Has anyone experienced difficulty speaking? I can write well and identify most grammar errors when writing essays, sending emails, etc. But when I talk to people, I feel like the internet cable in my head disconnects, and the conversation goes on automatic mode. This happens mostly at work or when I’m outside talking to strangers. That does not happen so much when I talk to people I live with or close to. Symptoms are usually not keeping eye contact (easier to think), forgetting words, or saying something that doesn’t make sense (sentence structure might be incorrect), some words coming out wrong, or stuttering a little bit.

I feel like my thinking is faster than I can say, so by the time I try to say everything, I already forget what I was going to say. Then, I have to keep thinking (remembering) of what I’m trying to say mid-conversation, and that is the worsttttt!

I certainly can get my point across, but I feel like I have to repeat myself at least twice for the person to understand what I’m saying (I am aware that they may have understood my point the first time). Other issues revolve around figuring out the “right answer” that will satisfy that person, but I think that’s another topic.

This sucks because I feel terrible when I try to explain something to someone. Especially because I consider myself a very knowledgeable person, but sometimes I can not express or share that knowledge through words. It’s exhausting.

Though English is my second language, I am confident this is not a language barrier because I experienced something similar in my native language.

I found about cluttering speech disorder in my search, but I can’t tell if this is it.

Is that a name for this? Can anyone relate?