Does anyone else feel when they are talkin... - Anxiety Support

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Does anyone else feel when they are talking that words come out wrong..or you can't come up with the right word to use?

mzdawn74 profile image
58 Replies

Since this whole depression and anxiety thing began I have noticed that I'm constantly saying words incorrectly. Like my mouth won't work and the word comes out all jumbled or I just say things that don't make sense. I've also noticed that my vocabulary has decreased and I tend to use very basic words now....I tend to think all the time now that just being quiet is best because I feel so stupid. I don't understand how I went from a very intelligent, articulate and able bodied person to this bumbling idiot! Anyone relate to this?

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mzdawn74
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58 Replies

I am completely the same with words due to my anxiety so I understand how you feel at this particular moment in time, it does past so please don't worry too much about it as it will stress you out even more and it will cause you to mispronounce words even more. What you have been experiencing recently, shouldn't make you feel stupid or make you sound like a bumbling idiot and I went and still go through phases where I use very small words to express how I feel due to my depression and anxiety so you are not alone so please don't ever think you are alone. If you ever need to chat about anything, you are welcome to message me instead of replying to comments if that's easier xx

Hope this has helped in some small way.

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to TheEssexPrincess1994

It's so damn frustrating. This happens all the time now. Before all this started I never had a problem speaking! It affects so many aspects of my life. I walk around in a fog..scared to speak for fear I will look stupid.

bt101 profile image
bt101 in reply to mzdawn74

I've had the same problems since i was 13, i'm now 18 and can honestly say i'm a lot better than what i used to be. i still have anxiety issues but they are nowhere near as bad as they were. I have the same speech problems you do and sadly they are due to the anxiety, as you begin to conquer your anxiety the trouble to find words get easier. for me personally the trick has been to remain positive and always look at the good side of things no matter how bad it seems. i suffer from depression as well and i feel the most important thing to have whilst dealing with it is hope. keep the belief that you can overcome your problems no matter how depressed you may feel. I personally don't like the fact that depression, anxiety etc are considered mental illness'. To me mental illness is just a state of mind that you can become trapped in, and as easy as you fall in you can fall out of it. the mind is a complex thing and can easily overwhelm you if you let it. But once you grow comfortable with yourself everything becomes a lot clearer. From personal experience i recommend exercise and socializing, they are good ways of building self esteem and beginning to overcome your problems. i hope you find some of this useful :)

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to bt101

Thank you for your feedback and opinion. I also feel that it is a state of mind, but it is very difficult at times to overcome. Happy Holidays to you and your family bt101!

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to mzdawn74

Same. When I step into Sec 4 I have been thinking of words

CarmelaGrace profile image
CarmelaGrace

I am sure you are still an intelligent, articulate and able-bodied person. This happens to me too. I think it happens to a lot of people when their thoughts run faster than their tongue! I generally make a joke of it, and descend into 'bla bla bla' while smiling, take a breath, and start again - slower. Most people tend to be sympathetic. The main thing is not to get too hung up on it, or you can find yourself holding back from speaking - like you say, 'just being quiet is best' - it is not the best. You have a voice, and nothing should stop you from using it.

Take your own time, and say what you have to say. It doesn't matter what words you use.

xxx

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to CarmelaGrace

Thank you CarmelaGrace. Happy Holidays!

lulu91 profile image
lulu91

Yes , I feel exactly like that all the time . Im sorry you feel like like that it just sucks that we feel like this... I feel almost like im on auto pilot cause im in my own head so much.. your not crazy its just anxiety I hate it it makes me so angry...

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to lulu91

I'm in my own head 24/7. It's hard to believe I get anything done!

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to lulu91

I also the same. I keep thinking of words. Its very annoying

Omy yes!! I stutter because of it more then I should :(

Especially if I'm around a crowd of people like the other day at the pool just to tell my kids to get out of the pool I stuttered and there was a couple right next to me looking at me like I'm "special" :(

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to

Oh..I know that look all to well!

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to

Same

Hi,

Yes I feel the same, especially in a group of people, and everybody looks at you, and then I forget what I was saying, but as myself and my friends, are of a certain age, we joke, luckily, and blame it on that.

