Here's another spin on it that some folks might be able to relate to. When I was a kid I honestly worried that I had some kind of undiagnosed mental problem because of this. Nevertheless I don't reply to myself, but every once in a while I will make my room pitch dark, put on some headphones with some loud music, and kind of act out these situations that have been stressing me out. The entire time I know that it's not real and I know it's all just an act, but the best comparison that I can make to it are those funny videos you'll find online of parents walking in on their kids while they're pretending they're having a rock concert and jumping up and down on the bed.

Sometimes it's a conversation that I need to have with somebody that I want to practice for, other times it's a huge project that I'm working on and I imagine that I'm finished and I can finally celebrate, other times I act out something that I am on the fence with and imagine realistic responses of the other party, and that helps me decide whether or not I should do it in real life. And even if I don't do it, whatever it is, I feel a little less stressed out and I honestly find this whole "acting" thing to be stress relieving. Anyone else? LOL