Overview

• Psychologists now regard speaking aloud to oneself—known as autohabla—as a normal practice for organizing thoughts and reducing stress.
• Landmark studies show that verbalizing ideas activates sensory and conceptual regions to improve memory recall and problem-solving.
• Therapists report that self-talk serves as an emotional anchor by transforming critical inner voices into supportive and compassionate messages.
• Students, athletes and professionals under pressure commonly use self-talk techniques to enhance motivation and maintain concentration.
• Mental health experts caution that frequent, negative or intrusive self-dialogue may signal underlying issues and recommend professional evaluation if it impairs daily life.