Talking About Talking

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Do you talk too much? Or find the need to explain more than necessary? Interrupt much?

I am guilty of all of the above. I am sure it is an ADD thing.

For instance, if someone asks me where I live (as in which state) I usually give them the long version – where I’m from and why I ended up where I am. Simply saying “Indiana” is not enough.

Do you do things like that? I think it comes from the fact that people sometimes don’t “get” us. Our brain has moved from point A to point Q, back to C and then over to R and then we comment on Z. Those listening are still at B, so we feel the need to explain ourselves and our thought patterns, often with little success.

Talk too much? I’ve been known to at times, especially when I’m passionate or excited about something. I have a niece and one daughter who talk sometimes just for something to do. Once when my niece ran out of things to talk about, she started reciting the alphabet.

Again, I think there are a number of reasons that we ADDers tend to talk a lot. First, we’re intelligent, curious human beings. I think most of us know a little bit about a lot of things and want to share what we know.

Second, we miss social cues and often don’t realize that we’re talking excessively.

And third, I don’t think that most of us ADDers have a lot of friends. Maybe I’m wrong, and it’s just me, but I really appreciate it when I can be around others and interact. Again, the ADHD can make it hard to make and keep friends. When we’re around others, maybe we’re a little too anxious.

And interrupting? We ADDers are especially good at that.

When we’re in a conversation with someone, especially when it’s something we’re interested in or know something about, we want to jump in and share. Being too impulsive, missing social cues, and being afraid that we’ll forget what we wanted to say all contribute to our unintentional interruptions.

The best we can do is to try to be more aware of our tendencies and to check them as much as we can. Don’t work too hard on it, though. Concentrating on not talking too much might mean that you don’t talk at all, and that’s not good either.

The bottom line is to be yourself while trying to be considerate of others. Some people won’t mind who you are and others will, and that’s OK.

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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3 Responses

  1. Thanks for this post. I’m an introvert and also the polar opposite of ADHD (if there is such a thing) so hopefully this will help me be more patient with my husband. 😉

  2. This is halarious!! My husband cannot stand it!! Just a funny story & perfect example..we were watching ER and a woman’s uterus had turned inside-out after giving birth, and she was bleeding all over the floor, and he says..”oh man, her uterus is coming out?”, so I felt compelled to explain, since he’s a man and probably doesn’t understand any of this female stuff…so I say…” well, first of all, your uterus is not suppose to do that” and before I could continue, he paused the show, and looked at me (you know that look) and said “you must think I am a complete stupid idiot or something, you think I don’t know that the uterus IS NOT suppose to come out”. Before I could explain that that was not the point I was getting at, I just started it off that way…he was already onto his journey to being annoyed by my reason to explain everything in LOOOOOONG unecessary detail! LOL!