Hi, over the last 2 years I have developed a severe speech impediment that I think was caused by untreated ADD. I can't seem to put together a sentence when I speak because there are like 1000000000 million words that fly in my head when I'm just trying to tell someone a simple story. Does anyone else have this problem? or am I lalone on this?

Hm, I don't know if this is the same thing, but a lot of times when I'm stressed or anxious I stutter or slur words. Sometimes I just go blank and forget words. I am almost certain it has to do with ADD. I'm asking the doc about it when I go in for my appt.

Hi, over the last 2 years I have developed a severe speech impediment that I think was caused by untreated ADD. I can't seem to put together a sentence when I speak because there are like 1000000000 million words that fly in my head when I'm just trying to tell someone a simple story. Does anyone else have this problem? or am I lalone on this?


WOW! I just made a new thread about my slight stutter. I have the same problem! I am 22 now and I can always remember that when I am in a situation where I want to tell a story or I am just trying to speak and process a lot of information, I just can't seem to speak smoothly. Everything just stumbles out! It gets on my nerves. I start medication tomorrow. I will update if it helps or not.

This is what ive been looking for.. You guys seem to have the same problems i have. Do any of you ever feel embarrased about not being able to flow your speech and put your thoughts into speech fast enough to keep up a normal coversation? maybe im retarded or something i duno but i think ill talk to my doctor about add. also were any of you drug users at any time? because when this first started happening to me (or i first noticed it) i was a heavy drug user and had been for 2 years prior. when i saw what drugs were doing i stopped.

I am so, so hoping that ADD is the cause of this. I want to be able to fix the problem with meds. I read somewhere online that certain kinds of ADD can cause a slowness when speaking. I think it has to do with the limbic part of the brain or something. I also have social anxiety, so it might be another symptom of that.

I'm sure I have inattentive ADD, but haven't been diagnosed yet. I go in for an evaluation next week. I will definitely mention this.

It's so embarrasing. I can speak fine when I'm calm and relaxed, but when I'm stressed or anxious I'll garble and slur and blank out. Once, while working in customer service, I stuttered something so bad that I couldn't even finish it. I went to the back and cried! And I don't generally stutter.

I'm not sure if this is the same problem as the original poster's, but I bet it's related.

PS. 2speek2...I haven't done drugs, I've had this problem pretty much all my life...and you're not retarded! :)

I don't think I stutter, but maybe I do a little. It's just that when I'm trying to say something, simple words like "faucet" and "cabinet" can dissapear from my vocabulary, and I have to stand there while people stare at me while I go "the uh...the uh....you know...the metal thing where the water comes out...the uh." It is so embarrassing. I also have social phobia, and I think it is linked to my ADD. Most people don't give me time to grope around in my maze-of-a-brain for simple words and phrases. They start shooting off "helpful" suggestion-words to see if one of them hits the jackpot, and that just makes me flounder! While they're shouting out --"spigot?" "hose?" "spout?" "knob?" -- I'm getting more and more bogged down mentally. Most people get a really exasperated look on their face at this point, so I have to either go on without that word, or just use one of their words that doesn't really fit, but to hell with it! Whether I remember the word or not, they have come to the conclusion that I am mentally challenged, so what does it matter at that point?

Never did drugs, but I've read that many ADDers are prone to addictions. Also it can be an unconcious (had to stop and think of that word--thank God for message boards!) and unconcious attempt at self-medicating. Which is dangerous because there are no checks on doses and some "batches" are stronger than others, so it is unpredictable...leading to increasing the "dose" and eventually very bad reactions and an intense addiction which is hard to shake.

But I HAVE had people ask me if I was on drugs, before. That was before I was diagnosed (had to stop and grope for that word, too) and treated. The difference between drug addicts and people with ADD taking prescribed steroids is that the first is trying to "tune out" while the second is trying to "tune in." (I read that in one of my ADD books, but I can't remember where!)

Amy

Sorry AMY2838! I have not been in the replying mood as of late. Maybe that is a sign of ADD? :0)

LOL! I know what you mean about forgetting about a very common word! I will be talking to someone and I will get to a word, but it won’t come out. I can see the bloody thing in my head, but for some reason I can not think what it is! I am like the umm. ummm... at this point the person I am talking to is asking me to describe it, so they can help think of what it is. It’s a round ride thing that has horses and stuff that go up and down! The other person says A carrousel? YEAH THAT's it!

I do that all of the time! I do not have a social phobia. I am good at talking with people, but I get excited easily. I will be talking and my brain will speed up so fast that my mouth can't keep up so, I will like oh uh ob eh cheese hot dog! It does not happen everyday! Just when I get excited!

I have been on Adderall XR for 5 days. I have had a few stutter moments, but not as much as usual. I am going to try some different medicine in a few weeks. I will see if it helps.

My opinion on social phobia. There is nobody out there that damn better than you that you have to get yourself so worked up over. "Normal" people will find you more "weird" if you do not speak at all rather than being a little insecure when you speak to them. Practice makes perfect. Practice talking to perfect strangers at the supermarket or the mall that you will never see again.

Matt,
Social phobia: Phobias by definition are (... um..) irrational. Social phobia is an anxiety that happens on a subconscious level. It's not something you can easily talk yourself out of. My social anxiety was once so severe that it was debilitating. I have dealt with it my entire life. If you haven't experienced it, it would be impossible to understand.

I don't know if this speech thing has much to do with the social anxiety (which is not a big issue for me at all anymore.) I think it has more to do with ADD. I believe I have limbic/inattentive ADD (which is a brain condition, and is related to different types of anxiety and depression.) I haven't been diagnosed with the ADD yet though.

