6 2?5 A=2? 7@C E96 7FEFC6[ >@E:G2E6 2?5 4@?EC@= J@FCD6=7[ 2?5 H62G6 E@86E96C ?2CC2E:G6D E92E 96=A FD F?56CDE2?5 H9@ H6 2C6[Q zC@DD D2JD] %9:D 4@F=5 92G6 2 3:@=@8:42= 4@>A@?6?E[ E@@[ 96 6IA=2:?D]k^Am kAmQ%96C6 5@6D D66> E@ 36 2 DE:8>2 DFCC@F?5:?8 E2=<:?8 E@ @FCD6=G6D W@FE =@F5 :? A2CE:4F=2CX[Q zC@DD D2JD] Q%9:D :D =:<6=J 5F6 E@ E96 724E E92E E2=<:?8 @FE =@F5 E@ @?6D6=7 :D 2 762EFC6 @7 46CE2:? 4=:?:42= 5:D@C56CD] %96 :>A@CE2?E E9:?8 E@ C6>6>36C :D E92E @FC :??6C G@:46[ 2?5 E96 23:=:EJ E@ 92C?6DD :E E9C@F89 D6=7\E2=< :D 2? :>A@CE2?E E@@= @7 E96 9F>2? >:?5 E92E 2:56D FD :? 2 G2C:6EJ @7 H2JD]Qk^Am kAmu@C6>@DE[ :E 96=AD E@ 962C J@FC @H? G@:46 E@ 2CE:4F=2E6 2 E9@F89E[ !:4<6== D2JD] qFE H6VG6 2== 76=E 6>32CC2DD65 2E 36:?8 Q5:D4@G6C65Q H9:=6 E2=<:?8 @FE =@F5] %9:D :D 3642FD6 H6VC6 2:C:?8 E9@F89ED E92E 92G6?VE 366? 7F==J HC:?<=65 @FE @C AC@46DD65]k^AmkAmQ%96 D92>:?8 4@>6D 7C@> 5:D4@>7@CE H:E9 E96 :562 @7 >F=E:A=6 A2CED @7 @FCD6=G6D 2?5 DE:8>2 23@FE =@?6=:?6DD @C ?665:?8 E@ 92G6 :E 2== E@86E96C[Q !:4<6== D2JD] Q%@ H2=< :? @? D@>6@?6 E2=<:?8 E@ E96>D6=G6D 42? 766= :?ECFD:G6]Qk^Am kAmxEVD :>A@CE2?E ?@E E@ ;F>A E@ ;F58>6?E[ H96E96C :EVD J@F @C 2 4@==628F6 J@F 42E49[ D96 D2JD]k^Am k9am(96? 5@6D E2=<:?8 E@ J@FCD6=7 8@ E@@ 72Cnk^9am kAmxEVD :>A@CE2?E E@ C64@8?:K6 H96? @FC D6=7\E2=< 4@F=5 FD6 3@F?52C:6D[ !:4<6== D2JD]k^AmkAmQu@C 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6[ E96J H2J E96J E2=< E@ E96>D6=G6D :D 92CD9[Q D96 D2JD] Q$@>6 A6@A=6 C62==J 36C2E6 E96>D6=G6D] x7 J@F 7:?5 J@FCD6=7 E2=<:?8 E@ J@FCD6=7 :? 2 H2J E92EVD 4@?DE2?E=J 4C:E:4:K:?8[ E92E D92A6D 9@H J@F 766= 23@FE J@FCD6=7]Qk^AmkAm(2E49 @FE 7@C E9@F89ED E92E 766= =:<6 2 ?6G6C\6?5:?8 =@@A @C >2<6 J@F 5:8 566A6C :?E@ 2 ?682E:G6 766=:?8[ D96 D2JD] %96D6 42? 6I246C32E6 @FC :>AC6DD:@?Di Q%96 =2?8F286 :?4C62D6D 2?I:6EJ C2E96C E92? 96=A:?8 C6D@=G6 :E[Q !:4<6== D2JD]k^Am kAmx7 J@F 766= =:<6 J@FC :?E6C?2= >@?@=@8F6D 2C6 364@>:?8 9FCE7F=[ 7:CDE C6>6>36C QE96C6VD ?@E9:?8 HC@?8 H:E9 J@F[Q zC@DD D2JD] %96? DE2CE E@ 4@?D:56C H92E E@@=<:E 6I:DED E@ >2?286 E96 E9@F89ED]k^AmkAmQ*@F 42? D9:7E E96 H2J J@F E2=< E@ J@FCD6=7[ FD:?8 J@FC ?2>6 2?5 VJ@FV E@ D:=6?E=J H@C< E9C@F89 2 AC@3=6> C2E96C E92? 5@:?8 D@ :? E96 7:CDE A6CD@?[Q 96 D2JD] QW~CX J@F 42? 7:?5 E96 C:89E V492EE6C 25G:D6CDV E@ D92C6 J@FC AC@3=6>D H:E9[ A6@A=6 H9@ 2C6 256AE 2E 3@E9 6>A2E9:K:?8 H:E9 J@F 2?5 96=A:?8 J@F C67C2>6 E96 AC@3=6>]Qk^AmkAmzC@DD 2=D@ DF886DED E2=<:?8 2 H2=< @FED:56i QWp H2=<X 8:G6D J@F E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 6IA6C:6?46 2H6[ 2? 6>@E:@? H6 766= H96? H6’C6 :? E96 AC6D6?46 @7 D@>6E9:?8 G2DE 2?5 :?56D4C:323=6 E92E 96=AD FD AFE @FC AC@3=6>D :? A6CDA64E:G6]Qk^Am kAm(96E96C @C ?@E J@F E2=< E@ J@FCD6=7 2== 52J =@?8[ 5@?VE ECJ E@ 6=:>:?2E6 J@FC :??6C G@:46D[ 3FE 4C62E6 36EE6C C6=2E:@?D9:AD H:E9 E96>[ !:4<6== D2JD] %C256 2 4CF6= G@:46 H:E9 2 A6A E2=<[ D96 DF886DED[ E@ 56G6=@A 2 >@C6 6?4@FC28:?8 2?5 <:?5 E@?6 E92E 3@@DED >6?E2= 962=E9]k^AmkAmQ*@F >2J ?