Ever since highschool (10 years ago) I noticed that by the end of the day (around 3-4pm) when im a bit tired, my ability to speak becomes impaired. It is worse if i dont get enough sleep. Now, it has become so bad that i feel like it is socially impairing— i get plenty of sleep (at least 8 hours) but by 5 o’clock, if ive been working throughout the day I genuinely cannot form sentences well unless I completely plan them in my head. My words become muddled and i’ll often use the wrong word and immediately correct it. I also will say sentences with improper grammar (like “did it hear” instead of “did you hear it” or “did it click”). Currently trying to book an appointment with a neurologist to figure this out, still in the process of this. Anyone have any ideas what might be going on? I dont think it’s anxiety because it started long before i felt socially anxious and ive recently been put on zoloft which has helped me feel less anxious but not speak better.
42 comments
Maybe try seeing if you have any nutritional deficiencies?
I’m sorry to tell you this but it’s all in your head brother. You think too much about something that isn’t really a problem which has tricked your brain into thinking of it as some sort of impairment. The only solution is to stop worrying about this and getting on with your life. Once you stop thinking about it, trust me you won’t have this problem anymore. It’s all about the mindset bro, you need to be in control of your thoughts & not the other way around.
Try meditation? Accepting it? U don’t have to speak 🙂 if you are not feeling like it . It’s okay
Schizophrenia. A year ago my ability to speak or read was declining also I couldn’t get enough sleep. Pay a visit to a psychiatrist. Good look.
I think the neurologist will probably be the most helpful. So it’s good that you already thought of that. There are many reasons why this could be happening (for example: physical problems with your mouth or a traumatic head injury can affect speech). Since you described the trouble being in forming and thinking of the sentences themselves, I think it’s pretty save to say it has something to do with the brain.
I hope the neurologist will be able to tell you more 🙂
I had similar problems. I’ve been diagnosed & treated for chronic pain, inflammatory response, migraines, sleep apnea, seizure disorder and auto-immune disease. The meds that worked best for me are Trazodone, Lamotrigine and Duloxetine. My health has declined as I’ve gotten older, but Healthy eating, a fixed schedule & exercise are vital. I prepare to sleep when symptoms appear – always at the end of the day. I consulted a psychologist who urged me to improve my health. She also assured me I wasn’t going crazy or falling apart. This holistic approach has helped immensely. Best wishes!
Hi u/sesame_fern ,
Sleep needs are actually far more complex than simply needing about 7-9 hours a night. I’d recommend getting telling this to your physician, and getting a referral to a specialist. You may well be an intermittent or long sleeper. Keep in mind: as much as our bodies need to rest, or brains actually need it more. It could turn out to be as simple as needing to take a nap in the afternoon to recharge.
If you really think this is the case, go to a neurologist. As soon as possible.
there are a lot of potential causes one of which might be autistic burnout related skill loss (am i stereotyping based in the fact that you are posting on r/socialskills ? yes, yes i am) i think seeing a neurologist is a smart first step but in any case you’re gonna have to take a long hard look at where you’re at in life and figure out what needs to change for this to stop and if its already getting in the way of normal conversation you might need some serious interventions
Maybe you are diabetic?
I have something very similar. In my case, it ended up being Autism. I had a weird disconnect with my peers which meant I subconciously changed how I spoke to most people. This takes a lot of effort, so as the day wore on and I used up energy, my ability to speak got harder. Your situation may be completely different than mine, but its something to consider looking into
You need to see a doctor immediately before things get worst
Try to find someone with a good reputation and understanding not a #### doctor (many doctors are!)
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Talk to your neurologist first, they might recommend you to a psychologist for cognitive evaluation. You’re on the right track though. The internet is full of “maybe this” and “maybe that” – and with the limited information you’re providing, you’ll probably be left more anxious or scared now only to find out later it was just bad gas (I mean obviously it’s not that, but my point is a professional will be much less likely to scare you about something that it isn’t).
All the things that come to my mind are manageable and if they are X, Y, or Z, you’d be experiencing a very mild form of those that come to mind. The fact that your impairment only exists in the afternoons is a really good sign.
Again, go see the doctors. Let us know what they say!
I’m a speech pathologist and I think seeing the neurologist is definitely the right move; If I had a client with your presentation I wouldn’t start any therapy without writing a referral and having them see a neurologist. All the best!
