Speech problem when anxious

[recluse]

When i am anxious i have great difficulty speaking in a clear and comprehendable manner. In important situations like job interviews/phonecalls i try to talk confidently but i end up slurring, mumbling, mixing up words etc. I had to phone a company i'm having a job interview with on Weds to ask for details and the person missheard my name (a common occurance)

I also have trouble controlling the volume of my voice when anxious, and rather than speak too quietly i tend to speak too loudly. My voice also quivers.

This is a very depressing problem because i fear i appear unintelligent and foolish.

 

[Section_31]

i sometimes have this happen, in terms of some speech getting mildly slurred or mixing my words up....it sucks!! Its happened to me a few times when dealing with authority figures, like police....of course THEN they think your on somthing and give you the ol breathalyzer >.<

your not alone here.

 

[recluse]

How do i stop it?

It's ruining my life.

 

[Dark angel]

It happens to me also... a lot. I can't give oral presentations without stuttering or sweating and moving constantly. When it comes to interview I say I'm the exact mirror of your situation but the last interview I had I notice that I handle it a little bit better. In the beginning I was quite nervious but I took a couple of deep breath and as the interview develop I felt more confident. I still have the same problem but if I were to give you an advice is don't overthink things and do not see the interviewer as a threat but as somebody else. That being said, establish a friendly but respectful conversation. To any question that may came to the table, don't rush into answering them because you might want to say a lot of things at the same time but in an unorganized way and that will cause you to stutter. If the interviewer post a question, take your time to think about your answer and then shoot it. Make the appropiate pauses as you consider them necessary in order to speak clearly. Try to practice a little bit the day before the interview so you can feel more comfortable with the situation and with the possible question they may ask. Mmm... and...
... Oh Yeah, Good Luck!

 

[Section_31]

I think angel said it best.

Try not to think too much about the what-ifs. Slow your mind down, and just absorb things as it comes and dont be afraid to take a minute to think about your answer.

And good luck x2!

 

[BlueDays]

I have the same problem when speaking to someone of authority. I will say words in the wrong order in a sentence or my mouth just won't pronounce a word the right way so it sounds like my speech is slurred etc.
I was given Inderal (beta-blocker) years ago to try and it made a world of difference. The fact that my heart was beating out of my chest was obviously a major distraction to my ability to concentrate on my speech.
I found when my heartbeat was stable I could concentrate more on what I was saying. Does your heart beat really fast when you are anxious? Could that be impairing your concentration on what you are saying?

 

[Tulicks]

I can relate with all of this... from the talking with mixed words to the inability to control the volume of the voice because of social anxiety. It sucks! SOCIAL ANXIETY SUCKS!

 

[StandingJelly]

I know what you mean! To top that I say things backwards, and I forgot what I just said, and I don't know what I've to say next.

For the mumbling try some tongue twisters, apparently they help your brain to recognise speech patterns so that later you don't even have to consciously produce the sound you want to say in order to say it.