Don't sit quiet, you are the same person underneath this horrible anxiety.

Eunice x

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to

Thank u!

Photogeek profile image
Photogeek in reply to mzdawn74

Hi there and I know that feeling. About two years ago I had started

A new antidepressants and when I wanted to say something, it's

Like I got a brain fog, for want of a better word. I would be unable

To find he exact word that I wanted to describe something. It

Was very annoying, later on I would think of the word.

Don't over stress or worry about this as that makes it worse

A good listener is always welcome in any conversation , but at the same

Time don't let yourself be hampered by this phenomenon .

I'm sure your brain is fine, I think mine is. Lol. Although some

Of my friends might not agree.

Hugs to you

Hannah x

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to Photogeek

Sorry for the late reply Hannah. It's so hard not to stress, especially when you feel it's something more than just depression.

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to Photogeek

I cannot take it anymore

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to Photogeek

Same

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to

Same

bepete profile image
bepete

I agree with what Hannah says.

I tend to lose words and then remember what I was supposed to say later ,with me though its because im getting on a bit ?

And I believe most of the people on these sites be it anxiety support living with anxiety or depression in action ,are all very intelligent.

pete xx.

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to bepete

Thanks.

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to bepete

My want is both

LouisaSmudge profile image
LouisaSmudge

Yep! Definitely understand that! And when it happens at a crucial moment such as at work, etc. It can be a nightmare! You're definitely not alone and just remember you are still a fantastic articulate individual xxx

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to LouisaSmudge

Thanks!

Mysteryreader profile image
Mysteryreader

sOUNDS JUST LIKE ME really struggle sometimes to get my words out. Makes me feel really stupid. The trouble is the more you get anxious about it the worse it is. Then later on i'll think of the word I wanted to say and say it and people look at me daft. Obviously the last bit does depend where I am.

MR

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to Mysteryreader

I know! I will be in the car and all of a sudden the word will come to me!

Terri28 profile image
Terri28

Hi! I myself have been experiencing this recently.. I hate it. My mind over thinks sooo much that my words come out fast & I feel like I stutter a lot more & my words seem like they get stuck & don't want to come out of my mouth:( I worry soo much that I think It's a stroke or something bad is going to happen to me.. This anxiety sucks sooo much:( hope you feel better. Take care

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to Terri28

Thank you.

lifexperience profile image
lifexperience

I know exactly what you mean. I go in phases where the wrong words come out repeatedly, it's quite embarrassing and makes me look thick. First I thought it was the Menopause, then I heard Fibromaglia causes this. I hadn't thought of my anxiety being the cause.

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to lifexperience

Yeah it seems I'm always searching for the cause to no avail!

lamrine profile image
lamrine

I TOTALLY understand what you mean. When I was having bad anxiety, it got to the point where I could barely talk or even read out loud. I would "trip" over my words and mess it up. I've overcome it, but there are still times when I stutter. Don't beat yourself up over it.

I recommend that you practice reading out loud. First alone, then once you feel you are fluent, try practicing reading in front of one or two people, maybe family members or a little kid. It will help you practice enunciating the words, and you will become more comfortable with hearing yourself speak if you do it in front of people.

Best of luck to you! xx

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to lamrine

Thanks for the tips! May I ask how you got your anxiety under control?

lamrine profile image
lamrine in reply to mzdawn74

Of course you can! My anxiety didn't start to get any better until I started seeing a therapist who specialized in anxiety/depression. I know this isn't an option for everyone because it can be expensive, but many insurance policies will pay for some of the therapy.

While I was in therapy, we practiced something called "Exposure Therapy." Basically what it means is that you force yourself to feel anxiety until your body no longer processes it as a threat.

What I mean by this is I would go to a place or do something that gave me crazy anxiety. For example, a restaurant. I first had to get in the car and get there. I breathed through the anxiety. I went into the restaurant. Panic attack. I went outside and breathed. I went back into the restaurant. Still anxious, but I knew I was safe. I forced myself to sit down, order food, and stay in the restaurant. It was terrifying, but after a while, I realized that there was no reason to be feeling anxiety.

