Please tell me if you've experienced this!

[ECR]

Could anyone tell me if they've experienced this or if this is a known symptom of anxiety?

Lately I feel like sometimes its difficult to speak. Several things actually
A) Sometimes its just an effort to form words with my mouth. Like my mouth is tired to speak or doesn't want to do the work
B) Once in a while I forget words - we all have this sometimes I guess, that word you're looking for being on the tip of your tongue
and C) I will open my mouth to say something and an approximation or something not quite right pops out. Like I went to say 'See you in a bit" the other day to my partner and I actually said "See you in a minute" (which wasn't right cause it would be more like an hour). Or again yesterday I went to say "Card shop" and I actually said "Credit card".

It's all relatively subtle at this point and I've been told by a few that this is frontal lobe anxiety. Something about impulse that's affected. But seeing as how I'm having other anxiety and stress symptoms (chronic but not bad headache, tiredness, dizzyness and very high bloood pressure which comes down with relaxing) its not fun. Obviously the hypochondriac iin me thinks I've got cancer of the eyelash or something.

I'm almost starting to develop an anxiety about talking cause this is freaking me out. Vicious circle, anyone?

Anyone experienced this? Would be gratefull to hear other's stories.

Thanks,

ECR

[Paddington]

cancer of the eyelash oh hun that did make me smile:D as for your symptoms ,boy do i get the same ,and hey you have told ME what it is,thanks for that:flowers: I somtimes i blurb out such utter drivvle that i think folk will think me drunk:wacko: along with the dizzy stumbling i would not blame them:winks: It is all a part of our condition hun,not nice,but at least we can share it:) Love Paddie.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[manmoor]

Hello ECR,

Lol cancer of the eyelash lol I once diagnosed toenail cancer years ago and looking back now what an idiot I was but at the time I genuinely thought I had it. I went through a stage with the talking thinking what I wanted to say wasn't coming out right and then straight after came the fear of being alone in case I collapsed so went to my mums as soon as I took son to school and stayed there until it was time to collect him again. Health anxiety is for strong people like us because normal people couldn't cope with it well tats what I tell myself anyway. xxx

[JITTERBUG1]

I experience this all the time. Sometimes it seems like my IQ has been cut in half since my anxiety has gotten so bad. The other day my husband asked me what time my doctors appt was on Monday, my response was that my appt was at tuesday. My appt. was at two o'clock. That really freaked me out and made me think I had a brain tumor again. I am always fumbling for the right word.

[spuds]

I thought a bug bite was a thrombosis last summer. Yeah, I can't remember anything now that I am over 40 and on HRT. I spend a lot of time saying, "You know, he was in that film with...what's her name.. that one from the advert.. married to the one out of...". I wouldn't worry about it, I'm sure it's stress and anxiety. Best wishes.

[igrek]

I've been having that lately, too! Not so much misplacing words as simply having to pause for the exact right word I'm looking for. I've always been very well spoken (as far as vocabulary goes) and this has been having me worried lately. Thanks so much!

[eeyorelover]

Yes I have had this happen- alot more since I am getting a bit older:blush::mad:
I have decided after reading about memory in the latest BORING chapter of my psych book that it's because the words are similiar and my brain just plucks the wrong one out of my memory.
Now if I am going to tell someone 'see you in a few' and I tell them to go sit on a tack - then I am going to worry about it.:winks:
Until then I am chalking it up to a slip in the part of my brain that holds memory:wacko:
xxx
Sandy

[Danuella]

Hiya,hehe that did make me chuckle and oh how we all do that!!
I'm doing an anxiety management course at the moment and we all complain of poor concentration and "what was that"............oh yes,memory loss,hehe.
Apparantly its a effect of the anxiety!!
Hugs
xx

[Insomniac]

Oh yes, I get that a lot!

If its any consolation to you, I was sat in the staffroom the other day, and we were all pretty tired at the end of term. Several people in there had the same problem with finding words, or saying you know, whats-his-name, the one from the tv programme that was on called .... um....

So just join the rest of us. I suppose we are more aware of it and are "looking for trouble". I know my every twinge is thrombosis! Anxiety certainly is tiring, all that adrenaline and emotion wears you out, so I guess that tiredness would have an effect on our ability to remember stuff.

[ECR]

I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has responded to my posting! Gratitude - it is important that we are able to share and support.

But maybe I should really clarify what I was talking about. More than temporary memory recall problems, I was more concerned with difficulty in actually speaking. As in, my mouth kind of has to really wrap around talking sometimes. Almmost like it is physically difficult to say the words. Sometimes it happens in conversations where I might be slightly nervous but then sometimes it happens when I am completely relaxed and talking with my partner. And vica versa!

The other thing I mentioned which was weird words coming out of your mouth (like the example I used - single 'credit card' instead of 'card shop'). Ring any bells with people?

I've been having headaches (which my GP said was tension and I am kind of satisfied with that - god knows I have the anxiety to cause it) but with this talking weirdness, I am freaking somewhat. And of course I am worried its a brain tumour. I know, I know...

Still, if anyone has experienced that stuff, please do share.

Thank you again!

ECR

[EebyJeeby]

Hi ECR,

I get the difficulty in speaking sometimes and it is always when I'm relaxed and/or tired. I often talk to my partner, get halfway through the sentence, get tongue tied and then just sigh and give up. He just raises an eyebrow and gives me that look and we have a laugh about it.

I have noted that since having had anxiety, my brain now only has two states - engaged and not engaged. Absolutely no middle ground whatsoever! I'm not worried about it though - I just treat it as a side-effect of anxiety.

As for the weird words, that's probably just your brain playing word association. When you have lots of thoughts going on, you can be forgiven for grabbing the wrong one. I don't think you need to worry that it's anything sinister at all.

As an example, when in the petrol station queue, I have to concentrate really hard on not blurting out my PIN number when the guy asks me which number pump I used. This is because I'm always thinking of my PIN at the time (since I forgot it at the till once).

Eeb x

[tammye72]

Yes, I have experienced the difficulty in speaking. I had it really bad when my depression was at its worst and I've also noticed it when I take a lot of clonazepam. I am not sure what it is as I never mentioned it to my doctor. I also slip sometimes and say the wrong words. It's very embarrassing as people usually get a laugh out of it.
Another thing I've experienced is the difficulty in making facial expressions. Like something is funny but I can't smile even though I feel like doing so. It can be quite troubling. Talk to your doctor. Hopefully that will put your mind at ease.
Tammy

[Daniel S]

Hi ECR,

When I'm very anxious, especially around new people, I find it hard to verbally express things. Often I'll give up mid-sentence, my voice trails into noise, before I shake my head and stop. I occasionally use the wrong words when anxious, however, I now use wrong words at wrong times when not anxious so that people don't correct my errors when I am worked up.

Dan.

[Nic jg]

Hi ERC

I know exactly how you feel and have exactly the same symtoms. I am awaiting a MRI scan result but that was for dizziness. This feeling of not being able to talk or getting the wrong words has only come on in the last week and it scares the hell out of me, now I start to panic when I have to talk or just don't talk at all. I feel like I really have to concentate to read also and I love to read. How are you feeling now?
Nic JG

[madcowmonty]

With my speech, sometimes i cannot get the words out myself. Thought it may have been early dementia ( i am only 39!). Sometimes i sound as though i am drunk. I put it down to my mind is racing too far ahead of my mouth.