Struggling to talk, side effect or symptom?

[MogadoredMemoo]

I can be having a conversation with somebody and the words just won't come to me. I end up just freezing mid sentence. Do you think this is a side effect of the medication or a symptom of my depression/anxiety. I'm worrying I'm getting a stammer, but it's not just saying the words that I struggle with, my brain can't think of them.

In case it's relevant I take Venlafaxine, propranolol, buspirone, and sometimes zopiclone.

I suffer from depression/anxiety and struggle to talk when bad - I just can't think of what to say. At my worse I developed a terrbile stutter as well.

So for me it was definately a symptom that disappeared as I got better. ON an off day I still go very quiet.

I sometimes get that too and was prescribed propranolol for anxiety. It feels as if your mouth cannot open and the words go all slow.

Speak to your GP or CPN and explain the symptoms.

So it does sound like it's definitely a symptom if the anxiety. It's so frustrating isn't it!

Otter, that is exactly how it feels for me, like my mouth just won't open!

Cpn is coming out next week so I'll have a chat to him about it

I assumed I was the only one who got this. NIce to know there are others (IYKWIM)

I definitely know what you mean! You start to feel like there is something really wrong with you

I find it makes socialising really hard as well. I can be quite shy and so the extra stress of social events makes talking more difficult. Small talk is particularly difficult. I don't know how others manage it.

Even chatting to my best friend or dh becomes a really hard task

Apparently when I was a child (about 11 yo)I gave up talking for about a year - it wasn't intentional and I didn't notice until it was pointed out.

yet when I'm really well I'm a very chatty person.

I feel really guilty about MIL who is lovely and chats to me - but I can only manage one word answers back. If I concentrate and practice I can do whole sentances (something that the kids have done) but only talking at someone, not doing the to and fro of a conversation.

It is quite isolating to be honest.

I can really relate to what you are saying. I often avoid having to talk to people. I have caller id on my phone and I tend to ignore it unless it's dh because it's just too hard. I've just started taking dd to a toddler group and I spend the whole time focussed on her because if one of the other mums tries to start up a conversation with me I feel really anxious. Then must think I'm really ignorant.

Practicing is a good idea! I've started making a mental list of things to talk about before we go anywhere. I still think I come across as a bumbling idiot half if the time though