[survivorboi]

This year, I will be 14. I've had this talking problem since I was in 6th grade. Every time I talk, there is a voice inside my head telling me to be careful of what I say. It's gotten so bad that, now, I don't speak openly anymore. Sometimes, when my friends tries to talk to me, I just say "uh-huh", "oh" or "oh-okay" because for some reason, I have nothing to say! But, at home, I'm always have something to say. I talk a lot at home too. I don't know what gotten into me, I always remind myself that this is a free country, and as long as I don't say stupid things, I can express my opinions, but I just can't. To me, talking openly and expressing myself is like being myself to me. When people talk to me, I just say "yeah", "oh" and things like that because there is nothing for me to talk about.

I want to stop it because, when I do express myself, people say I'm smart. I have good ideas. I'm so tired of always talking and discussing stuff in my head instead of say it out.

I would always talk to myself in my head, because since I have nothing to talk about most of the time, I don't have any friends! I say brilliant things at home, even though I talk a little too much. At school, oh no, I barely talk. It's like a brain freeze, when I'm alone, I talk in my head, and I talk like a professor. When someone talks to me, it's like my brain froze and I can't think of what to say!

Please help!

[SaraKammeraad]

It sound like you have anxiety. Where your worried about how you will sound. There are some exercises that you can do but if it bothers you more you should talk to a doctor about it. It could be short term from stress or it might need to be treated with anti-anxiety
Medicine. One of the good exercises that I learned is to have something in your hand and when you go to say something switch it to the other one and make sure to remember to give more words than uh-huh. Maybe start by speading it out by saying yeah I completely agree, or yes I can do that. Small steps might help.

[Jake2008]

Some people process information differently too. When something is said to you, you might be one of those to think before you speak, and before you know it, the topic has changed. Or if you are asked a question in class, you are thinking about the words to say in a response, then get anxious when they don't come out fast enough, consequently lose your train of thought.

You have no trouble thinking, or processing thoughts, or forming opinions. There is nothing wrong with you in my opinion. I wish more people would think before they spoke.

I have a lawyer friend. Even the simplest question, he will take forever to answer. He taps his fingers, looks very pensive, then he'll come out with it. It is respectful in a way because he cares about what you have said, and gives it more consideration before replying than most anybody else would.

You might also be one of those people who speak few words, but the words you do speak, would stop a train in its tracks.

Just my opinion here, but I would much rather hear someone like you talk, when you are ready, and hear something intelligent and meaningful.

[survivorboi]

Thanks guys, I guess I do think too much before I speak, in my tradition, people always tell me to "roll your tongue 7 times before you speak". They meant that THINK deeply and say only smart things.