Gap in language usage both written and spoken

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This is a bit tough to explain, which is ironic given my academic background, but my hope is I detail it it well in this thread.

I feel I have an issue when it comes to the basic use of language in both conversation and casually written posts on social media. I think this comes from experience missing from my childhood. I was born a child on the autism spectrum, I was mostly quiet and I wasn't a very strong reader and my parents were not native speakers: all factors that significantly slowed my ability to absorb language use and incorporate it into my daily life whether spoken or written. This changed significantly as I was approaching my late teens when I was more alert to my inadequacies in my ability to communicate. From that time until my early 20's, I absorbed language as best I could from books, conversations and whatever resources were available to teach myself to become a better English writer and speaker. This worked well for me until I decided to go back to college around 27 where I would eventually acquire a degree in both Literature and Sociology 5 years later. For the most part, such formal education has been instrumental in improving my language skills. This has left me in a bit of jam, however, as my problem is a relatively rare case.

My use of language is primarily highfalutin in tone which comes from my formal and informal educational experience. I struggle to find simple words, expressions or turns of phrase to describe what I want to say to the point where I feel strained to make sure I find way to express myself despite my ability to write A+ papers in a university setting. This may be due to the lack of time spent reading or communicating conversationally during my younger years but it has been really bothering me lately. Words are a passion of mine, yet I still struggle to converse with others, whether in person or online through social media, without pausing awkwardly to place the right words together into an understandably structured sentence.

Are there others who suffer from such a difficulty? Any methods or books I should read to help me with this issue? I really feel like I need help with this before I embarrass myself any further.

... Is this not a common problem?

Hello, what occur to you is a very common problem to non English native speaker. I experience the same problem too since it is easier to write and to read, than to speak.

Talking to anyone who is willing to have conversation with you, or who understand your current problem in communication probably can solve it.