The Blabbers

[Srain]

The "blabbers", the times where I just go on and on talking almost AT someone and can't seem to stop is something that just is so embarrassing for me. My support team is highly aware of this, I guess symptom, that seems to pop up with me but I get so frustrated with it. It almost feels like a tic of sorts. It's not that I don't talk about things that are important it's that I go endlessly on and on about them at times:confused:.

I really feel like this is a serious issue for me and although my tdoc says that I must have things to say, I don't feel that way. I think it's a problem.

Surely, I'm not with this. Is it part of PTSD?

Rain

 

[Sazza]

I am so with you on this I to can blab on and on and on. No expert on if it's PTSD related but I'm Wondering I'd there is a connection between the mind struggling to process certain information that makes us prone to feeling the need to repeat the same thing and go on and on about it. Just a thought but that would make sense to me I know I am terrible for going on and repeating even when I have said things I feel need say it again like I'm stuck on a thought or moment.

So you are not alone on this.

 

[anni]

I love calling it the blabbers-sorry but that made me laugh. I agree with Sazza, plus I wonder if also it's somewhat the result of that THING we do where somehow the approval of others seems terribly important, you know? All the antennae are constantly, constantly waving around trying to figure out how we're bouncing off the other person or people-I don't know with zero self image/self esteem must always be trying to see oneself in a mirror or something. Maybe blabbering has something to do with trying to catch a glimpse of oneself, if that makes any sense.

 

[Srain]

I'm not sure about the self-approval, but that could be part of it, or just trying make sure the information I am trying to convey is actually getting across. Does that make sense? I don't always feel like I talk the same language so I can find myself saying something one way...then another....then another...then still another...:O_o:..holy crud it'd really be helpful if I spoke a few dozen languages because then maybe it might make more sense what I'm actually doing instead of just what it appears to be, repeating myself. Except maybe the person might thing I'm hallucinating that I'm at the UN!

 

[NIKI]

My husband says I do this alot too. Sometimes he says something and sometimes he just lets me repeat and repeat. I feel like I do it to make sure that I am being heard correctly. That I am getting my point across. I know I do it but I can't stop. :( Also though, my husband works ALOT, so we don't have alot of alone time just to talk. So when I get him I just BLAB, BLAB, BLAB away.:geek:

 

[Kim]

Yeah, I've been told I "talk a lot" as well. I also do like others have said - if I don't feel that my "point" was understood I'll explain it differently hoping that it will be easier for that person to understand. I find myself doing this with my husband all the time. I also find myself saying something completely off topic during a conversation. When I realize that I've said something out loud I find myself wondering where the hell it came from and why I found the need to say what I did.

What really drives my husband crazy is when we finish talking about something and then I start talking about something completely different as if we were talking about it all along. I seem to change subjects without missing a beat and I just continue on as if he knows exactly what it is I'm talking about. When I do this he just looks at me with his eyes glazed over and asks me what I'm talking about. The poor man is in a constant state of confusion. We usually end up laughing about it when that happens.

 

[Emilie]

Ugh, I know this all too well. It's very distressing for me because it adds to my paranoia about social situations. Being a new member here I feel like I'm "blabbing" a lot and I feel kind of apprehensive about it. The only thing I can think of is that I just have so many thoughts in my head and not enough people to share my thoughts with, so when I meet someone it all comes out like diarrhea of the mouth. Lol

Don't worry though. being a blabber mouth myself, I tend to like people who blabber a lot back. So if you need to just vent it out or anything I got your back :) No judgment here.

 

[anni]

Some of this is awfully funny-in a cute way, I mean. At least it seems as if theres some awkwardness or something attached to one's blabbering. I do that off-topic thing also-allllll the time. My husband just looks at me but the kids aren't as polite-they'll say 'Where the hell did THAT come from, Mom?'. Dunno. I do wonder if Sazza's thing about needing to process might be the closest explanation, really.

Once again, however, nice to know one is not 'the only one'.

 

[Emilie]

Yea, I agree and can relate on that. I know for me, it's a subconscious urge to HAVE to reiterate everything. I feel like I am being vague in conversation so I elaborate in many different ways to make sure I get my point across; which to your average joe, I'm assuming can seem like you are jumping around in conversation because the concept either becomes more and more abstract or vague. In my mind all of the content is clearly relevant at the time. But sometimes when I go back and read over it, a week or so afterward, I forget why those things correlated to me and I see how weird my conversation looks.

Edit/ Also- I think that's why I tend to feel bad about most social networking sites. If I can go back and see where my mistake was it's often a blow to my self-esteem knowing that somebody probably saw it and thought, "Wow, what the heck?"

 

[Dizzydays]

I do this as well and call that particular aspect of my personality "the reporter". More like the unstoppable reporter, actually.

 

[Srain]

Yea, I agree and can relate on that.

Umm, YEAH! What she said :)

Exactly! I do this all the time. I had this long, forget, I doing the blabber. ;)

Rain

 

[Sammy]

Just found this... add me to the club. Even as I am chattering away, I know I am chattering and know I need to stop. (The panic in someone else's eyes is a clue...). I feel like such a dork. I think it might be a combination of factors - not many people to talk to (yeah, that isolation thing comes back to bite me in the backside) and just wanting to be sure they understand. I think I was so neglected and not listened to growing up, part of my brain is trying to make up for lost understanding. It is just weird. Good thing is, my husband does it, too. Oh my goodness he can drive me crazy with his stories... same ones, over and over and over...

I also do the topic switch. What is really frustrating is when I start talking about something where the conversation has been going on in my head and then start forgetting my words. ARGH. I know what I am talking about, spouse has no clue. He doesn't want to believe I have PTSD so the forgetting words drives him batty. Throw in a new topic and he looks at me like "What is wrong with you? Are you an idiot?" I want to just say, "Remember? I said I have PTSD. This is one of the symptoms. Don't get mad, I am not doing it on purpose and it is frustrating for me, too!! Try living it!