Speech Dyslexia?

[laure15]

I think I have speech dyslexia, but is there such a thing? I can read and write without any problems, but I have much difficulty organizing my thoughts into coherent sentences. If someone asks me what I'm thinking about, I'm not sure how to respond. I have a crystal clear image in my head, but I can't seem to put the image into words.

When I was younger, I loved spelling contests because I would spell the words right, even hard ones. I loved to speed read out loud too. As long as I read off a book, report, list, etc, I will have no trouble speaking. However, I have trouble socializing because impromptu speaking (aka unrehearsed small talks) is what kills me.

 

[ImNotMyIllness]

I'm sure you're not the only one that has this. Maybe, just being put on the spot, sends your brain into a panic and you "blank" out. I usually don't experience this but when I'm particularly anxious or nervous, this happens to me too. Your mind just goes into static mode and you can't think of anything to say, which causes more anxiety and makes the whole situation even worse.

 

[laure15]

Actually, this "speech dyslexia" also happens when I'm not feeling anxious. I thought it was a speech disorder of some sort, but maybe I'm just inarticulate.

 

[Metal_isthe_Answer]

I have speech dyslexia too.
After a friend suggested I may have Aspergers I looked up symptoms of it, what you are describing sounds like a symptom of it if I remember right.

 

[RoseQuartz]

Do people often make weird faces while listening to you then say "sorry, I didn't understand a thing"? Dyslexia can show up in speech too, usually when we have no time to organize our thoughts into sentences... there's also speech apraxia which is very close, but it's more like mixing up sounds or speaking apparently incoherent sentences, like "out of order, I mean everything I say, no order, I can't and I'm sorry". it's more like your thoughts race across your head and you kind of forget to speak all of them so it sounds incomplete.

My strategy to cope with that kind of problem was remembering to include all those connectors I use when writing in my speech, and asking for time to think ( of a structure ) before speaking.


So basically the answer is yes, there are many kinds of speech "dyslexia" and other speech problems ( you can google for a lot of them ) not tied to anxiety, but rather tied to thought patterns that are considered confusing by many people. If you can find a good speech therapist in you area, they will surely help.

 

[laure15]

I have speech dyslexia too.
After a friend suggested I may have Aspergers I looked up symptoms of it, what you are describing sounds like a symptom of it if I remember right.

I suspect I have Asperger's because some of the symptoms fit me. I don't have trouble understanding humor or empathizing with people's feelings, but I have poor social and communication skills.

 

[laure15]

Do people often make weird faces while listening to you then say "sorry, I didn't understand a thing"? Dyslexia can show up in speech too, usually when we have no time to organize our thoughts into sentences... there's also speech apraxia which is very close, but it's more like mixing up sounds or speaking apparently incoherent sentences, like "out of order, I mean everything I say, no order, I can't and I'm sorry". it's more like your thoughts race across your head and you kind of forget to speak all of them so it sounds incomplete.

People don't say that verbatim but many times they ask me to repeat what I was saying. Sometimes I mix them up the order of sentences, like saying the verb first instead of the noun. This is why I stick to one-word answers.

I can write eloquently when I am given the time to do so. When I took advanced English Composition in high school, my teacher asked me why I often cross out words and replace with new ones. I would write a sentence but in the middle of it, change my mind and replace some words. My teacher told me I need to write whatever comes to mind. It should just "flow".

My strategy to cope with that kind of problem was remembering to include all those connectors I use when writing in my speech, and asking for time to think ( of a structure ) before speaking.


So basically the answer is yes, there are many kinds of speech "dyslexia" and other speech problems ( you can google for a lot of them ) not tied to anxiety, but rather tied to thought patterns that are considered confusing by many people. If you can find a good speech therapist in you area, they will surely help.

I can't afford a speech therapist, but I'm sure I can practice speaking more.