How to stop hyperfocusing on speech?

[Pelly22]

Hey guys,

I recently posted about my success with quitting caffeine and twitching. That is still continuing so that's good! As health anxiety tends to go though, my ALS fears have transitioned to bulbar onset. My main concern is that my speech is slurred, which it isn't (I know how bulbar ALS sounds and I sound nothing like it). Despite this, I can't stop focusing on my mouth and tongue while I speak, and it's causing me to stumble over my words more often, as I try to force myself to enunciate perfectly, to "prove" I don't have bulbar ALS. Does anyone have any experience with letting this hyper focus go? Or has anyone dealt with the same thing?

[Mocadona]

Ah yes, we all hit the bulbar fear at some stage! What I do if I find myself checking is literally say either aloud or to myself the word "checking" and maybe just tap an object or something as well. I find it can take me out of the bad thought process and brings attention to what I'm actually doing, and that it is ultimately pointless. It doesn't work all the time, but definitely has helped me somewhat!

[kyllikki]

The hyperfocused speech stage is the worst.

Please do keep telling yourself that the more you worry, the worse it will get. The phrases "tongue-tied with fear / uncertainty", "with a trembling voice," and even "speechless" are no joke!

I started a low dose of anti anxiety meds and worked a LOT on confronting things I was "actually" afraid of, and gradually the issue went away entirely. Every now and then it pops back up and for me it's actually become a wonderful indicator of when I am starting to come down with a headcold. The fact that I've got this correlation in hand, and that I've been at this for well over a year now, really has helped me pull my head together.

All the best, really, I promise you can overcome this.