Do you have difficulty verbalizing your thoughts?

Post Reply New Topic

In almost every conversation I have difficulties finding the correct words to speak. There are often long awkward pauses in between words or phrases. I'm not sure if this is just part of my socially awkward nature, or if it is part of AS, or maybe both. Do any of you struggle to find words? My psychologist told me it was because I tend to think in pure images or concepts rather than words. I do know a bit more words than the average person, but it is very difficult for me to think in words so as to say them spontaneously during conversations. I am much better while chatting online because I actually have time to think about what I want to say and what words I want to use.

That happens to me sometimes. I have to stop and think about the correct word to use.

Yes, yes, yes, definitely. I'm not as articulate as I'd like to be.

I am the exact same way. That's why I prefer text or online messaging to communicate. There's no rush for words.

Absolutely. Language itself is my second language--That's also why I'm an English major: So that I know enough to speak intelligible verbose and (if possible) figure out to translate my language so that other people can see it too.

I also have long pauses and one aquaintence (who was working)recognized my voice over a Starbucks loudspeaker when I ordered because of the pauses.

Yeah, plus with my mind constantly analyzing stuff I end up thinking and thinking and thinking about issues that are troubling me at the time.... keep approaching the issue from different directions, using different words and ideas to try to approximate what I'm thinking and feeling. It helped me a lot too to have my psychiatrist be a sounding board and not judge me or prescribe meds or any weird stuff, just listen and ask questions (e.g. "what do you mean? can you give an example?").

With practice I learned a lot about myself, however, and am better able to explain myself about my feelings and stuff.

Yes. I find that my mind goes blank when I go to talk to people. It takes awhile for me to remember what I wanted to talk about. Anyway, when I do the words are all mixed up, stuttered and mispronounced. I never really get my point across.

It happens to me all the time. So i don't talk much.
And when i do it never makes any sense.

Used to have that problem. But it improves with practice. The more you practice - the less trouble finding words you have. You can practice on your own. Just try to summarise you points of view on all the things on your own.
This is not only Asperger's problem. This is common problem for all people. It decreases with age if you practice.

I have problems with speaking what I want to say, because I can never find the right way to say it, however, if I have thte opportunity to put it on paper, it will come out looking beautiful, and get me amazing marks like I got in gr 12 english. I mastered the English language on paper, and can certainly fend for my self in an argument, and generally overwhelm the other end of an argument. But casual talking is where I get killed, as it has no real purpose... If I know I need to say something to someone, I will generally analyze it for days until I have it as good as I think it can get, and keep going until I actually have to say it... A lot of the time I need the push of someone else just to say what's on my mind, because my personal wall is so strong within me.

For me, the hardest part of a conversation is starting it. I don't know how to ease my way into the topics I want to talk about, so I lose valuable time trying to figure out how to phrase my thoughts.

yes, i can have huge conversations with the most clever well spewed randomness, but when it comes to saying what i'm thinking i fall shut.

yeah and when i do figure out how to say it ppl say i talk too fast and i even stutter a little bit sometimes...

I have trouble verbalizing thoughts. It's all up there in my mind but it doesn't come out like I want it to. Which is why I don't talk very much.

Yes. And for some reason every time I'm trying to think of what to say I always flap my hand, lol.