You essentially force yourself to go into a situation that makes you nervous until the nervousness passes. It will train your mind to stop fearing normal situations.

I hope I explained this well. :)

sterre profile image
sterre in reply to lamrine

Thank you for posting this, I was thinking of trying this myself, now I'm afraid of almost everything (also at home) but it may help me to get out more. I'm so glad to read that it can actually work.

So you found getting in the car and maybe even going out of your house fearful too?

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to mzdawn74

Good question. When you bathe, do you think of words?

menothyro profile image
menothyro

YES YES YES my problem started after menopause and has gotten worse over the last 7 months could be a combo of my mental health, meno, and thyroid issues annoying to say the least I feel like an idiot sometimes. I am intelligent but feel stupid when trying to get the right words out and my brain is disconnected from my mouth lol :)

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D in reply to menothyro

If you keep thinking of words. I suggest you just keep quiet. Dont talk to anybody. It will make it more worst

sterre profile image
sterre

Stress can make that happen to you, at least I can't find my words when I'm very stressed or anxious. Even words I use all the time I can't come up with! Or I can't think of hte name of someone I've known for years!

I know it's stress/anxiety and now in my case also menopause (someone I know is going through it too even though we're both a bit young and she has it too).

It has nothing to do with your mental capacities!

sterre profile image
sterre

It strikes me that a lot of the women on here seem to be going through menopause...

Or maybe it's just this topic.

But menopause can cause anxiety and panic attacks and if you already had them before, make it a lot worse.

I experienced that last summer when my menstruation skipped so my hormones were probably messed up and at first I got really stressed, always had this terrible tension in my belly and then I got very anxious, more anxious than I had been in years and I also got compulsive intrusive urges that scared me even more and it was hell.

And now I'm still very scared that it may come back because menopause is not over yet. In fact I'm feeling more anxious lately and I keep thinking it will be that bad again, panic all day long.

livm profile image
livm

The same thing has happened to me. I often think I am just thinking about it too much, then I start to worry about having an anxiety attack in public and that makes me lose more words. I'd much rather be alone at home but I know that's not healthy. We need to find a way to move past this, I know I was never this way before so it kills me that I'm worrying so much about this now.

tiff74 profile image
tiff74

We all sound like we suffer the same problems so your not alone, I'm finding not only am I not able to say the words I would like I stutter a lot, I'm lucky my husband finds it endearing and he helps me when I know what word I need to to say but can't get it out, don't worry its something that you can either accept or punish yourself with I've chossen to accept and now I don't seem to get as anxious as I used to which has lead to less palpitations and anxiety attacks x merry Christmas

mzdawn74 profile image
mzdawn74 in reply to tiff74

Thank you. Merry Christmas to you too!

pearlflip profile image
pearlflip

i have extreme anxiety from the traumas that gave me PTSD. when i first got sick i had trouble talking altogether. now after many years of therapy i still have the same symptoms as you. now it only happens to me if i am asked to talk about my traumas.

DACM profile image
DACM

Hi MZ I have been on a antidepressant 20 years and I have everything you talked about. Very scary. Have you found a solution?

TonySquare profile image
TonySquare

I'm exactly the same way... I don't know what I'm even going thru but I know I have a problem With My Vocabulary In I look so stupid when I be trying to explain myself to someone and it all dosnt come out right or its all out of order. And When I text I always forget words

2ndChances profile image
2ndChances

Omg I am going through the same thing. I have always been very quiet and a listener but could still speak and articulate myself when I needed to. For a while now I just feel like a complete idiot, I can't get the words out so I mumble or use basic words, it makes me so sad and I'm in my 30's, I suffered with depression on and off for years. I'm not as sad as I used to be but maybe now it's stress and anxiety combined with on and off sadness and thinking too much. I don't know but I hate it so much I feel like my years of schooling went to waste. What was the point of getting 2 degrees if in the end I can't articulate myself and carry on an intelligent conversation. So no you're not alone. I do agree though that maybe socializing and exercising will help. I do exercise but I live alone and I go through most weeks only speaking with people at work (which is mostly nothing interesting or stimulating to the mind). I wonder what my boyfriend is thinking of me sometimes, lately I just do and say stupid stuff or express myself in not so intelligent ways, he must think I'm so dumb.

