RedditismyBFF t1_iubickn wrote on October 30, 2022 at 1:34 AM

I'm concerned that you might have an undiagnosed medical condition. I think it would be good to try to figure out why you think it's gotten worse.

Hopefully it's psychological - something like you've become more anxious or overly worried about speaking poorly.

Some things that have helped me is to record myself and compare that to people who I feel speak fluently and are good at contemporaneous conversations. The old classics work such as focusing on the other person, and reading how to win Friends and influence people.

phwe9774 t1_iubooy6 wrote on October 30, 2022 at 2:27 AM

That's what I'm thinking too. Especially when you consider they were on meds that allowed them to think clearly and reverted after coming off the meds

rwtr00 OP t1_iucxesr wrote on October 30, 2022 at 11:33 AM

I've spoken to the doctor about the impact of the meds and they said any negative effects should not have been an issue a couple of months after coming off.

I've heard about that book but thought it was about being more sociable. How could it help with speech?

Speaking aloud more and recording, will give it a try, thanks.

Apart-Physics8702 t1_iudefbr wrote on October 30, 2022 at 2:13 PM

Perhaps is not at all a medical issue but just that you’re someone who thinks very, very deeply and needs time and extra effort to translate your inner conversation into an interpersonal conversation. You might try being very deliberate about summarizing your experiences as you go; after you’ve read a book or seen a movie, spend 20-30 minutes summarizing the plot, highlights, and what you liked/disliked. Then you’ll be more prepared to have a naturally flowing conversation about it. It’s a bit like preparing for school work; don’t expect yourself to be good at replying off the cuff if that’s not one of your strengths- prepare instead!

rwtr00 OP t1_iuds4l7 wrote on October 30, 2022 at 3:52 PM

This sounds like a good idea, thanks. Ideally I'd like to do it more spontaneously but at least this would build up some talking points.

Apart-Physics8702 t1_iufv36q wrote on October 31, 2022 at 12:26 AM

The more you practice in a deliberate way, the sooner it will become natural to review and summarize for smoother conversations. Good luck! I’m working on it, too.