Involuntary shouting and talking to myself, is this part of anxiety?

[GreenFairy]

Hello,

I have had this issue for most of my adult life, where I shout to myself and I cant controll it. I mainly do it in the car, shower or when I am alone but have done it in front of people aswell.

I shout random things out loud, earlier I was driving home and screamed 'but im a nice person' to myself, I cant remember what I was thinking about. I also shout out an ex's name something that I have not seen for a few years (there are no hard feelings about the relationship)

Sometimes it gets so bad that I am laying down screaming at the top of my voice, it only get this bad when I am very stressed about something though, my housemate heard me and commented about it, he said that I was mental... (he is a bit of a knob anyway)

I have been to the doctors for anxiety and depression before but never mentioned the shouting.

I think the work one I have done is being on a packed train and shouted 'kill me' quite loud....

From what I am saying it may sound like I think I have turettes but I dont think it is anything to do with that, as I seem to hav more controll over it when around people.

what is it, and can i do anything about it?

Thanks

[Anxionusanthony89]

i think you need to see the doctor it sounds like you may have tourette syndrome... i have not come across such a symptom of anxiety before

[alankay]

Do you feel shouting helps with anxiety? Do you do it to reduce anxiety? Where does anxiety fit in exactly? Alankay

[GreenFairy]

It gets more prodominant when I am worrying about things or deep in thought. I am not sure if I really have an anxiety disorder, but I have been told this by doctors and a mental health nurse, however never really been assessed.

The shouting is just something that I have done since I was a teenager, and I always thought it was down to anxiety, I have not told a doctor because my expirience is of getting fobbed off or being refered on to counsellers... who just fob you off again. Nor do I think there is anything that can be done about it.

I do not think it is tourette syndrome because I did not have it as a child, and tourettes age of onset is 5-9years.

I tend to pace alot aswell, and break into a jog and have the need to run around the house,

To answer yur question I dont feel that it helps the way I feel, it makes it worse, expecially when I have shouted something out loud and I know someone heard me, but most of the time it makes it worse because I dont know why I did it and I think its a strange thing to do.

[alankay]

Could be a bit of a compulsion which has relation to anxiety. This still should be mentioned to your doc as it might aid in getting the best diagnoses and therefore treatment for whatever is most at the core or more the core issue. Have you been on an SSRI med? Alankay.

[Anxionusanthony89]

tourettes can come in at any age... i personally have never heard of this in anxiety before :/

[Jeen]

Yes! I know exactly what you are saying! I do the exact same thing. It happens when I am stressing or over thinking about something. I shout to stop thinking about it. I thought I was the only person with this problem.

[Eddiect]

I do this too... I'm pretty sure it's stress related. It happens when I get into a bad thoughts cycle - generally about mistakes I've made or embarrassing/humiliating things that happened or that I did. I'll often blurt out "No!" or something similar. It's like I'm trying to break out of those bad thoughts. My wife has started noticing it. I used to be able to cover it up by saying I said something else, but she's heard me more often recently. I think it's getting worse, so I'm going to actively try to control it. I think it becomes a bit of a bad habit, an inappropriate coping mechanism.

[GordonsAlive]

I shout dozens of times a day. Usually when I think I'm alone although I find myself muttering this stuff to myself when I'm walking to the shops and around the office ETC.
Episodes vary from mild, gentle self-scolding to full-on fits of loud aggressive abuse.
Then I spiral, resulting in a desperate state of rage and frustration, head in hands, trying to mash my stupid brain in with my fingers.
It's getting harder and harder to control. I do it to stop myself thinking about stuff I've done, said or not. It's a very nasty habit I've developed as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety the ever-increasing realisation of failing to be the person I want to be/should be/could be.
I shout things like "shut up Richard. Get a job. And a gun. Or a job with a gun. And then shoot yourself. in the face. With the gun. And if that doesn't work. Do it again. Shut up. Ffs. Just shut up. And F**k off. You've just got to get a job..oh ffs. Shut up. All the people, everyone in the world. They can all f**k off too." And so on.
BTW, I have a job. And guns are very illegal and difficult to access here in the UK. Finally I haven't met 'all the people in the world'. So i'm being pretty unreasonable there.
On a serious note, this is becoming a real problem. I Can't have any relationships, I live alone which makes it worse and it's only a matter of time before it happens in work and they cart me away to the ovens.

