What Causes Sudden Slurry Speech And Depression Due To This?

Posted on Fri, 2 Oct 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 2 Oct 2015 Answered on

Thu, 29 Oct 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi

Dear Doctor, I am 29yr old Male. I have a problem which is troubling me everyday. This is happening since 2 years. I was speaking very fluently before but since 2 years, while talking, suddenly my speech goes slurry (Words wont be pronounced properly, stammering etc). This is really affecting my professional life. While talking to clients in office or to family at home, I keep experiencing this everyday & I am very depressed with this & it is affecting my professional scoring (When it comes to performance & appraisal).

Believe me, it also happens when I am cool & even when I am talking to my 1 year old daughter!!!

I have already visited Psychiatrists & had a discussion with them, had counselling. They just said to be calm & relaxed & everything will be fine!! Please help me. This is affecting my confidence level badly.

I was initially thinking that this may be due to excitement /anxiety /tension & I tried everything from my side to be calm, relaxed, talking slowly but it never helped me. Please help me to come out of this. If I look back 2-3 years, I feel so bad because I was talking so fluently like a news reader & I never stammmered & didn't pronounce words wrongly.

What has happened to me & how to come out of this

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please provide me more details.

Detailed Answer:
Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic

I can understand your concern. Before going to details of the problem I need few details about your problem.

- What are the situations when slurring of voice becomes bad?

- Does the slurring occur while talking to other family members also.

- Do you find difficulties in group discussions or presentations also?

- Have you visited any doctor? Any history of drug intake or abuse in past?

Slurring of voice in a healthy male occurs most commonly due to social anxiety. In social situations or in talking to some one individuals suffer from stammering, slurred voice. Some times in some anxious situations individuals develop slight stammering but with time this becomes a learned behaviour. This cause serious blow to day to day functioning. Individuals start remaining conscious that they might stammer or what others will think about them. All this cause worsening of symptoms. To come out of the problem you have to break this chain. Please provide me the details of your symptoms so that we can proceed further.

Thanks, take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (7 minutes later)

Hi Doctor,

Yes. I have provided this information in my main question. I will explain again.

(1) There is no set situation. It keeps happening everyday. In office, at home, in a shopping center, etc. Sometimes this problem will be there for few hours & sometimes the whole day.

(2) Yes, it occurs when I am speaking to my family also. While speaking to my 1 yr old daughter also!!!

(3) I am basically confident to speak in group & even in presentations. This problem occurs there also.

(4) Yes, I have visited Psychiatrists. Had a discussion with them (Counseling). They just told that this is the mindset. Try to be calm, relaxed, talk slowly etc., which I have already tried & didn't help thats why I had been to them but the doctros never helped!!

Please help doctor.

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
The symptoms suggest generalised anxiety

Detailed Answer:
Hello again and thanks for providing details

Though the symptoms point towards social anxiety but the symptoms are present in you even in normal familiar situations also and are causing distress. Such symptoms occurring in normal situations could be seen in generalised anxiety also. As I have mentioned to some extent learned behaviour could be the reason behind this. Rejaxation exercises can help but that needs practice and takes time.

In my opinion medicines as SSRIs like Escitalopram or Fluoxetine etc should help. These medicines will reduce persistent anxiety and will reduce the slurring. These medicines will also help in regaining lost confidence. The medicines takes about 4 weeks time to show their effects. Please visit a psychiatrist for prescription of medicines. Don't remain distressed, your symptoms will reduce with proper treatment.

Thanks, still have more doubts please ask again.

Take care

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar