Why Am I Suddenly Mixing Up Words?
Have you ever been mid-conversation and had the right word in mind but had the wrong word slip out? You may be asking yourself, “Why do I keep messing up my words all of a sudden?” While this can feel incredibly frustrating and concerning, it doesn’t necessarily mean that something is terribly wrong.
There are numerous potential reasons for the sudden mix-up of words. The brain is central to every aspect of communication and language processing is one of the most complex tasks that the brain handles. Speaking relies on an array of cognitive processes to work together with ease. When you talk, the brain must access and organize the words in a way that makes sense. If the brain is struggling, communication can be significantly impacted.
What is mixing up words a symptom of?
Age and Cognitive Changes
As people age, their cognitive functions also change. Their memory may not be as sharp, and word retrieval can take longer, sometimes resulting in the mixing up of words. While a certain level of this may be expected, it’s important to seek medical advice as it could also be related to cognitive challenges or even Alzheimer’s or dementia. Early detection and appropriate treatment can then be in place to maintain cognitive health.
Medical Conditions
Mixing up words can be a symptom of the following medical conditions:
- Brain Tumor
- Epilepsy
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Stroke
Aphasia is a language disorder that often results from a traumatic brain injury or stroke. It affects the individual’s ability to produce or understand language. Aphasia may cause people to mix up words as they speak. There are many techniques that speech therapists can help with to improve communication skills for a person with aphasia.
Stress and Fatigue
A common reason that people start to mess up words is stress. When stressed, your brain is in overdrive, which can affect cognitive functions like memory and attention. This can make it more difficult to focus on speech and, in turn, make you mix up words. Fatigue can also play a role in this. When you are tired, it can be particularly challenging to focus, affecting conversational skills and causing a person to mix up words.
Psychological and Emotional Factors
Moments of heightened emotion can impact an individual’s communication skills. Anxiety, depression, and feeling overwhelmed can all cause a person to struggle to come up with the right words to say. They may have issues with articulation and mix up words due to the various racing thoughts in their brains.
Medications and Alcohol
Medications, particularly those that affect the brain or nervous system, can impact speech and cause someone to mix up words. Some examples are:
- Sedatives and antidepressants can impair cognitive function and cause brain fog and word mix-up.
- Allergy medications can have sedative effects that slow down brain activity, affecting speech.
- Various medications that are used for treating mental health disorders, as well as epilepsy, may affect speech.
Alcohol is a depressant that affects the central nervous system, including some functions of the brain. Alcohol can affect various cognitive processes, such as decision-making, memory, and attention. This can lead to a variety of communication problems, including mixing up words.
Get the Help that you Deserve with Speech Therapy.
Mixing up words can be worrisome. This is especially the case when it happens suddenly, with no noticeable reason why. Seeking medical guidance to determine the cause and scheduling necessary treatment is crucial for getting back on track.
If you are struggling with mixing up words or have other communication problems, virtual speech therapy can be an invaluable resource. There are many benefits of online speech therapy that you can read more about in our blog. A speech therapist will work with you to develop a treatment plan that suits your needs. Great Speech offers therapy that is convenient for any schedule! We have knowledgeable speech therapists that will help you regain control over your speech while improving your confidence and clarity.
Whether the cause of messing up words is stress, fatigue, age-related changes, or a medical issue, a speech therapist will help you to improve communication. Exercises to improve word retrieval skills and practice flow of speech while boosting confidence are just a few examples of the work that you will do with a speech therapist.
Schedule your free introductory call today!