Reading as much as you can may also help, you should try that too, but hang in there, we can get through this. 

timb_13 profile image
timb_13

I completely understand what you're going through. It seems like whenever I'm in a setting with several people I get so nervous that I can't say certain words. I know exactly what I want to say but I open my mouth and nothing comes out and I just get stuck on the word. So I end up stuttering, trying several times to get the word out, or making up another word to replace what I'm really trying to say. It also happens when I'm reading out loud in front of several people. And it seems to be getting worse and happening more often. Does anyone else experience anything similar?

S9925831D profile image
S9925831D

I also like that. I keep thinking of words everyday everywhere

Theotherway profile image
Theotherway

I'm suffering from this now... I know it's when my brain starts to 'think' about the moment - what I'm doing , what the other people are thinking etc... I just can't stop doing it, I NEVER had this problem before I just spoke or I was quiet , did you get over the jumbling words and forgetting what your saying mid sentence ? I'm only 24 , I'm over this anxiety :)

Johnyboy1993 profile image
Johnyboy1993

I am going through this now and am struggling. It doesn't help I'm in college and finals are stressing me out and making my anxiety blow up even more then normal. I just feel so stupid some time when talking because I'll over think what I am going to say and then say it lol and some time I'll scramble the sentence backwards instead of saying it forward. Grr I thought I was the only one. This makes me feel better. I just have not felt right lately . I have more stress and anxiety the normally I would due to me just losing my brother, not that my anxiety wasn't bad before now it's so bad I'm just a mess everyday and so unorganized.

x1234 profile image
x1234

hello i have that shit too , but i think this is a disease called brain fog due to lack of something in the body like copper , i will go to the doctor and tell you here what i found , we cant live like that we can have a normal life like others , if i find that there is no cure for that i will get into an endless depression , my father died and i have a sister and a mother that i have to take care of , and if i cant because i cant talk then there is no fuckin reason to live.

jsmith12345 profile image
jsmith12345

I'm experiencing the exact same thing as the OP. Recently things have happened in my life that have caused me to feel a lack of self esteem and confidence doing things I once was very confident to do. I'm not sure whether it's because of my depression state that I seem to use up words faster than I can come up with them, and my vocabulary seems to have shrunk too. I'm also in a constant brain fog that makes it hard to think and remember things. My job depends on me being happy and positive so that makes it very hard to try and find a way out of this.

hippieebbbz09 profile image
hippieebbbz09

Hi I sometimes get this, not often , but I notice if I’m sleepy but try to play it off like i got enough rest lol then yes or maybe I’m super anxious & again I try to mask it I find myself stumbling over words & maybe saying something that may pertain to the subject but still may not make sense lol idk . I get that with anxiety . 😕🙊

Lvictoria81 profile image
Lvictoria81

Omg yes this is so me!!! I was just doing research on this and I'm glad I found this post. I don't feel so alone now.

Leandra2002 profile image
Leandra2002

Oh my gosh thank you for posting this I thought it was just me and now that I know I'm not alone it helps

Magiscka profile image
Magiscka

Omg i just googled this after responding jiberish to a colleage. Im so happy to see im not alone. I usully take EHT which is a brain supplement that helps me with focus but i ran out and new box didnt come yet. I do sell it but this us not a sales pitch. I sell Nerium because i love it and it helps me earn free product as it can be costly. I feel so much better knowing others go through this too. I have bedn known to have axierry and depression so makes sense that is the common theme here. Another thing i think is related is our food and what we eat but im just now venturing in to that snd how our gut health effects our brain funtion. Anyway- thanks for sharing and being vunerable here, it was really brave. My site is candicemoore.nerium.com if your intrested in more on EHT.

dflipguy profile image
dflipguy

I completely relate. You just described me.

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