[JustaGal]

Hello,

I have had this issue for most of my adult life, where I shout to myself and I cant controll it. I mainly do it in the car, shower or when I am alone but have done it in front of people aswell.

I shout random things out loud, earlier I was driving home and screamed 'but im a nice person' to myself, I cant remember what I was thinking about. I also shout out an ex's name something that I have not seen for a few years (there are no hard feelings about the relationship)

Sometimes it gets so bad that I am laying down screaming at the top of my voice, it only get this bad when I am very stressed about something though, my housemate heard me and commented about it, he said that I was mental... (he is a bit of a knob anyway)

I have been to the doctors for anxiety and depression before but never mentioned the shouting.

I think the work one I have done is being on a packed train and shouted 'kill me' quite loud....

From what I am saying it may sound like I think I have turettes but I dont think it is anything to do with that, as I seem to hav more controll over it when around people.

what is it, and can i do anything about it?

Thanks

Have you read about dissociative identity disorder? Could be,

[Kixxi]

Hello,

I have had this issue for most of my adult life, where I shout to myself and I cant controll it. I mainly do it in the car, shower or when I am alone but have done it in front of people aswell.

I shout random things out loud, earlier I was driving home and screamed 'but im a nice person' to myself, I cant remember what I was thinking about. I also shout out an ex's name something that I have not seen for a few years (there are no hard feelings about the relationship)

Sometimes it gets so bad that I am laying down screaming at the top of my voice, it only get this bad when I am very stressed about something though, my housemate heard me and commented about it, he said that I was mental... (he is a bit of a knob anyway)

I have been to the doctors for anxiety and depression before but never mentioned the shouting.

I think the work one I have done is being on a packed train and shouted 'kill me' quite loud....

From what I am saying it may sound like I think I have turettes but I dont think it is anything to do with that, as I seem to hav more controll over it when around people.

what is it, and can i do anything about it?

Thanks

Tourette syndrom is often made worse by anxiety. So you may want to get that checked out. It is nothing to be embarrassed about and it is quite manageable. I am not sure if anxiety can cause it, but I do know it can have an influence on people who already have it.

[PollyPolly]

I was so happy to read these posts. For years I have been trying to find someone who also has this strange involuntary speech. Almost everything I have read here matches my 'condition' exactly.

I have been searching the web for years and have obviously only now stumbled across the right keywords to bring up this thread.

My friends all think it's hilarious and call it my 'poor man's Tourettes' but I'm certain it's not that. It is however much worse if I am anxious or hungover or feeling shame for any reason.

I must sort of have control of it because I do much less around people - although that does happen.

I hope you don't mind but I would be so interested to hear more from everyone else who does this.

Take care,

P :)

[yteixna1]

I was so happy to read these posts. For years I have been trying to find someone who also has this strange involuntary speech. Almost everything I have read here matches my 'condition' exactly.

I have been searching the web for years and have obviously only now stumbled across the right keywords to bring up this thread.

My friends all think it's hilarious and call it my 'poor man's Tourettes' but I'm certain it's not that. It is however much worse if I am anxious or hungover or feeling shame for any reason.

I must sort of have control of it because I do much less around people - although that does happen.

I hope you don't mind but I would be so interested to hear more from everyone else who does this.

Take care,

P :)

this post encapsulates my experience. had to make an account to say so and thanks to all.

[ashamedofguilt]

I was so happy to read these posts. For years I have been trying to find someone who also has this strange involuntary speech. Almost everything I have read here matches my 'condition' exactly.

I have been searching the web for years and have obviously only now stumbled across the right keywords to bring up this thread.

My friends all think it's hilarious and call it my 'poor man's Tourettes' but I'm certain it's not that. It is however much worse if I am anxious or hungover or feeling shame for any reason.

