LPT Request: I find it difficult to form fluid speech. How can you improve your cognitive function when it comes to conversation skills and concentration?

Submitted by rwtr00 t3_yh0d9l in LifeProTips

I find it difficult to string basic sentences together. Either i can't recall a particular word or i get jumbled, so keep things short even though i may have wanted to make an additional point. This has been the case for at least 5 years.

This puts me off people approaching me to chat as i I'll just sound weird.

Another thing is I've watched a good tv show or film and someone asks what's it about, my mind can't recall the narrative so i can't articulate it ir find it very difficult to.

I'm an introvert so have always been reserved in speech but it was coherent.

The only time I've felt a sense of fluidity in my speech in recent years is part of some medical treatment i received a dose of a drug called Zoladex. I was for a brief period, sharp and witty. Though when the course finished it seemed to worsen my fog.

I'm considering trying lions mane now to see if things will work out.

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RedditismyBFF t1_iubickn wrote

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.

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phwe9774 t1_iubooy6 wrote

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

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rwtr00 OP t1_iucxesr wrote

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.

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Apart-Physics8702 t1_iudefbr wrote

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!

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rwtr00 OP t1_iuds4l7 wrote

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.

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Apart-Physics8702 t1_iufv36q wrote

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.

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thepopularpoplar t1_iuc5mek wrote

I experience this a lot. I’ve never been on medication so no improvement there. I’ll know exactly what I want to say but can’t articulate the words. I can’t recall certain details about shows, movies or books even though I just watched or read them, and my short term memory is awful unless I immediately write something down in detail. It’s really embarrassing 🙁

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myaccountislike t1_iucyrao wrote

See a speech language pathologist and neurologist to rule out disorder

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rwtr00 OP t1_iucxv4k wrote

Yep this is exactly it. I remember bumping into a friend on the train while i was reading. They asked if i was enjoying it and all i could say was, yep it's really good - and they just replied 'ok' and chuckled.

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Susccmmp t1_iubdxob wrote

Is it your speech?

Practicing slowly reading allowed like poetry or books.

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Deltron_Zed t1_iubeb2n wrote

Word. Maybe a public speaking class. Something that gets you in practice and in a format where you can bring up specific issues and get help solving them.

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rwtr00 OP t1_iubfd66 wrote

I've considered toastmasters. Public speaking is another matter, though i feel if i was fluid as others, i wouldn't mind it.

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Many_Relationship488 t1_iudlzj1 wrote

Public speaking, while the first few times are an absolute nightmare, is the best thing you can do to improve speech. It doesn't even have to be just you talking - I joined my high school debating club for the last 3 years and my ability to argue logically and formulate coherent sentences skyrocketed in that time. What also helps IMHO is reading old books (like Dickens) and stuff. Just getting familiar with understanding complicated sentences and learning new vocab is rly good for your verbal IQ.

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rwtr00 OP t1_iubfyzj wrote

I read a lot formally worded content in my line of work every day, though i think this adds to the issue maybe - i can very effectively skim read to get to the key points.

Trying to read more fiction wise, difficult to concentrate sometimes. Reading out loud sounds like great tip and may improve focus. Will try this, thanks.

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Susccmmp t1_iubg5p8 wrote

That’s what I was taught in speech therapy.

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OneMasterpiece598 t1_iubpo1p wrote

Go to a doctor and get blood work done. Specifically have them check your thyroid levels, I was having similar issues and it turned out to be hypothyroidism which is treatable.

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rwtr00 OP t1_iucwilc wrote

Have had a full blood count. All fine in that aspect.

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justtrashtalk t1_iuce5gd wrote

record yourself. works like a freaking wonder and don't forget to breath, kid.

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dnb_4eva t1_iubdozn wrote

Do you read any? Might want to, should help you with your cognitive abilities.

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rwtr00 OP t1_iucyukb wrote

Try too read more fiction. Difficult to focus. Some have suggested reading aloud so will see if that helps

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misanthrope2327 t1_iube65i wrote

This describes me well, though maybe not quite as severe as what you describe.

Honestly, the best I ever feel is after 2 beers and a little weed. It gets me out of my own head, I feel like I can speak and be quick on my feet when I'm not normally. I can speak without having to think about the exact words I'm going to say - just knowing what I want to say it's enough. YMMV.

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rwtr00 OP t1_iubg5u4 wrote

Ha. Nothing not legal and couldn't turn up to work high in any event. Glad it's working out for you!

