Ever Wish you were Nonverbal?

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It might sound strange, but there are times when I wish I were nonverbal and couldn't speak, having to communicate instead via sign language or typing. It would take a lot of pressure off me in social situations; if I didn't want to talk to that random person at the bus stop who felt like discussing the weather, I'd have an excuse not to, and the obligation of trading hello's and small talk in passing with people I know, which makes me anxious, would be eliminated.

I also prefer writing because it allows me time to think of what I want to say, rather than standing there like a lemon for thirty seconds while my brain churns out words for me to speak. I think it would also prompt people to pay more attention to what I was saying, because it requires more effort on my part to produce, and on their part to take in. I feel misunderstood and unheard a lot of times, and I think making people read what I had to say instead of having them sort of half-listen would improve this.

Because I think in pictures, which take time to get translated into spoken language, I'm much more closely connected with written words (concrete symbols which bear a broad similarity to pictures in and of themselves) than spoken ones, and writing my stories, or posting on these forums always feels more natural for me than conversing and speaking do.

I would give up speaking, but my friends, family, job, and school all prevent this. Perhaps one day I'll move to a place where no one knows me and just stop talking for a while.

What about you all? Are there times when you feel not speaking would be easier for you?

The thought's never crossed my mind actually. I've always been told by the people I feel comfortable around that I'm one of the best to talk with, and one of my best friends once told me those that have difficulty speaking or don't talk often often have the most insightful things to say.

I do.


Sometimes I wish I was a mute so no one expects me to speak. So people would stop judging me for my voice or my wording which I'm trying to work with and it's still annoying.

And mainly because I do think in pictures, not in words. Whenever I speak, things might get complicated while it's much better if I draw or write it somewhere...

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Since I became actually non verbal(tongue cancer) I can say I would not wish it on anybody. People assume because you can not talk you are intellectually disabled. The multitasking issues in conversations are a lot worse. I am often still writing a response to one topic when the other person is 3 topics ahead of me. If I write down multiple requests the other person will respond to the first request and then leave.

As negative as the experience has been for me I am an introverted person who does not like to talk often. I can not imagine what becoming non verbsl is like for an extroverted people person.

No. I would hate to be nonverbal. When I was doing some biomedical treatments for my autistic traits, I noticed that talking actually became easier. I never really noticed that I had issues talking until I had that treatment. Right now I'm back to feeling autistic.

Talking already takes a lot of my energy and communication is still extremely difficult even if i can talk fine and sometimes even better than my peers.

But i do wish i got more support like non-verbals do but they also get pushed more than i do. Its really weird...

People assume i can just be more independent and require less support when really i just need a LITTLE bit of support and i need a little more pushing (even though i hate it..)

I'm very verbal so I would not prefer it. I would, however, love to be able to get away with not speaking to others, even when I'm expected to in social situations.

Hmm... there have been times that I've wished for muteness, but I've learned to understand the benefits of speech enough that I no longer have such thoughts.

That said, I would very much be happier if society was more accepting of non-verbal communication... or at the least if my parents were... I don't think I could count how many times anxiety has stopped me speaking and people have called me rude as a result.

So basically, I wish I didn't have to speak, but I wouldn't wish away the ability anymore in case of emergencies.

In reality, no, but I so understand what you mean. Talking takes so much effort and even though I'm actually very good verbally, it is tiring. I love days where I don't have to talk to anyone. However, I would hate not to have the option of speech. But yes, sometimes I do fantasise about not having to talk!

That is exactly how I feel, StarTrekker. And I have occasionally tried it out.

I noticed that "I am often still writing a response to one topic when the other person is 3 topics ahead of me. If I write down multiple requests the other person will respond to the first request and then leave." as well, ASPartOfMe. But this also happens if I try to communicate verbally. I just can not win.

I have been told that "those that have difficulty speaking or don't talk often often have the most insightful things to say" too, greenylynx.

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31st of July, 2013
Diagnosed: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Auditory-Verbal Processing Speed Disorder, and Visual-Motor Processing Speed Disorder.

Weak Emerging Social Communicator (The Social Thinking-­Social Communication Profile by Michelle Garcia Winner, Pamela Crooke and Stephanie Madrigal)

"I am silently correcting your grammar."

The vow of silence. Yes, I've thought about it.

^^I haven't - but I've known plenty of people in my life that I wish would!

I've also though of leaving earplugs in, fulltime.

I have felt this desire before, but only sometimes.

I am semi-fluent in American Sign Language, and it came in handy in high school when my selective mutism was at its worst, but then again, I was surrounded by teachers and my deaf friends who actually knew ASL and could communicate. As much as I wish I could use signing instead of talking in a lot of situations, the general population doesn't know sign. Which is too bad, because it's convenient for a lot of reasons... like talking through windows or in a quiet library.

Talking is hard and almost painful at times, but the inconvenience me and others around me would experience if I did not talk is greater than the difficulty I have just forcing out words and sentences and being done with it.

Sometimes I wish everyone was nonverbal for a while. Some people need to shut up. lol.

I don't think it would be easier for me. My typing isn't very fast & I'm not a great speller & i have bad fine motor-skills so my writing is horrible & I think I'd s#ck at sign language too.

It never really crossed my mind. I don't really enjoy speaking, but I wouldn't choose to be nonverbal. Though I would choose to better control what I say. Because it's easy for me to lose control and end up talking for like twenty minutes straight and annoying if not scaring the other person off.