Weirdly Successful
Dedicated to helping you understand, navigate and enjoy your weird & wonderful neurodivergent life.
A verbal shutdown might appear to be “nothing” from the outside, but actually, a lot is going on beneath the surface. Language, speech, even just on the technical side, are very complicated, even before you start adding the social layers on top of it (word choices, cadence, implications of tone of voice, non-verbal communication aspects). …
Verbal shutdown is a temporary inability to produce speech despite having intact language and thoughts - an involuntary neurological response to overwhelm. It's when words exist in one's mind but cannot be physically spoken due to sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload.
Casually and incorrectly it is sometimes also referred to as 'going non-verbal', but this term is not preferred by the non-speaking autistic community.
Palilalia is a form of verbal expression where someone involuntarily repeats their own words or phrases, often with decreasing volume. This natural pattern can help with language processing and self-regulation, particularly during times of stress or when processing complex information.
Auditory stimming is a natural self-regulatory behavior that involves making sounds with your voice, either through non-word vocalizations (vocal stimming) or speech-based expressions (verbal stimming). This form of stimming helps with emotional regulation, sensory processing, and achieving comfort and focus.
Scripting is a communication pattern where individuals use memorized or prepared phrases in their interactions. Common in autism, it serves as a valuable tool for managing social situations, expressing needs, and conserving energy while communicating. Scripting can be prepared ahead of time or drawn from previously heard phrases, and helps many autistic people communicate more effectively and authentically.
Echolalia is a speech pattern where individuals repeat words, phrases, or sounds they have heard. Common in autism, it serves various purposes, including communication, language processing, and emotional expression. Echolalia can be immediate (repeating something just heard) or delayed (using stored phrases from past experiences), and is a valid form of communication that helps many autistic people express themselves and interact with others.
Flat affect is an autistic speech pattern that can include fewer facial expressions, reduced eye contact and speech that others might describe as 'monotone'. While these might be be interpreted as diminished emotional response, they actually reflect a different way of processing and expressing emotions. The intensity can vary with stress or cognitive load, and it often indicates deep focus rather than disinterest.
Autistic speech patterns refer to unique ways autistic folks communicate or use language, but these patterns can also be present throughout the neurodivergent spectrum.
Autistic speech patterns include
- echolalia (echoing what you or others say),
- palilalia (repeating your own words or phrases),
- scripting (planning what you'll say),
- verbal stims (using words to stim)
- and vocal stims (using sounds to stim).
Having a learning difficulty means a person has a harder time learning and acquiring skills. Learning difficulties are not related to levels of intelligence, the related conditions are neurological.
