Poll Does PTSD Influence Your Verbal Communication?

[NomadHeart]

Typically I am very articulate and freely able to express myself both through written (expression) and verbal.

As of late, of with the PTSD at an all time high, along with some other psychological conditions, I find myself unable to speak fluently, or even correctly. My words become jumbled, I say things wrong. It's very embarrassing, especially seeing how I am a public speaker, and that's one of the things I do value about myself.

Just wondering if anyone else experiences this? Is this part of anxiety? ptsd? Or am I just really loosing it all once and for all. lol.

 

[Lisa]

Yep. Sometimes I feel like I lose my ability to speak at all - but not so much in writing. But in writing, i'll find myself struggling to pull sentences together so it affects me there too. 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.

 

[a3a2]

PTSD affects my ability to speak A LOT! Normally, I am quite articulate, and even pretty fearless about public speaking. But when I am suffering, I can barely speak and often find myself hiding or making excuses as to why I cannot talk right now.

 

[becvan]

It affects my speech 100% of the time, which is not an option. Sometimes it's not as noticeable and sometimes I can't even talk.

bec

 

[hapa_gurl87]

I find with ptsd i often feel like ive lost my voice or the energy to speak it just becomes physiologically too painful to do. Like ill want to say something but the fear and pain is just pulling me back. Any exertion on my body that is stimulating or hyperarousing I just freeze up and become paralyzed unable to express much of anything at all. So i just shut down knowing that if i push too hard or try ill get sensory overwhelmed.

 

[NomadHeart]

Interesting to know how common this seems. Lisa, you mentioned about trailing off sentences. Sometimes I'll be thinking in in my head what I need to say to someone, adn say then ending out loud, or vise versa. hapa_gurl87, I can relate to you with that as well. Most times this happens to me during high triggering events (when ppl who bring up fears are talking to me, being assertive) but I also catch myself like this during neutral situations as well.

I've experienced so many unexplained symptoms, that doctors are 'baffled" by. It seems no medical team I've been to outside of IP treatment knows PTSD exists. I also experience the sensation of a cold thick slushie running through my veins in my arms, or legs, instead of my blood. It's slow, and its freezing.

 

[LoveWins]

This was one of the symptoms I noticed first, as I was studying languages and literature and used to make speeches frequently. I was also very social and quite a talker. I noticed my vocubulary thinning and myself putting words in the wrong context, stumbling, not knowing what to say. Of course as I isolated myself more and more and lost most communication witht he outside world it became terrible, and now my language skills have really suffered unfortunately

 

[LoveWins]

It affects my speech 100% of the time, which is not an option. Sometimes it's not as noticeable and sometimes I can't even talk.

bec

I too am now at a point where sometimes I can't even say anything:( It takes so much energy, my mind is fogged, and it feels like there's a big block between me and having a rational thought, nevermind forming a sentence

 

[SunnyBrookFarm]

I will completely forget how to pronounce a word or mix it up with another word (and of course I can't think of an example right now - LOL). I also lose my train of thought often. This is definately a new symptom that increases as my PTSD symptoms increase.

 

[evergreen]

YES!

I have many of the same symptoms others have posted. I only say a fragment of the sentence, my voice is very quiet, I am mumbled, I forget words, forget my train of thought, use the wrong words, totally mess up a word like I don't know how to say it, and also not even be able to think!

Other times I can express myself very well. It is frustrating to appear so stupid sometimes. I have wondered if people think I am on drugs or drunk sometimes.

Great thread.

 

[shiraz]

Yes - so much like all the other posts.

I often can't remember a word I need mid sentence, then I become a four year old trying to stumble out something coherent. If I am symptomatic, I can hardly get myself to speak at all ... if I do manage a few words, they explode out angry and vile - it's like nothing or way over the top!

 

[dust]

I answered yes too! I find it very difficult. Like others here my brain gets jumbled and I sometimes can't understand what is being said to me or remember where I am in the conversation. In the past I have had to write everything down so I can remember. I find it difficult to access memories in this state and feel very vulnerable.

dust