Sometimes I speak fluently. Other times, words vanish midair. It’s not inconsistency — it’s trauma physiology. My PTSD and agoraphobia can cause nonverbal spurts — moments when my brain locks up and my voice just stops responding. I’m still aware, still processing, but language drops offline. It can last seconds or minutes. It’s not a choice, it’s not defiance, and it’s not the same as silence.

🗣️ Why It Happens When I’m overstimulated or frightened, my nervous system shifts into survival mode. The speech centers go quiet while my body focuses on safety. Forcing speech during those moments doesn’t help — it actually worsens the freeze. If I’m pushed to keep talking past my limit, I may scream or yell out of overwhelm. It’s not anger; it’s panic energy spilling out. If that keeps happening, I lose my voice entirely.

📞 How I Communicate Instead I use IP Relay — a service where I type, and a live operator voices my message over the phone. It’s discreet, professional, and federally protected communication for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired. If I go nonverbal, that’s my fallback. I might also type, text, or show a message card that says: “I’m nonverbal right now. Please give me a minute. I’ll communicate in writing.”

⚡ When ADHD Enters the Picture Sometimes my ADHD stacks on top of all this. That can cause outbursts — fast, loud, emotional bursts of frustration or overstimulation. They look messy, but they’re not dangerous. They’re my brain releasing pressure before it resets. If you’re nearby when that happens, the best help is: • Stay calm. Don’t match my volume. • Give me space and a minute to regulate. • Don’t touch me unless I ask. • If I pace or rock, let me. That’s my self-regulation loop.

⏳ What’s Normal for Me If a meltdown lasts less than five minutes, please don’t panic or label it a crisis. That’s part of how my nervous system resets. I’ve trained myself to decompress quickly — it’s a sign of coping, not failure. If it lasts longer, or if I can’t speak again after an hour, then it’s time to check in gently.

❤️ How to Help Loved Ones Understand Share this post with them. Let them know that I can’t always warn people when I’m about to lose speech. Support isn’t forcing me to talk; it’s trusting that silence is communication too. I’m not broken. My voice just travels differently — sometimes through text, sometimes through sound, sometimes through quiet. #PTSD #Agoraphobia #ADHD #Accessibility #NonverbalCommunication #IPRelay #madamgreen #RosieWrites