How To Improve Verbal Thinking?

TheSir

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I have noticed that verbal thoughts make up less than 10% of my daily thoughts, with the other 90% being some form of abstract/intuitive/conceptual thinking that is hard to define. Ironically, I'm quite good at linguistics. I find it easy to express myself through the written word. Rather, it is verbal thinking and face-to-face communication that I have difficulties with. In other words, forms of communication that require maintaining a steady flow.

When I get a non-verbal thought, there is a sense of instant comprehension to it. Observation, deduction and conclusion all happen simultaneously in less than a second. After that, verbalizing the whole thought in my mind feels redundant. Not only that, it feels like a greatly effortful thing to do. Sometimes the sentence just withers away before I get to finish it, as if verbalizing the thought was just too big of a challenge to the brain.

In conversations, it is hard to figure out what I'm going to say, how I'm going to say it, and how to conjure up the words required to properly express myself. My word recall is horrible, my sentence formation slow and the expressions I end up using basic and vague. Sometimes I legitimately feel like the structure of my speech is at the level of a six year old.

Now is this a matter of innate cognitive style, nutrition, lack of practice, or what would you say? I admit that I have some ADD, autistic and depressive tendencies (as far as self-diagnosis goes) that may play into the issue.
 
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TheSir

TheSir

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Have you heard of lisuride? I have a hunch that might help
Looks interesting, though I'd rather get to the bottom of this issue than apply a band-aid. Do you have personal experience with it? If so, what kind of changes have you noted?
 

lampofred

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Lowering serotonin improves verbal fluency and word recall for me. But low serotonin and low GABA leads to verbosity/rambling, so the ideal is low serotonin and high GABA. Which is the transmitter state that happens when thyroid/progesterone/body temperature is high and phosphate is low.
 

gaze

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I have the same problem. frequent conversation in form of casual conversation, where one is talking about topics without thinking about how to talk, seems to be the best way to get better. because ultimately, it is not something you can be conscious about, because verbal thinking requires an unconscious ability to use words. in other words, practice without trying to practice. just try to spark conversations with anyone about any topic even if you struggle to formulate coherent thoughts
 

Julles

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I am a rational/logical/math thinker and express myself easily using written language: emails and stuff at work. Can easily talk about technical and work stuff, and talk non-stop about it.
It is when it comes to "normal" conversations that my speech becomes "degreased" so to speak, to the point of feeling a knot in my throat with thoughts racing but nothing being verbalized.
I have noticed that when the emotions are the corrects ones (whatever that means), some times they fuel the speech machine. When I am euforic, like feeling on top of the world it shoots out easily! Like I don't even have thoughts, its automatic just synched words flowing and making sense. I am still looking after that...
I have to make an effort to be talkative... but seems to be working, becoming easier with time. more automatic.

Maybe talkative people just bypass some critical thought system... and some times crap comes out more easily...
 

gaze

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Also what helps is to constantly ask questions. Try to avoid making claims because that’s when the mind stumbles, but letting your curiosity take priority helps a lot. for example, in conversation really focus on what the other person is saying, and keep asking questions for clarification, something that interests you. you may find naturally you can keep a conversation longer if you let the person talk while you focus on asking questions to learn more
 

Mhtro

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Kratom / Phenibut (avoid Phenibut if possible). Other than that watch comedian's and try to do some standup, talking with more girls also helps since they are more emotional than males.
 

Literally

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I really don't know, but given your description of internal thoughts that need to be translated into words, I wonder if learning a programming language might help.
 

Mhtro

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I really don't know, but given your description of internal thoughts that need to be translated into words, I wonder if learning a programming language might help.
That will make it worse, it will make him think in a more logical/rational way and most if not all people enjoy emotional speaking
 

Literally

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A bit more than 50% of people also don't know whether the sun goes around the earth or vice versa, once you correct for guessing.
Which half do you want to communicate with?
 

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