I'm just posting because I do have a speech problem, and I do believe I have ADD. I'm getting tested in two days. I've read up a bit, and it seems that some speech problems can be related to ADD--which is also related to depression and anxiety--including social anxiety.

Hi Blue,
I also stumble over words when I get really anxious. I have social anxiety disorder(have since i was a kid....VERY VERY SHY)and ADD. They are somehow related or something. ialso used to have speech problems like a lisp when i was little. I've also had bad ears my whole life. I can hear but not as good as many people. i have to ask people to repeat what they said a lot. This could be related to the disorders as well.
And, I have the inattentive ADD as well. It sounds like we have a few things in common. I think you should go to the doctor though because I did and Igot diagnosed for ADD. So now I am on concerta which makes me feel more stable(less mood swings) and more confident. I still am anxious but I also got anxiety medicine called Busporine. I will be taking it in a couple days because the doctor told me to wait until then. Hopefully that will help my anxiety a lot. Anyway, but I've struggled with what your going through for so many years and for the longest period of time I thought I was the only one like that and wondered what was wrong with myself, like why i couldn't talk normally like the other people. Now, since I've been working as a hostess, It has made me much more comfortable around people. Don't get me wrong, I still am socially anxious and have a high anxiety personality, but working and interacting with people more has made it a lot easier. When I"m comfortable with someone now I usually can talk normally although Istill stumble here and there. But the main thing is to be confident in yourself and also go to the doctor and get medication. it will help a lot! Concerta....though it is working for me so far, i dont know how it will work for anybody else because the doctor said different medicines work well for different people but i do recommend you try it! I totally feel better! and you will too!

Hi PrincessBride. Yeah, we could be sisters, lol. I just went to the doc last week and he prescribed Adderall, which just made my anxiety worse, so I stopped it. I'm waiting to go in again so he can try a different med.

(Oh, I did mention the speaking problem, and he said that it would probably go away with the medication. I haven't had a chance to notice whether it did or not.)

Definitely, being around people helps with social anxiety. Mine got so much better in college, especially when I joined a sorority. As far as stumbling over words, that only happens to me occasionally, and I don't know if it has more to do with anxiety or ADD. But it's annoying.

Thanks for the suggestions...Glad you've found a solution to things...keep sharing.

Hey Blue!

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one out there that has had these problems. I think you should switch to concerta or something and if that isn't right for you then keep trying and eventually you'll find the right medication for you! So far I like concerta because I'm focusing better but I'm still very forgetful and misplace things. I don't know if medication works for that part of the brain or not but hopefully I'll improve with that problem as well. Anxiety is the worst problem ever. I hope these busporine pills will help me. I hope my speaking problem goes away. It's much better already, but I want to be perfect and i still have a little ways to go. Yes it does help being around people definitely though some days i feel less confident than others. I just want to be confident all the time. That's good that you don't stumble over words much. Trust me, it's embarrassing! I think it has to do with both ADD and anxiety really. Anyway, if you have any suggestions for me let me know!! thanks :)

Here's my story, and I feel desparate. I am 26 and I did not have any speech problems all through high school. Or social. I was athletic and had lots of friends. In college I started needing help with ADD and started Adderall which helped. I gradulated from college, but I began to have more and more serious speech problems. Even though I have a good mind, I can just barely communicate. Nothing much comes out. People finish my sentences. Friends look at me funny and laugh. Worst of all, I have a hard time doing job interviews or explaining things. Everything I read says "the problem exists," but NO PLACE says there is any help. Nobody has any suggestion about what to try or do. Some doctor needs to take this on to find a cure. I am depressed now, but I never was until this speech thing took over my life. It does hlpe (maybe) to know I'm not alone.

Hi,

I was born with speech imperiment. i know sort of what you feel. the problem is that most people/speech therapest have never gone through this problem.

but this problem is very complicated and it is not easy for an other perosn to diagnose you. if you want you can try many of the things i am trying. it helps a lot.


1. Be excellent at written communication
2. Be a very good lister.
3. understand people and help people that way you will keep having freinds.

4. record a voice sample and try to analize it.
5. see an ENT
6. See an Vocologist
7. See an speech and language therapy.

This is a very big and complex field i have a lot of info on it if you find above help ful then may be email me and i can teel you more/..

don't give up there are people who love you and care about you and you are still able to come over you problems..






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uttwo,

Very good advise. I've noticed after a written report I can speak more fluently. Less uhms, ahs, ers, etc.

balogna,

I'd appreciate a clarification. I got from your post that your speech impediment came after Adderall. Do I have that right? Do you think Adderall is responsible? Do you still take Adderall?

I wouldn't say I have a speech impediment but I certainly cannot retrieve words easily. I think ADHD makes me a little aphasic. Aphasia is a word I learned after my dad had a stroke. He knows what he wants to say but can't retrieve the word, or, will use an incorrect word such as up when he means out. E.G. "I want to go up" means he wants to go outside.

I started stimulant (first Ritalin, now Adderall XR) therapy almost a year ago. My word retrieval problem vanished immediately and only returns after meds wear off. I am interested to know if you had the exact opposite reaction.

Bob

I don't think I stutter, but maybe I do a little. It's just that when I'm trying to say something, simple words like "faucet" and "cabinet" can dissapear from my vocabulary, and I have to stand there while people stare at me while I go "the uh...the uh....you know...the metal thing where the water comes out...the uh."
Amy

my daughter does sort of this kind of thing. When she gets telling a story or something like that in school she does this "um...and ummm" thing. It's like she has so much to tell and just kind of gets confused and it takes her ten minutes to tell you something.

oh, I also wanted to say that my daughter does not have any social phobias or anxiety problems that I am aware of. She atually is a very outgoing child and loves to be the center of attention. She's the first one to try ti sign up for things like plays and that kind of things...likes to be on stage and in the spot light.

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