I have this and it’s related to my autism, or so I believe! And I totally feel this. I needed to make a complicated phone call at work today and literally wrote myself a little script AND bullet points because I knew I’d get jumbled up, which then made me anxious, which then gets more more jumbled. It was a lonnnng week.
Try to speak a bit less trougout the day to save energy.
Also perhaps find yin practices such as yin yoga and qi gong or breathwork to increase energy.
And make sure to eat enough protein troughout the day. Will also make you feel less nervous.
Oh man, I hope you’re alright. I had similar issues and ended up having a brain tumor (benign). Good luck! Try to push for imaging. Don’t let them assume it’s anxiety – they tried to with me, but I kept pushing and they ordered imaging.
Try a basic doctor before trying a neurologist
If you’ve recently been put on Zoloft – talk to your doctor to make sure this is not a side effect or reaction.
Edit: spelling
Are you autistic?
Please see a doctor on this it could be serious.
Speech language pathologist might be able to help or give you a further referral if your problem is more severe.
Brain fog?
I struggle with the same and I look for answers every day and… Nothing. Ive been to a neuropsychiatrist as i was confident i was on the spectrum but instead I got adhd. I feel like adhd does not explain this kind off issue, though.
In my opinion, it sounds like plain old aging to me.
I would say definitely most likely anxiety, especially considering it began after high school. Had very similar experience.
I have the same symptoms and adderall helped a bunch
I am diabetic and I have a similar problem. Somebody down voted the earlier comment about diabetes. I up voted it and am reposting. It could be nothing but it could be something. Before being put on a waiting list for a neurologist for 3 months do a quick blood test will rule it out. Or ask someone you know with diabetes to do a test strip at 4PM to see if your sugar dips at that time.
It’s good you will see a neurologist. Sounds like something you should definitely have checked out by a professional just in case.
I occasionally get something similar. I never had issues with forming sentences but your description seems similar to this brain fog I get at the end of the day some days where I can not focus on anything. I will forget what I was doing just a second ago and my brain can’t think through basic calculations I need to do for my job, and any complex task becomes extremely difficult because I just can’t thing straight.
I got allergy testing and started to notice the fog would happen after eating one of the foods I am allergic to. The food allergy was one that never gave me typical food allergy responses but i think I had been having the brain fog as a response without realizing it.
Let’s see here. Being tired makes it difficult to do anything.Have you ever tried taking a short nap? Or maybe some good breakfast with high protein? What you need is enough energy.You are tired then you must find a way to conserve energy.Dont work straight for hours and expect yourself to not tire out.Take breaks and relax for an hour or two.And most of all stress get rid of stress its gonna fuck you up.If you still feel this way then you need to talk to a medical expert
I deal with this, but I’m almost positive it’s due to a TBI I sustained when I was 17, knocked myself out while ice skating.
Eat a snack?
Have you ever stuttered? Are you dyslexic? By the end of the day, working over time to do language things it’s kind of understandable to be tired.
This could be a medical issue, like autism or selective mutism (or both). You should probably talk to your Dr about it.
You are basically describing me. Hope you do a follow up post and let us know what it could be. Perhaps I may visit a neurologist too
I used to experience this when I was younger, your age, as well as my late teens. It got significantly better as I got older. I used to tell people that my brain and mouth disconnected when I got tired. It doesn’t happen anymore and I don’t have neurological problems. It doesn’t hurt to see a doctor about it, though, just to make sure it’s not something more serious.
I have similar problems and have not yet found out what it is. However, I have noticed that B vitamins help me. Therefore, I currently suspect that I may have a deficiency, neurological problems or perhaps methylation problems.
Are you supplementing B-Vitamins?
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Lamictal caused this in me. Once I was off of it for a couple months I felt more like myself and not so stupid. I was literally forgetting words, saying completely wrong words, saying things out of order. Look into your meds if you are on any.
What are the chances you live near a pollution source, like a busy road?
I wake up groggy, I spend the day groggy, I go to bed groggy, I get half-assed sleep. It’s because I live so close to a busy road, and pollution makes your body produce histamines, which make you sleepy.
Please get your blood sugar checked and see a doctor. You could be just sleep/awake or having micro sleeps. I’ve heard that so many things can cause this that it’s better to get it checked out.
Please consider having your thyroid checked—all levels, not just TSH.