I must sort of have control of it because I do much less around people - although that does happen.

I hope you don't mind but I would be so interested to hear more from everyone else who does this.

Take care,

P :)this post encapsulates my experience. had to make an account to say so and thanks to all.

Echoing this, as I feel the same.

[salvator here]

I've tried to reply to this one today, but just wasn't sure if my 2 cents were needed/wanted. I will admit I talk to myself and I'm quite certain that people have caught me over the years. Sometimes, I would catch myself muttering under my breath and my lips were visibly carrying on a conversation by myself, and when I realized it I was mortified. I've not read this thread in its entirety (yet), but an old friend gave me the trick of the lifetime and I've used it and it has worked for me while in public.

Here's my trick while out in public and it so simply it almost silly. I just picked up a phone earpiece and I do wear it when in public now so if I'm caught muttering, people think I'm on the phone talking to somebody lol.

And yes, it is (was) much worse hungover!

[rustypistols]

this post encapsulates my experience. had to make an account to say so and thanks to all.



I have found my people.

[PanicCured]

I have been to the doctors for anxiety and depression before but never mentioned the shouting.


I find this the most surprising of what you wrote.

Anyway, go see a doctor about this. This needs to be evaluated. I would think you would also like to know what is going on with this, so I would think the curiosity would motivate you to get it checked out.

[Synner]

I have been to the doctors for anxiety and depression before but never mentioned the shouting.Your doctor can't help you if you don't tell him/her what's going on. Trust me, you aren't going to tell them anything they haven't heard before a bunch of times.

[magicmarcus]

for me the key here lies in control:

"where I shout to myself and I cant controll it"

this is like how OCD works... obsession of the mind that bugs you to death that you try to control and shut off and talk away and manage... but nothing helps till you take the desired action... shouting, crying, locking doors 500 times, ect...

what helps me is realizing the freedom of not having to control these things... at times it can be tough... but it works.

here is a little video i did on anxiety and what i do about it. its focused for my addiction site but its more about anxiety than addiction.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LqWRCanoiY

[PollyPolly]

this post encapsulates my experience. had to make an account to say so and thanks to all.

Does anyone shout predominantly names? I say the name of my ex boyfriends. It takes a while for a name to leave the repertoire. All the break ups have been on good terms. It takes a new boyfriend a couple of years before I start saying their name.

I'd be also interested to know how your relationships are with your families? I left home young and am estranged from mine. I sometimes wonder if this is related. The shouting started a year or two after I moved out. Also it was around this time that I started drinking socially much more. I still do that.

[gadguy]

I do this also, primarily when my mind is going over and over every mistake, or every time I have made a fool of myself in my lifetime. I just blurt out words or a short sentence.

[Shepardd]

So glad I have found other people like me!

My main shouts are "fuck off", "I want to die" and "I love her".

Happens much more often when alone and I'm anxious about something or thinking of an embarrassing/cringy memory.

I shout in my room alone and I know other people can hear me through the walls. Especially embarrassing to me when I'm doing the "I love her" and variants shouts. (I live in halls at uni atm)

Only thing that others haven't said that I have is neck jolts as well, often at the same time as the shouting.

Would be nice to talk to someone else with this. Can only find anything on it here and nothing on causes/how to stop.

[PollyPolly]

So glad I have found other people like me!

My main shouts are "fuck off", "I want to die" and "I love her".

Happens much more often when alone and I'm anxious about something or thinking of an embarrassing/cringy memory.

I shout in my room alone and I know other people can hear me through the walls. Especially embarrassing to me when I'm doing the "I love her" and variants shouts. (I live in halls at uni atm)

Only thing that others haven't said that I have is neck jolts as well, often at the same time as the shouting.

Would be nice to talk to someone else with this. Can only find anything on it here and nothing on causes/how to stop.