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misanthrope2327 t1_iubpkx0 wrote

Haha well it's legal here, but yeah, not good for work. I always substituted lots of caffeine, and I've recently been diagnosed ADHD, and those meds help a lot too

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tryunpluggingitagain t1_iubr3kn wrote

I would suggest you try writing a comedy set (you don't have to perform it).The act of formalizing your thoughts and recording them is great practice in figuring out what you want to say next. I'm also an introvert and the act of writing and recording/reviewing my ideas helped me speak a bit better.

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rwtr00 OP t1_iucy5hz wrote

This sounds quite interesting. Extra challenge in trying to be humorous too.

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Amphibian_Due t1_iud0b2k wrote

Are you a big reader? I struggled as a young adult to form engaging conversation in a social setting but after I started reading a lot (any books I was interested in) I noticed a big improvement in my ability to communicate and to understand and spell certain words.

Though I think it’s a good idea to check it’s not a medical condition as well.

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i-think-its-ok t1_iudl3cw wrote

First, be kind to yourself. Every person has a different cadence and that’s ok. Listen to Christopher Walken or Marian Freeman. Different cadences can be wonderful.

Second, practice! Work on small talk in low pressure situations. Grocery store clerks, gas station clerks, any retail experience. Ask “how’s your day going?” Smile. Laugh at their jokes. Learn to enjoy the curiosity about the inner world of other people as expressed through their words. Your goal isn’t perfection but instead a little progress at a pace that is perfect for you.

Third, rest. Take some time away from tv and movies. Let your brain rest. Huberman lab podcast has a good one on focus that applies here. Sleep, diet, and regular light exercise are key here. Have a month where you sleep enough and get 20-30 minutes of walking outside most days. You will sleep better.

Lastly, work on your memory. Build a mind palace. Anthony Metivier and his magnetic memory podcast give away for free the entire procedure. He talks a lot about buying his classes, but that isn’t necessary. You can store phrases and little stories in your mind palace. I found that focusing on improving my memory increased my confidence in my memory. Weird.

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Impressive_Film_7729 t1_iudp9bc wrote

  1. Watch movies

  2. To start, find monologues that utilize a range of emotions and inflections and subtle hand motions

  3. Practice reciting

  4. This is for speaking and not getting tripped up on transitions

  5. For conversations, practice the skill of follow up questions

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wendywatty t1_iudy74a wrote

Toast Masters group was a tremendous help to my friend with the same issue.

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keepthetips t1_iubd3tq wrote

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myaccountislike t1_iucynhq wrote

You need to see a speech language pathologist and a neurologist

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7lexliv7 t1_iuddu67 wrote

I read a bit about the medicine you were prescribed. Is your doctor monitoring your hormone levels?

Do you have any other Add/adhd symptoms?

Is it easier to talk with people you know well?

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rwtr00 OP t1_iudr180 wrote

No it was optional for me to take it before a procedure to remove a fibroid. It reduced it's size before surgery.

No known add or ever suspected.

People i know well. Yes. I'm less anxious about doing as any lack of fluidity is something they know me for. But still get lost finding a particular word.

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wellshark93 t1_iufa4n1 wrote

This is called alogia, do you have any psychological conditions? For me it is a part of my bipolar disorder, but it can also be a side effect of medication if you are on any

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Ex-zaviera t1_iug684x wrote

I'm going to bring up a TV show, a movie, and my personal experience in customer service:

In "Resident Alien" (very funny show, btw), Alan Tudyk is an alien who teaches himself how to speak like humans by watching episodes of "Law and Order" and repeating the dialogue.

In " The Room", a young woman who was kidnapped and later had a child by her kidnapper had the child repeat what he heard on TV as a way to teach him how to speak intelligibly.

As for my personal experience, just listening to how my coworkers explained things to customers over the phone, and my having to explain things over and over to customers, really helped me polish my speech.

Good luck!

ETA: corrected "the room" to "Room"

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Fun_Amount3063 t1_iubiujf wrote

You need to see a doctor ASAP. You may have had a silent stroke. If not that, there’s definitely something not right happening. This is something that should be incredibly alarming to you.

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rwtr00 OP t1_iucym8x wrote

I'm in my 30s so hope not. It's only alarming in the sense that i don't observe anyone around me having the same issues.

Anecdotally people on the web I've heard say that they are starting to feel like this as a result of having been in lockdown.

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Fun_Amount3063 t1_iud4gxr wrote

You can have a stroke in your 30s. I don’t know for sure that’s what happened it’s definitely a symptom of it. Good lords, you just said no one else around you is experiencing it. That’s the giant flashing sign that this is not normal and you need to see a doctor to find what is causing it.

Staying home during the pandemic did not cause loss of cognitive function. But the reason we all stayed home sure as shit can.

Or just stay home and possibly let irreversible brain damage happen to you because you think the internet has the answers. 🙄

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