My speaking issue....what to do next

[UFC_fan]

I have posted here before about my speaking problems, or at least perceived speaking problems - it has been going on for around 4 months now and I cannot see the end. In a nut shell I am hypervigilent of my speech and am finding speaking awkward and am almost phobic about certain words and phrases - it feels like nothing rolls off the tongue and that I have to take a deep breath in before I attempt certain terms.

The thing is that when I'm calm (recently experience when I was off work for a week) the problem is so much better but as soon as I get that tension back in me the problem comes again. It is ruining my social interactions and work because I'm constantly analysing everything that comes out of my mouth and I have a fear that I won't be able to pronounce things, even though I usually do it feels strained and like really hard work.

Am I just over thinking something that comes naturally hence making it seem difficult or do I really have some kind of Neurological disorder????


My GP won't take me seriously, I've been doing some CBT which has helped me accept it's not MND (somehing that I was afraid of at first) but it is still not really helping me over come the problem which is why I keep coming back to the idea it is physiological. I am also taking 40mg of Seroxat which has taken the edge off of the anxiety but not much else.

I've lost a lot of confidence and I wish I could go back to the time when I never scrutinized my speech, it feels like that it isn't possible now.

I'm up for trying anything, does anyone thing hypnosis might help in this case - if I remove teh fixation perhaps I can prove whether or not I have dreamed this all up in my head.

Can anyone relate to this or give me advice?

[UFC_fan]

I'm bumping this not least because it took me a while to write and I am very desperate for someone to be able to relate to this, it feels like a lonely symptom I'm having!!

[Spagetti]

Hi,

I think you have hit the nail on the head here
Quote:

"The thing is that when I'm calm (recently experience when I was off work for a week) the problem is so much better but as soon as I get that tension back in me the problem comes again.

I'm constantly analysing everything that comes out of my mouth and I have a fear that I won't be able to pronounce things"


I suffer from social anxiety, and although it isnt the same thing you are afraid of exactly, the thought process you describe, i.e. over analysing, worrying about feeling embarrassed, say to me that you are suffering from anxiety.

I believe hypnotherapy could be a good option for you. I havent tried it myself, but I know it has helped people reduce thier anxiety levels, phobias etc. If you decide to try this, make sure you research the practitioner thoroughly before you agree to an appointment. Word of mouth is usually the best way to find a good one.

Besides the above, you could look into attending an anxiety management course. I went to one run by MIND and it helped me heaps.

Hope this helps xxx

[oldman]

I did stand up comedy in LA in the seventies and I know what you mean. That utter fear that your blitherring like an idiot. That utter fear that everyone is watching you( and lets face it man> THEY ARE!!!). My fear was all the above PLUS that they wouldn't laugh AND of course they didn't. Thats when it started.

I heard of a drug called " the stage fright drug". It turned out to be Propazinol and I didn't take it!!!
THirty years later ,I am!
Could have been a heroe. GO FIGURE.

[oldman]

I meant Propananol . SOrry.

[UFC_fan]

Thanks for you replies, it feels like a sort of social anxiety thing but I'm still anxious even when I'm not around people like the irrational fear of messing up even in my own company is apparent. Unfortunately I cannot take Propranalol as I'm asthmatic but I used it once for panic attacks and it was good.

It's killing my confidence at work, I have a job that means I need to run regular meetings and I do trouble shooting so I get a lot of problems and generally moans in my directions - the negative energy doesn't help and as soon as the facial tension starts so does the perceived inability to speak.

Has anyone tried NLP? I wonder if this is something anyone has had success with.

Oldman, sorry to hear about the career that could have been!! Tough way to make a living, making people laugh - I'm a big fan of stand up and respect anyopne who gives it ago.