Yep. ‘I love you’ is a main one as is ‘I hate you’ also I used to say ‘I want to go home’ but that seems to have stopped. So many similarities. I wonder if it’s a recognised condition. I can’t see that it is anywhere online ☹️

[Shepardd]

Yep. ‘I love you’ is a main one as is ‘I hate you’ also I used to say ‘I want to go home’ but that seems to have stopped. So many similarities. I wonder if it’s a recognised condition. I can’t see that it is anywhere online ☹️

Hey Polly:) Are the 'I love you' and 'I hate you' mainly directed at an ex? Half my shouts are to do with my ex.

Did it start when you were going through a very stressful time? Also do you have ADHD and are you on meds for it?

I mentioned it to my Psychiatrist and he said it might be a side affect to my ADHD meds but I'm not so sure.

[Bbee]

I'm relieved to find that there are more people who do this same thing.

Like the other members have mentioned, I believe it is the anxiety and stress and the inability to control the thoughts that make one say things out loud.
I say friends' names or call out for my mother. Over time, the name of the friend that I say out loud changes but it is very embarrassing when I do it around people because they think I want to say something to them. My mother has called me crazy a couple of times. That pushed me to meet a psychologist. It felt better after talking to her, trying to talk myself out of the negative thought patterns.

When I stayed alone, it felt okay as no one would see this side of me. Now that I'm back to living with my parents, whenever I say something involuntarily, I follow it up (involuntarily) with "sh*t, sh*t, sh*t", "shut up".

Do share if you have figured out how to not do this.

[originalscreenname]

I had to sign up once I saw this thread. I was searching for reasons why I shout. And I stumbled onto this, and so here I am.

I am 42 years old, I do have depression, social anxiety disorder, and possibly full-blown PTSD, like some have already stated I do similar things, it started with mumbling things under my breath, and grew to where, if I was alone, I would start yelling or blurting out random non-sensical phrases, either out of shame from past mistakes, or I thought I was doing it because I felt the onset of depression, or I just feel so miserable. I did it once recently in the grocery store and caught myself before I got too loud.

Thank you all for sharing, I am glad to know I am not alone, and still puzzled as to what this may really be, if not Tourrettes something else... who knows.

[IAmCamille]

It's really troubling to experience all these. I hope you can have it checked to maybe help you out medically?

[CBA43]

Hi Shepard

Did you ever figure out what the cause and ways to fix it were? My symptoms are almost exactly like yours.

Thanks

[CBA43]

I had to sign up once I saw this thread. I was searching for reasons why I shout. And I stumbled onto this, and so here I am.

I am 42 years old, I do have depression, social anxiety disorder, and possibly full-blown PTSD, like some have already stated I do similar things, it started with mumbling things under my breath, and grew to where, if I was alone, I would start yelling or blurting out random non-sensical phrases, either out of shame from past mistakes, or I thought I was doing it because I felt the onset of depression, or I just feel so miserable. I did it once recently in the grocery store and caught myself before I got too loud.

Thank you all for sharing, I am glad to know I am not alone, and still puzzled as to what this may really be, if not Tourrettes something else... who knows.


I do the same thing. Did you find out the cause and cure?

[IAmCamille]

How are you? I hope you're okay and got your self checked already.

[Enthydr]

It's important to address issues like this as early as possible. It's harder to get out of a situation that you've been in for so long as you might get used to it and feel that it's normal.

[originalscreenname]

just checking in, I have not found a cure, I think the cause though, is from a manic episode I had back in December of 2020.

I still occasionally yell, I haven't caught myself doing it in public as of late; and only periodically while driving. I notice I do it at home, on occasion, when intrusive or ruminating thoughts happen... I think I am doing it, as a soothing or distracting method to I guess combat the intrusive/ruminating thoughts; maybe.

Or sometimes I feel so lonely, and I burst out in a yell.

Shrugs

I guess it beats doing something harmful.

[Kirk]

I had a friend of mine years ago who used to yell very loudly in a car or a similar place when he became stressed. He called it an Indian yell. He said he felt better afterwards and less stressed.

[Ponder]

Upgrade:

https://i.ibb.co/HzHdmpS/tenor.gif

[IAmCamille]

I had a friend of mine years ago who used to yell very loudly in a car or a similar place when he became stressed. He called it an Indian yell. He said he felt better afterwards and less stressed.

