Talking to herself?

[SWMBO1950]

I have noticed a couple of times lately my Mum sits with her eyes shut and talks to herself - it is herself and appears to to be directed at someone else! I am usually just arriving and she has often not heard me come in as her hearing is not good. She is 98 and has age related dementia.

Anyone else experienced this?

 

[at wits end]

For many years I arrived at grans house to find her chatting away to no-one. She always stopped without comment when she saw me. I just think she was lonely and talking to my grandad as if he was still there eased it a bit.

I talk to myself sometimes.....lol

 

[Carabosse]

Yep, my mum does this as she falls asleep, not sure if its just something she is just doing as she thinks someone is in the house or its down to the quetiapene kicking in, I am hoping its the latter. I do say to mum not to talk to her imaginary friend for too long and to keep the noise down as the neighbours will be trying to sleep, she says ok, talks for about 5 mins then drops off to sleep!
My mums hearing is going (although she will say otherwise), she did get an appointment to get a hearing aid fitted but through one thing and another never made it, now its a case of I doubt she will be able to leave the hearing aid in, and I can talk a bit louder (which I do) so everyone is happy.

 

[SWMBO1950]

Carabosse: My mum always looks as if she is about to nod off too - well at least she has her eyes shut so maybe you have given me the answer.

I know she misses my dad (been gone 15 years) and would like to be with him but it is not her time yet.

At wits end: I also sometimes talk to myself

Yep, my mum does this as she falls asleep, not sure if its just something she is just doing as she thinks someone is in the house or its down to the quetiapene kicking in, I am hoping its the latter. I do say to mum not to talk to her imaginary friend for too long and to keep the noise down as the neighbours will be trying to sleep, she says ok, talks for about 5 mins then drops off to sleep!
My mums hearing is going (although she will say otherwise), she did get an appointment to get a hearing aid fitted but through one thing and another never made it, now its a case of I doubt she will be able to leave the hearing aid in, and I can talk a bit louder (which I do) so everyone is happy.

 

[stanleypj]

Carabosse: My mum always looks as if she is about to nod off too - well at least she has her eyes shut so maybe you have given me the answer.

I know she misses my dad (been gone 15 years) and would like to be with him but it is not her time yet.

At wits end: I also sometimes talk to myself

My wife 'talks to herself' a lot every day. She closes her eyes a lot, not just when feeling sleepy. She talks to imaginary friends. You usually hear both sides of the conversation, though sometimes there is a pause as she 'listens' and then responds.

I've read quite a bit about auditory hallucinations. They are said to be relatively rare.

When my wife went through a terrible and sudden decline about eighteen months ago some of the conversations were extremely agitated. Happily, they are now mostly calm and cheerful.

Another point is that most (all?) people talk to themselves, though they mostly don't do it out loud. I would think people who live alone are probably more likely to do it and more likely to speak aloud at times, perhaps.

The key point for me would be whether there is significant agitation involved.

 

[SWMBO1950]

Thanks. No agitation at all just comments so perhaps I am reading too much into her 'conversations'

My wife 'talks to herself' a lot every day. She closes her eyes a lot, not just when feeling sleepy. She talks to imaginary friends. You usually hear both sides of the conversation, though sometimes there is a pause as she 'listens' and then responds.

I've read quite a bit about auditory hallucinations. They are said to be relatively rare.

When my wife went through a terrible and sudden decline about eighteen months ago some of the conversations were extremely agitated. Happily, they are now mostly calm and cheerful.

Another point is that most (all?) people talk to themselves, though they mostly don't do it out loud. I would think people who live alone are probably more likely to do it and more likely to speak aloud at times, perhaps.

The key point for me would be whether there is significant agitation involved.

 

[Grannie G]

Yes. One of the residents in my husband`s home is continually talking to herself. It sounds as if she`s having a real conversation with someone else but she plays with her hands and is always looking down at them.

 

[Margaret W]

A daft suggestion maybe, but I talk to myself on my computer. I write myself letters, to express any problems that I have I don't have dementia, I just find it to be a therapeutic release for me in times of stress. It is better if I can offload to real people but offloading to myself helps too.

Love

Margaret

 

[LYN T]

My Husband quite often talks to himself.Last thing at night when he's in bed and after breakfast when he's having a sleepy moment.He also spoons his cereal into his mouth with his eyes closed!!!