Why Do People Repeat Themselves?

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According to the Center for Nonviolent Communication, people repeat themselves when they feel they have not been heard. Obsession with things also causes people to repeat themselves, states Lisa Jo Rudy for About.com. Cognitive dysfunction, such as dementia can also cause people to repeat themselves, notes Carol Bradley Bursack for AgingCare. The University of Rochester Medical Center Health Enclyclopedia notes that people can also repeat actions.

According to Bursack, loss of short-term memory causes people to forget what they say, which means they may not know they are repeating themselves. Children repeat themselves because they want to understand things and create new memories. Coping with the aged who repeat themselves involves distracting them by talking about something else or redirecting them to other activities, notes Bursack.

The University of Rochester Medical Center reveals that people with obsessive-compulsive disorder repeat numbers and words in their heads, which helps them to overcome their fear and anxiety. The Center for Nonviolent Communication says that people often repeat things that bother them so they can relieve their frustration. Bursack adds that elders without dementia can repeat stories when reflecting on their lives to find meaning. Understanding the reasons why people repeat themselves is important in coping with their behavior. Lack of confidence and a need to become dominant can also cause people to repeat themselves.