Can Anxiety Cause Slurred Speech?

Increased muscle tension

• When you’re anxious, your body often responds with increased muscle tension. ¹
• This includes the muscles involved in speech. Tense muscles can affect your ability to articulate words clearly, leading to slurred speech.

Rapid breathing

• Nervousness can cause you to breathe faster than usual. Rapid breathing affects the rhythm and control of your speech, making it difficult to pronounce words correctly.
• This irregular breathing pattern can result in slurred or hurried speech.

Dry mouth

• Anxiety often leads to dry mouth, which can make it difficult to speak clearly. ²
• Saliva helps with the smooth movement of your tongue and lips, and a lack of it can cause slurred speech.

Occurs during stressful situations

• If your slurred speech happens mainly during or after stressful events, it’s likely linked to anxiety.
• Notice if it worsens before presentations or social gatherings.
• Consistently experiencing slurred speech in these scenarios points to anxiety as the cause.

Accompanied by other anxiety symptoms

• Anxiety-induced slurred speech often comes with other symptoms like sweating, rapid heartbeat, trembling, and shortness of breath.
• Noticing these signs together can indicate that anxiety might be the cause.
• If you frequently experience these symptoms along with slurred speech, anxiety is likely affecting your speech.

Improves with relaxation

• You may notice your speech improves when you engage in relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or taking a break.
• This improvement suggests that anxiety might be the underlying cause. 

Practice relaxation techniques

• Engaging in relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce anxiety.
• These practices calm your nervous system, which can improve your speech.
• Regular relaxation exercises can make a noticeable difference in speaking under stress.

Slow down your speech

• When anxious, you might speak faster, leading to slurred words.
• Consciously slowing down your speech can help you articulate words more clearly, which can be beneficial if anxiety affects your speech pattern.
• Take your time to pronounce each word, which can reduce the impact of anxiety on your speech.

Stay hydrated

• Anxiety can cause dry mouth, which affects speech clarity.
• Drinking water can keep your mouth moist and help you speak more clearly.
• Carrying a water bottle and sipping regularly can be simple but effective.

Use positive visualization

• Visualizing yourself speaking clearly and confidently can boost your actual performance.
• Before engaging in stressful situations, take a few moments to imagine successful communication.
• This mental preparation can reduce anxiety and improve speech clarity.

Personalized assessment

• Speech therapists conduct thorough assessments to understand the specific causes of your slurred speech.
• They identify whether anxiety is the primary factor and tailor their approach accordingly.
• This personalized evaluation ensures that the therapy addresses your unique needs.

Targeted exercises

• Speech therapists provide exercises to improve speech clarity.
• These exercises focus on breath control, articulation, and pacing, which can be affected by anxiety. 
• Practicing these exercises regularly can help you gain better control over your speech pattern.

Anxiety management techniques

• Many speech therapists incorporate anxiety management techniques into their sessions.
• They teach relaxation methods, breathing exercises, and mindfulness strategies that can reduce anxiety’s impact on your speech.
• Combining these techniques with speech exercises can lead to significant improvements.

Building confidence

• Speech therapy can help build your confidence in speaking situations.
• Therapists often use role-playing and simulated stressful scenarios to practice clear speech in a safe environment.
• This practice can make you feel more prepared and less anxious in real-life situations.