More third-person plural pronouns (‘they’) and fewer first-person singular pronouns (‘I’) were used in schizophrenia than mood disorder accounts

Differences in pronouns suggest decreased self-focus or perhaps even an understanding of self as other in schizophrenia.

Differences in how perceptual and causal words are correlated suggest that long-held delusions represent a decreased coupling of explanations with sensory experience over time.

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Interesting. I know I have more of an issue with using “we” too much over “I” because of how split I feel internally.

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If I see a random internet comment say “we” I just assume they are happily in a relationship.

I used to think that people who identified as non-binary, and referred to themselves with plural pronouns, was something that was made up, but my views have changed as I’ve educated myself on the topic. I now see an identification of non-binary as being just as valid as my identification of cisgender male.

If someone asks me to use plural pronouns when referring to them I certainly will. I don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

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I have noticed this about my inner speech. I refer to myself as “he” or “you” or “we”. I think it is because I have a good sense of myself. I have thoroughly analyzed myself. It also might refer to myself as being set up to buy something in our consumer culture (as “you”.) I don’t like to use “I”, as it is egotistical. Also, I am “with” myself most of the time. Hence the “we”. I don’t know myself objectively.

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I’m paranoid and afraid of “people”. Not “myself”.

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I totally agree. I don’t think that’s what this study is talking about, though. It mentions using third-person pronouns more than first-person ones. Which only implies that people with schizophrenia spend more time talking about other people/their voices/whoever they are paranoid of, and less time talking about their own personal feelings/struggles, compared to people with mood disorders.

That’s what I think they’re talking about, anyways. It’s hard to tell when the whole study is behind a paywall.

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