That's actually true. You'll feel better after letting it all out. I think every person has a different outlet and some prefer this.

[Enthydr]

It's a good thing that he knows how he'd feel better.

[Mindalex]

It makes me feel better when I scream my heart out. I think that's important that we're able to release all the emotions that we're keeping inside.

[IAmCamille]

I used to talked to myself whenever I'm thinking of something that needs decision but, I don't shout. Shouting at yourself is a different level and needs medical attention as soon as possible.

[Ponder]

Perhaps this is what some you need in a controlled environment?

https://i.ibb.co/6R1qz3D/Scream-Therapy.gif

It's nothing new. Just repackaged and sold off as 'Primal Therapy' - 'Scream Therapy' - 'Primal Scream Therapy' Depends on the author and the program being sold. I was subject to it back in around the mid 80's nearing some 35 years ago now. My experience was in a group session and for me I found it overly confronting. Whilst some proponents claim that the therapy is good for individuals with a 'fractured' inner child, particularly victims whos voice was bound by oppressive others, environments and acts, this therapy can also have the reverse effect that is synonymous with the reliving effect.

That said, just because I am one of the ones that has an adverse reaction to this kind of therapy (extremely traumatic childhood) does not mean it 'could' be useful to a few. Personally having live long enough now, I can see more pitfalls to this kind of therapy in a world as is today.

1stly the marketing campaigns for it do not warn enough about the adverse reactions which is common if you think in terms of GPs and Pharmaceuticals. Sure you can get benefits but you really have to educate yourself and shop around gauging the potential not from other peoples experiences but more your own.

2ndly The very nature of our world today looks to make people reliant. This kind of therapy if at all useful, is something to be tried and then move on. It's not something you want to be stuck in as it may exacerbate an already deep seeded and destructive coping mechanism. Very problematic for those of us with compulsive issues; also on the rise.

I'll leave it at that. I'd love to write more but think that's essence enough. Finding a release a very important. I've been subject to so much anger and bitterness that this kind of therapy is not good for me. It actually worries me that it's being sold as a form of Yoga more akin to a fad. No doubt it's a good marketing strategy being presented like that. Roll Up - Roll Up! Just bring something loose and bright and we'll start selling Primal Attire with Scream Therapy Mats! Whoever screams the loudest gets to go first.
_____________________________

I realise my musings here is not about uncontrolled shouting or screaming but maybe if you look into it you might find this primal thing for you. None of us want to go around yelling and screaming all day in a world beyond our control. I myself find solace in a more controlled outlet that does not rely on screaming. I have been in these groups and that's the first thing you start with in order to go first. To much competing in such a toxic way made me sick to the core. I picked myself up, packed my sack and walked several kilometers before hitching a ride on the nearest main road and never looked back at said therapy ever again. But that's just my experience - yours may be different!

But hey - apparently it works great for buddying athletes, singers, actors and so on. I think the controversy is well warranted myself as explained above. You just need to know what your getting into and those who have had a very abusive childhood would probably do well to find another avenue. Those selling it need to be more clear.

The concept has potential but needs more fine tuning with different outlets that are more aligned to an individuals make up. The is no one size fits all in these marketed therapy's. Be very wary of any therapy when sold like so.

[Ponder]

If so Pedro, my intelligence must be off the charts!

I left you message in my thread ... go check it out.

Srry if the last one reads as a pop up! :eek:

[PollyPolly]

Just yelled ‘fuck you’ on my own to nobody and about nobody and realised my landlord must have heard me. Thought about you and this post straight away 


So glad I have found other people like me!

My main shouts are "fuck off", "I want to die" and "I love her".

Happens much more often when alone and I'm anxious about something or thinking of an embarrassing/cringy memory.

I shout in my room alone and I know other people can hear me through the walls. Especially embarrassing to me when I'm doing the "I love her" and variants shouts. (I live in halls at uni atm)

Only thing that others haven't said that I have is neck jolts as well, often at the same time as the shouting.

Would be nice to talk to someone else with this. Can only find anything on it here and nothing on causes/how to stop.