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… WNC Renaissance Faire set for this weekend in McDowell County Marion man accused of waving gun at people floating on Catawba River Baxter International issues recall of IV solutions made at McDowell County plant Stabbed husband saves wife by driving car into knife-wielding man, NC sheriff says Wildflowers flattened at Burke County I-40 exit, Highway Patrol investigating Burke superintendent addresses Draughn, Freedom football game called at halftime McDowell County animal advocate says well-known cat who lived along greenway missing Nonprofit to build two new homes for Hurricane Helene survivors in McDowell County McDowell alumni spotlight: From Marion Elementary to leading the county's parks and rec Find out where the Carolina Panthers landed in ESPN's final preseason power rankings 1 killed, 2 injured after train hit car in Hickory; Charges are pending in investigation Morganton Festival is this weekend with fun, food, games, music. Here's the schedule David Hoffmann: Local news can bring communities together Interstate 40 repairs now cost $2.8B, up from initial estimate. Here's why Lake Lure business gets slight eviction reprieve as judge leaves open combining suits 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^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAmQ%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 Health Ticks are especially bad right now. How to stay safe Mary Walrath-Holdridge USA Today Health Weight-loss drugs fuel protein-rich whey craving ALEXANDER MARROW Reuters Health In one small Minnesota city, less than half of kindergartners are vaccinated for measles Kim Hyatt, Yuqing Liu The Minnesota Star Tribune 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 What the typical American's life looks like in 2026, by the numbers How average are you? Using the latest available federal and industry data, here are 15 numbers that help define everyday American life in 2026. Is food sequencing worth a try? Here’s what the science says What if eating your salad first could help you keep your blood sugar steadier and leave you feeling fuller? That's the idea behind food sequencing.
Health In one small Minnesota city, less than half of kindergartners are vaccinated for measles Kim Hyatt, Yuqing Liu The Minnesota Star Tribune
What the typical American's life looks like in 2026, by the numbers How average are you? Using the latest available federal and industry data, here are 15 numbers that help define everyday American life in 2026.
Is food sequencing worth a try? Here’s what the science says What if eating your salad first could help you keep your blood sugar steadier and leave you feeling fuller? That's the idea behind food sequencing.