@E:46 2? :?:E:2= C6D:DE2?46 … :E 42? 36 92C5 E@ ECFDE E9@D6 A@D:E:G6 >6DD286D[Q D96 D2JD] QqFE @G6C E:>6 :E 42? 364@>6 >@C6 36=:6G23=6 E@ J@FC ?6CG@FD DJDE6>]Qk^Am Wellness Ticks are especially bad right now. How to stay safe Mary Walrath-Holdridge USA Today Wellness Weight-loss drugs fuel protein-rich whey craving ALEXANDER MARROW Reuters Wellness In one small Minnesota city, less than half of kindergartners are vaccinated for measles Kim Hyatt, Yuqing Liu The Minnesota Star Tribune 0 Comments Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular CDC identifies 4 drug-resistant germs that pose an 'urgent threat' These four germs were categorized as "urgent" by the CDC, meaning they are the biggest threats to Americans' health. US infant bleeding episodes jump as vitamin K refusals rise, two studies find The studies are the first to show that bleeding rates in U.S. infants have increased along with rising refusals of vitamin K shots. AI can read an MRI in seconds. Why are the orders still locked in unstructured formats? eFax reports that AI expedites MRI analysis, but order processes remain manual and cumbersome. Dealing with grief during the holidays Talkspace notes that dealing with grief during the holidays can be overwhelming, and suggests it's important to acknowledge your feelings, set… Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. 8 in 10 US adults have never tested their home for it Prevent Cancer Foundation reports Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, yet 80% of U.S. adults have never tested their homes for i…
Wellness In one small Minnesota city, less than half of kindergartners are vaccinated for measles Kim Hyatt, Yuqing Liu The Minnesota Star Tribune
CDC identifies 4 drug-resistant germs that pose an 'urgent threat' These four germs were categorized as "urgent" by the CDC, meaning they are the biggest threats to Americans' health.
US infant bleeding episodes jump as vitamin K refusals rise, two studies find The studies are the first to show that bleeding rates in U.S. infants have increased along with rising refusals of vitamin K shots.
AI can read an MRI in seconds. Why are the orders still locked in unstructured formats? eFax reports that AI expedites MRI analysis, but order processes remain manual and cumbersome.
Dealing with grief during the holidays Talkspace notes that dealing with grief during the holidays can be overwhelming, and suggests it's important to acknowledge your feelings, set…
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. 8 in 10 US adults have never tested their home for it Prevent Cancer Foundation reports Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, yet 80% of U.S. adults have never tested their homes for i…