[Auburn24]

I'm a 23 year old female who uses baby talk. Never with my close friends and occasionally with my boyfriend. The most I've noticed using it is at work. I work at a very well known, high end restaurant in town. Two of my coworkers have pointed it out the past 5 years I've worked there. The first time I was taken aback, maybe because I never noticed (or maybe cause I didn't know it was an annoyance to other people) I was asked "why are you speaking like a baby?". This woman never liked me, and I wonder if my occasional speech has anything to do with it. Now this baby talk isn't constant, i exaggerate my expressions like "yay!" Or "wee!" In a high pitched voice only when I get excited. But only to my coworkers, not in front of customers. Never with my friends or family. Perhaps it's a defense mechanism in a very stressful environment?? I also will use words like "okay" in a higher pitched voice. Rare if at all (maybe I don't notice) is it an actual sentence that I'm using "baby speech". I guess my question is... Is this an issue? Would this annoy you?? Am I seen as immature, uneducated, untrustworthy?

I'll also add that I suffer from depression/anxiety/bipolar. I grew up in a hateful home and seldom got the proper care I should've been given from my parents, not to mention both my parents suffer from depression/bipolar/anxiety as well as my siblings. I have a temper and am a sensitive person and I take criticism to heart. I'm not on medication as I'd like to teach myself to be a better person and teach myself to be happy without any drugs.

Any feedback is appreciated!!

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Auburn24

I'm a 23 year old female who uses baby talk. Never with my close friends and occasionally with my boyfriend. The most I've noticed using it is at work. I work at a very well known, high end restaurant in town. Two of my coworkers have pointed it out the past 5 years I've worked there. The first time I was taken aback, maybe because I never noticed (or maybe cause I didn't know it was an annoyance to other people) I was asked "why are you speaking like a baby?". This woman never liked me, and I wonder if my occasional speech has anything to do with it. Now this baby talk isn't constant, i exaggerate my expressions like "yay!" Or "wee!" In a high pitched voice only when I get excited. But only to my coworkers, not in front of customers. Never with my friends or family. Perhaps it's a defense mechanism in a very stressful environment?? I also will use words like "okay" in a higher pitched voice. Rare if at all (maybe I don't notice) is it an actual sentence that I'm using "baby speech". I guess my question is... Is this an issue? Would this annoy you?? Am I seen as immature, uneducated, untrustworthy?

I'll also add that I suffer from depression/anxiety/bipolar. I grew up in a hateful home and seldom got the proper care I should've been given from my parents, not to mention both my parents suffer from depression/bipolar/anxiety as well as my siblings. I have a temper and am a sensitive person and I take criticism to heart. I'm not on medication as I'd like to teach myself to be a better person and teach myself to be happy without any drugs.

Any feedback is appreciated!!

we cant diagnose the problem but we can tell you what jumps out at us in your posts and give you any information we may know about the problem you are having....

here in my location usually speaking like a baby has to do with speech impediments where someone due to the shape of their mouth are unable to make all the phonetic sounds and sometimes includes deformities of the throat\voice box area.

that said what does jump out at me about your post is that your post says you dont do it with close friends and only occasionally with your boyfriend so Im guessing the problem isnt physical speech impediments. speech impediments are there no matter the situation and who the person is with.

since you are able to control it around family and your boyfriend my.... opinion and guess ....is that its more a habit then a mental or physical health problem.

suggestion... maybe look at why you are able to control your problem around family and your boyfriend. that will give you a tip on how to control this behavior in other areas.

another suggestion contact your or a treatment provider (doctor, therapist, psychiatrist) who can help you to discover why you do this at work but not with family and your boyfriend.

[StrawberryFieldsss]

I'm 54 years old and I say "YAY!" all of the time. No one has ever said anything to me. Sometimes I still express myself like a teenager... IDK maybe its regional because no one seems to care.

[BDPpartner]

Sounds to me like your coworkers maybe overreacting to your foibles (quirky habits) everyone has or does something a little different. I'm a singer I usually have odd little songs stuck in my head; currently it's cheer up Charlie from the original Willy Wonka film if you were full on " goo goo ga ga I wuv yooouu" I think it would be right of them to mention it but it honestly doesn't sound like a big deal.

Some people are a bit over sensitive as to what you should act like when you're a "grown up" I am happy to say I disappoint them I am a big kid and proud of it !!!!

[yunomi]

I dont see it as a big prob, i think you did it by habit. Not intentional.

Originally Posted by Auburn24

I guess my question is... Is this an issue? Would this annoy you?? Am I seen as immature, uneducated, untrustworthy?

Probably for some ppl it does sound a bit annoying. The stereotype of girls trying to look cute by intentionally do something unusual. So they may think you talk like that to look cute or get attention or whatever. Its just something personal within them.

I'm wondering if it is a coping mechanism for anxiety - much like how someone else might giggle. My mother used to do what I can only describe as a 'clown act', dumbing herself down when she was nervous.