Poll Does PTSD Influence Your Verbal Communication?

[SunnyBrookFarm]

Dust -

Thanks for reminding me - I also have trouble understanding what others are saying to me and remembering conversations.

 

[Abstract]

Oh my goodness! So good to realise I am not alone! This affects my life so much. :( :(

 

[Cheshire]

Exactly the same. Quite often I'll forget the simplest words, not to mention some of the bigger ones, and I'll just pause mid-sentence and lose track. Also I've found that when I'm talking to people I know and if I'm feeling any other PTSD symptoms, my speech slows down quite a lot to what it normally is.. I'm not sure if I've done that subconsciously to give myself time to talk or if it's just a sign that my brain isn't doing things the way it used to. Endlessly frustrating though, I feel so dumb sometimes :(

 

[Sterre]

Yes!

Juggling with words, and pronouncing them wrong or mix them up, to me is a sign that my symptoms are increasing.

One of the words I mix up without realizing is that I say "goodnight" to my daughter when I want to say "goodbye". She just looks at me with utter confusion, and then i realise i must have said it again.

Forgetting names, words, falling back to stupid descriptions of the word I cannot come up with.
"you know, the big yellow and blue thing, that brings you from one city to another"? "you know, the thing you can sit in and read a book while travelling?"
- You mean the train? ( Yes!)
Arggh!

 

[anni]

Yes, and I see where there wasn't an option for if it affects you 100 percent of the time because I'm pretty sure it does. It seems I have to run things through a filter first before it's allowed out, for one thing. iI's like there's some wall of some sort between myself and whomever, where my head is constantly assessing their reaction to what I'm saying or will say so have to plan, edit and filter. It's pretty automatic at this point but am perfectly aware it's there. Seem to spend a lot of time staring at the other person waiting for the whole process to transpire also. It's part of the reason I dislike speaking on the phone, I think.

 

[Cthulhu]

Some years ago it very often happened that I wanted to say a word within a sentence, maybe "street", and instead said a completely different word with the same first letter, for example "soft". It happened in almost every sentence and was very debilitating, I felt like I had a brain injury or something. Fortunately it faded away over time.

But I still have a general problem with speech- I'm almost unable to have a normal conversation, to chit-chat. I always feel like I have to run away as fast as possible, at the same time I don't want to because I WANT to talk to that person. It always ends in an odd way, nobody knows what to say anymore and that's it.

 

[d_survivor]

Yes and its affecting me a lot.
I just recently joined the club its called Toastmaster I don't know if anyone of you heard about it but, this club will help people to improve their personal communication, public speaking, your pronunciation and all help your listening ability to. Its a good club I personaly recommend.

 

[Marie E.]

A lot of times I am just a jumble of words and don't even mention the what did you say again?

 

[Philippa]

God. I had no idea that was related to ptsd, and I thought I was just a bit stupid or something. I've had 'friend' tell me I'm a ditz and dizzy for saying stupid things, or the words just not coming out right, for years now. I evens topped talking all together because it became so embarrassing for me. I really had no idea other people experienced this or that it had anything to do with ptsd, I just thought it was me, being introverted. I'm learning so much from this place.

SOooooooo glad I'm not alone in this. Thankyou for starting this thread, it's really helped me a lot. I thought I had brain damage...seriously. I feel so relieved now.

 

[Abstract]

I'm still in shock about this and very grateful to have read it.

 

[Wanting a life]

Yes! It is so incredibly validating to see that my symptoms are "normal" for my situation!!!!!

 

[IamMe]

Yep. Sometimes I feel like I lose my ability to speak at all - but not so much in writing.
........ Or alternatively, I cant focus at all and my mind is all over the place... words jumbled, missed words. I once stopped mid sentence without realising... I thought id finished it but everyone was staring at me waiting to finish it.

Lisa I do exactly the same things! It's worst for me when I get put on the spot, like if someone asks me a question I just can't find the words, I trip over what to say and end up saying something that makes no sense. Even if I know the answer to the question I am being asked I freeze up, it's like someone takes a eraser to my brain the minute I am put on the spot. I almost always end up with tears welling up just because someone asked me something and I wasn't prepared for it.