Speaking Third Person.

[Pudd]

Hey VT, its been a while since I last posted, I have two questions that I hope you can answer:

1: Sometimes I find myself talking in third person. I dont mean to, it just happens. Is it something wrong with me mentally or just a phase?

2: Ive never really thought about this much until the other day when I was at my friends house talking to his dog playfully. Ive noticed that people talk to their pets, including me. But I also talk for my pets, in a different voice and at night I literally cant sleep until I say goodnight to the dog that sleeps on my bed, my deceased dog, and our dog that had to be rehomed.
I also have full conversations with them.
Could this be due to the fact that I've never had many friends and don't have a brother or sister?
Does this mean i have a mental illness or something of the like?
Answers appreciated

-Pudd

[Atonement]

1. I call this a habit, not a problem. I see it as a phase that just needs to be controlled, or not. its not a big deal really.

2. When did your dog die? If recently, it may be your way of working past the grief of a lost family member. Though, it could be due to social isolation. I also don't think this is a mental illness.

[peaceloverugby]

Neither are mental illnesses. However, if you find they are interfering with your everyday life, you should talk to a mental health professional. Speaking in the third person can get rather annoying (not just for you), but it doesn't mean you're crazy or anything. The talking to the dogs isn't strange at all, not even the deceased one. I talk to my best friend Jack all the time, and he's been dead for 11 months now. Just a coping mechanism, it'll stop eventually, whenever you're ready.

[Pudd]

My dog has been dead since easter '09. But I still talk to and for my other 3 dogs who are still alive.

[Sith Lord 13]

The first is just a quirk. The other, so long as you realize that you're the only one talking, is just fine as well.

[Syvelocin]

First is most likely, yes, a quirk, though I find myself doing that mainly because I'm two people (alter egoish thing. I'm split ;)) Second, I do this with my friends. I know what they say though my psychologist says she can't see or hear them and I talk to them out loud as a conversation (they're pretty good conversations!) I talk to my son, too (he's a kitty) though I don't think that's quite what you're talking about. The thing with my friends is a coping mechanism, says my psychologist. Like previously stated :)

[INFERNO]

The first one is nothing for concern. The second one seems to just be a coping mechanism especially if you're socially isolated as you describe you are. I'd only say it's a concern when you're hallucinating and the deceased dog is talking to you when you are doing something else, such as at school and not thinking about the dog.