ADHD & Talking Fast: The Unpopular ADHD Trait

ADHD & Talking Fast: Is it an ADHD Symptom?

Let me share with you a personal experience:

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Last week was a really busy week for me. Many things were going inside my head😵, and I think I was in hyperfocus mode. There were chores I had to do at home, a project I must submit ASAP, clothes that I had to put in the laundry, and many other things in my to-do list. I wanted them either all gone or at least share them with someone so I could breathe a little.

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I immediately called my closest friend over the telephone, and in less than a minute, I relayed all the information I ought to tell her regarding my list of to-dos. It's funny that I never heard her respond to what I said, which made me wonder if she heard me at all!🤔 

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So, I stopped and asked her if she heard me.

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That’s when I confirmed that there seemed to be a problem with how I relay the information I had just told her. She told me that I should be mindful of delivering my messages because some people might find it rude or miss all the essential details because of how fast I talk. 

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But then, I asked myself, do I really talk fast? Because it seems normal to me.

Am I Really a Fast Talker?

I want to start with a reminder that not all adults diagnosed with ADHD experience fast talking during conversations👌. Also, anyone, with or without a neurotypical condition, might experience such thing as a forced habit. But for some people with ADHD, fast talking may be caused by symptoms or traits related to the neurodivergent condition, and they might find it hard to notice social cues to slow down. This struggle may put us in a socially awkward position or give us intense fear and discomfort when public speaking is necessary😨.

Friends and family often say the same thing about me when I am in the mood for a quick chit-chat or formal discussion. Either I talk too much and overshare personal stuff, or the people I speak with don't understand a word I say because they have difficulty catching up with what I am saying😅. They constantly remind me to talk slowly and don't eat my words. Sometimes, I feel bad about doing such a thing, but I cannot help it. I think it is innate in me to talk fast in almost every conversation.

When I realized that talking fast can sometimes be a problem for people with ADHD, I remembered the other common ADHD symptoms or traits related to talking fast. For example: blurting out answers or making unnecessary comments. So, maybe there's a reason why we are used to talking fast and why we cannot control our mouth and utter words constantly.

ADHD & Talking Fast: Affecting Effective Communication

I often feel bad whenever I cannot control how I talk to others🥺. I am afraid that they may not have conversations with me anymore. I also wonder if they develop harsh feelings about me whenever I don't slow down while talking. My tendency to “sputter” sometimes gets in the way of having a healthy communication, and there are moments when I feel so ashamed that I suppress my thoughts to be more mindful of my hyperactivity.

The struggle of an adult with ADHD with talking to anyone is not enough to be a basis for ADHD diagnosis. As I have said, it can happen to anyone, whether you have ADHD or not. However, our problem is NOT less valid just because anyone can experience it. In fact, in an ADHD community I recently joined, some members raised the same concern. They, too, have issues with talking too fast. 

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We may often feel ashamed when facing people because we tend to talk too much or not be mindful of the words that come out of our mouths. And when it comes to a point where we can't effectively communicate with people, there might be significant problems due to misunderstanding. In these cases, we may feel that we are in the wrong, but please remember it’s not intentional. 

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Since fast-talking can be a part of our ADHD brain🧠, and we cannot control it as we please, the best course of action is to try to improve the speed of our speech. One way to do that is to understand ourselves better. The first step, of course, is to get an ADHD diagnosis. With an in depth discussion with your doctor or mental health professional, you’ll know more about your symptoms and the way they affect how you communicate. 

Common Symptom Awareness: What ADHD Traits Cause Fast-Talking? 

Many symptoms can cause us to rush our speech. When adults with ADHD continue to manifest these symptoms, it can reflect on how they converse with others. To help you, I researched this topic and visited plenty of websites 👩‍💻 that discuss more about how a person's speech practice can be affected by ADHD.

According to this website, speech in children can be affected by ADHD. However, kids with ADHD diagnosis tend to have delayed speech and may find it hard to handle a conversation with others. Interestingly, some adults with ADHD struggle with a fast talking speed.

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For adult ADHD, these ADHD symptoms can be present and affect how we speak:

Being Forgetful

I already told you that countless ideas can run inside our ADHD brain, right? But, sometimes, those ideas can go to waste if we don't remember them😵. Since we might worry that we’ll forget the ideas in our mind, we might spit them out as fast as we can, even if no one is asking us or someone is still talking .

Attraction To Novelty

Another trait that might result in speedy speech is our tendency to be attracted to novelty. If the idea in our head or topic of conversation is new to us, or something that sparks our interest, we might become too excited to share them with others, causing us to talk too fast. Plus, it gives us a dopamine rush that pumps up our energy, and we want to share that feeling with others.

Impulsivity

Have you ever answered back to your parents and said things that you know you shouldn't have? Probably, you’ll answer yes. 

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Impulsivity with our words can result in us saying things rashly and even unintentionally hurting other people's feelings. This is one of the reasons why some people with ADHD have difficulty communicating their thoughts and ideas to others because we can't control what words come out of our mouths😭.

Awkward Social Skills

There are plenty of things that can make some people with ADHD socially awkward. We can easily be discouraged, struggle to handle our emotions, or have low self-esteem. These traits might make us speak quickly to avoid confrontation as much as we can. Sometimes, we may also fall short in noticing social cues and struggle to understand other people's feelings.

Treatment Options for Fast-Talking ADHD Brain

Now that we know more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and fast talking, let’s focus on treatment: do we need medication for this trait? The answer is NO! You don't need to be medicated for this because it's not a disorder, and you're not sick. You are just wired differently, and that's okay!

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However, suppose the struggle of not being understood by the person we are talking with might affect our relationship or dynamics. In that case, we can manage our ADHD symptoms💪, so they won't negatively affect how we communicate with others.

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Many ways can help us cope with our “talking problems''. For instance, we can try to be more aware of the words that come out of our mouths and slow down our speech. It might be hard at first, but with enough practice and support, it will become a habit 🙌!

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We can also try to be more patient when talking to others. When we get too excited about an idea, it's easy for us to blurt out everything uncontrolled. So, we need to take a deep breath and relax. We can also try counting up to three before saying anything. This way, we can sift through our ideas and filter out unwanted sentiments that may annoy others easily.

Looking also at small details can also work. I know it can be a struggle for us, but we can check a person's interest by looking at their body language and gestures. Also, it is essential to maintain eye contact, so we wouldn't look like we're not interested in the conversation. It can be a sign of respect that both of you might need. Just remember, people with ADHD are often misunderstood, so it is essential that we take the initiative to be more understanding and cautious of the words that come out of our mouths.

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If these things don't help you with your struggle, maximize the services of your mental health professional👩‍⚕️ . Ask them about other things you can do to help you with your social skills to start enjoying communicating with other people! ADHD community-led discussions can also help you feel not alone in this journey.

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Ultimately, it is still important to remember that you are not your ADHD. It is just a tiny part of your life and who you are, and with the help of others, you can definitely overcome any challenges that come your way! Whether it be public speaking or having a normal conversation with other people, it is still essential to be more understanding and mindful of your words. Because at the end of the day, we all want to be heard and deserve to be respected❤️.