Speecheasy device for social phobia and dissociative related speech problems.

[Abstract]

This device is meant for those that stutter. It feeds back ones own voice with a slight delay and that apparently somehow helps reinforce the persons ability to speak.

I am just wondering if it could help me. I don't stutter but I believe part of what I experience is due to feeling so unreal and separate from the world around me when speaking that speech doesn't happen.

Apparently part of how it works is due to the person feeling that they have company when they speak - they are not out there on their own. I am wondering if it that aspect of it could somehow help me. That the sound of my own voice may ground me.

I have other speech problems that happen that I now suspect are dissociative. Sometimes I expect my voice to come out but although I feel I am doing everything normally it just doesn't happen. My vocal cords just don't work. Sometimes I feel normal and yet when I try to speak my lips and mouth can't move. And sometimes I just can't find the courage to speak.

Other times I am extremely fluid and confident in my speech.

 

[Abstract]

Anyone else have speech difficulties at times and any insight about them? Trying to figure out what underpins this stuff. Other than visceral fear of talking at times. Its the contrast between this and my normal fluency that is confusing.

 

[Abstract]

In case anyone wants to try this out here is a link to a simple trail of it. http://www.fluencycoach.com/

 

[presentjoy]

I don't stutter but I think I have a combination of dissociative episodes or flooding/overload episodes when I find it difficult or impossible to talk. I also have an auditory processing disorder. Both these make it difficult to work over the verbal channel. I've been interested in other Assistive or Augmentative Communication devices, that one can type into and then it produces speech for me, rather than me talking into it.

I agree -- the contrast between my usual ability to say things, and even my ability to write things out vs how it is when I am flummoxed and can't produce a sentence or express what's happening -- very very confusing.

Thanks for the link. It is interesting. I'm not sure if I would feel really anxious using this, due to exposure anxiety. It would feel like people are repeating me. My dad used to repeat my questions to him. I felt really self-conscious and sometimes angry when he'd do that. I learned later, he has the same hearing problem as me and he was just doing it to process what I was saying.

 

[Abstract]

Hi Presentjoy,

They allow you to download a lessor quality version to try it out. It didnt help at me at all. Although it may well help ground me if I was dissociated - its hard to know. But I decided it wasn't going to do it for me and as you say hearing ones voice could do the opposite The delay is so slight one can't tell it is happening by the way.

Thanks for sharing about your speech issues and I hope you find a way to make progress.

 

[DMerish]

I don't stutter but I believe part of what I experience is due to feeling so unreal and separate from the world around me when speaking that speech doesn't happen.

Gosh, I haven't thought about this for a while. When I was a young child, after my mother's accident, I felt that way. I literally refused to talk for a while. And when speech was demanded of me I stuttered. I went to speech therapy from the 3rd through the 5th grades, and was placed into music, choir groups, and rhythmic dance lessons (I slept very well then). This makes me wonder if the adults around me thought doing those extra-curricular things would help me. I think maybe so. I will have to ask older family members!

If I am very, very nervous or feel extreme emotions now, I will stutter, and hate it.

I feel kind of bad that an earlier reply to one of your other posts may have come off as being rather callous. I apologize if it did. That wasn't my intention. :(

Drew

 

[Abstract]

Drew, I am sorry to hear you that went silent like that. And that you had and sometimes still have a stuttering problem. It is lovely that your family did things with you that helped!

There is nothing to be feel bad about at all and there was nothing even remotely callous about your other reply. Please don't worry. :)

The literal speech stuff is an entirely different topic to the one discussed in the thread you mentioned even though they are obviously linked in certain ways. The main place I struggle to speak is in therapy where it is very bad. Last lot of therapy I would normally only manage a couple of sentences in the 50 minutes.

I have been doing all I can to try to desensitise myself and build new ways of coping so that I can manage better when I go back into therapy. Trying to identify the common stressors and lesson them or find ways to feel safer. Also just practising speaking about topics that I find threatening or vulnerable making.

Thanks!