Do you have a quirk that makes you think you’re the only one who does it? Like talking to yourself while driving. Turns out, you might not be as special as you think. One study has found that 98% of people have an internal monologue.
And if you think you’re the only one who has meowing conversations with their cat, think again. According to one survey, 84% of pet owners talk to their pets as if they were fellow humans.
We seldom discuss these weird habits with someone else. Yet we’re not afraid to admit to them on the internet. We’ve collected the best and most out-of-pocket answers from two Reddit threads where someone asked people to share the things we all do but don’t talk about. Scroll down and see if you can relate to any of them, Pandas!
#1
Not really knowing when or how to interact with someone walking towards you down a long hallway. I never know when its time to make eye contact and I end up staring at people like a freak.
Image credits: KateWG
#2
Use Q-tips the way the instructions warn you not to.
Image credits: Justicepain
#3
Have conversations with themselves while driving.
Image credits: ziasaur
Imaginary arguments were a pretty popular answer in both threads. Indeed, who hasn’t overthunk a conversation after saying goodbye or laid in bed at 3 AM in the morning coming up with the perfect comeback they could’ve used that day? Psychologists actually call this ‘rumination.’
It’s when we repeat entire conversations in our head and sometimes can’t stop thinking about them. Why do we ruminate? These are some of the possible reasons:
- It’s a way to control anxiety;
- It’s how we self-soothe;
- It’s how we prepare for similar conversations in the future.
#4
Simulate awesome and highly improbable situations with your imagination when you are alone or about to sleep.
Image credits: GreatCucumber
#5
Worry about how loud you’re breathing when wearing headphones.
Image credits: anon
#6
We pretend we’re looking into the shop but really we’re just checking out our reflection in the shop’s windows.
Image credits: anon
If a situation or a conversation caused us a lot of stress and anxiety, we’re more likely to keep repeating it in our heads. A psychologist and therapeutic life coach in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Natalie Bernstein explains that we ruminate to prepare for similar experiences in the future.
“Rumination can develop as a result of traumatic experiences or the false belief that repeatedly thinking about this one thing can help solve the problem. There’s an idea that forcing ourselves to think about a situation will lead to a solution,” she says.
#7
Running up the stairs when its dark, because satan is most definitely following you.
Image credits: RianonFTW
#8
Overthink social interactions immediately after saying goodbye.
Image credits: wtfBLASTOISE
#9
Judge others. So many people act self righteous about it, but you judge people without even thinking about it. It’s human nature.
Image credits: shhhGoToSleep
Rumination in itself isn’t that bad and most people do it. However, if it starts causing too much anxiety or starts veering into obsessive overthinking, it might be a sign of something more serious. Nevertheless, there are some strategies we can use to stop ruminating so much.
- Ground yourself in the present moment;
- Allow yourself to make mistakes and be wrong;
- Focus on something else in the moment: call a friend, listen to some music or a podcast;
- Put your worries in writing;
- Adjust your perspective and ask yourself, “Will it matter an hour? 3 hours? A day from now?”
- Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.
#10
For many women, shave their toe hairs.
Image credits: thingswillgetbrightr
#11
Daydream about life without our spouse or significant other. Doesn’t mean we’re not happy, just pondering all scenarios.
Image credits: whistledick
#12
I have a suspicion that a lot of people regret having children but if you admitted it, people would think you’re a horrible person.
Image credits: Oburcuk
#13
Girls don’t talk about the difficulties of shaving pubic hair. I’m 20 and I still haven’t been able to do it without hurting myself, but I can’t seem to bring myself to ask anyone about it because no one ever talks about it.
Image credits: anon
#14
Judge someone based on race or ethnicity. Even if the judgment is pretty trivial or benign, or a stereotype that you joke about but don’t take seriously, it’s something we all do all the time.
Image credits: anon
#15
I have meowing conversations with my cat when no one is around. Anyone else do this or am I just odd?
Image credits: Nankey907
#16
Have imaginary arguments between you and someone else, usually someone you dislike, and winning, embarrassing them in front of everyone.
Image credits: anon
#17
Saying we support small business but then only buy big brands ….
Image credits: justindean90
#18
Nose-picking.
Image credits: forsayken
#19
Puts lots of plastic bags in another plastic bag and keeps it under their sink.
Image credits: shmoopy_bear
#20
Saying they are busy and can’t go out this weekend, but in reality they are just lying in bed watching netflix.
Image credits: TheYoungPadawan
#21
When I’m walking on a path by a road I start to worry about how I’m walking and if I look like an idiot to everyone.
#22
When you’re all alone and a really embarrassing moment from your past barges into your head. And then you start cursing at yourself out loud.
#23
Think about what you’re going to say before you even say it, then you stutter for some reason even though you already knew what you were going to say.
#24
When getting ready to order at a restaurant, you repeat the order over and over in your head so you don’t forget when it’s time to put in the order. Then as soon as they ask what you’d like your mind goes blank and you have to look at the menu again to find it.
#25
Inspect your droppings after a long bowel movement. Make sure no critters/ corn flakes squeezed their way out.
Edit: I have to make sure them d**n critters stay where they belong!
#26
Ask questions you know the answer to, for the sake of continuing the conversation.
#27
Enjoying the smell of your own fart and enjoying it even more when other people are disgusted.
#28
Imagining yourselves performing live in front of a huge crowd when listening to songs.
#29
Thinks about being rich and famous, and imagines what your lifestyle would be like and how impressive it will be to everyone you know, and then forcing yourself to accept that that will probably never happen and feeling bummed out about it. For bonus bummer points you can do this while looking at expensive real estate online and mentally planning how you would furnish your awesome mansion.
#30
Almost falling down when taking pants off or putting them on.
#31
Imagine having s*x with someone else other than their SO. Whether this be a passing thought on the street or a brief moment during intercourse itself.
#32
Talk to themselves. More specifically talk to themselves in the shower and win past arguments.
#33
Imagining that you have superpowers.
#34
Imagine how other people think of you. I try very hard not to live in other peoples heads too much, but sometimes it’s really difficult.
#35
Popping blackheads and zits. So satisfying.
#36
When you’re just doing whatever, minding your own business, and suddenly you remember the absolute worst moment of your life.
#37
Binge watch a season of television all day.
Sure, we might say, “oh yeah, I watched A LOT of Breaking Bad this weekend”, but what we really mean is “oh yeah, I did not get off my couch except to pee and bring food to the couch, and even that was a challenge.”
Edit: Spelling. No I’m not proud, but I do have a fever of 103°…
Edit Edit: You know what, before I posted this I was a little worried that I would have no one to relate to. I mean, I know people watch a lot of TV, but I didn’t realize anyone else shared my level of commitment. It feels good to know that there are others out there, just like me, who right now are telling themselves “one more, then bed.”.
#38
Tucking our junk back between our legs to see what we would look like as a woman.
#39
Hold your breath when you pass someone who looks like they smell bad.
Or in my case, inhale deeply to justify my assumption.
#40
This might be slightly off-topic, but when I had a miscarriage, I realized that no one ever talks about it. Tons of women came to me saying they had one but never even mentioned it before. Like a taboo subject.
#41
Sniffing our pits to check whether we stink or not.
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