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alobaby
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19 Mar 2020, 9:41 pm

I've always had this issue where I uncontrollably start talking and interrupt people. My mom used to scream bloody murder at me sometimes when I interrupted her if she was in a bad mood, but I literally couldn't help it. Even when I'd stop myself mid-sentence (that I could do), I'd still get in trouble. It's a little hard to explain too, I just really can't help it and haven't been able to for years. I have gotten better on waiting my turn, but I just can't figure out when it's time to interject I guess? I wait for pauses or when it seems like the person has finished talking, but still, time after time I think I hear a pause and then they keep talking and I've interrupted them. I'd get yelled at too if I said I heard my mom pause and she claims she didn't. That just makes me concerned that I don't hear pauses correctly or something... anyone else with the same issue and similar experiences?



timf
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20 Mar 2020, 9:38 am

You might wish to give priorities to interruptions. People will generally be more tolerant of an interruption to ask a question and less tolerant of an interruption to instruct.

You might want to program a mental timer to measure a conversational pause so that a longer interval is applied to a pending interruption if it is anecdotal or instructional.



AnnieAnn
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20 Mar 2020, 5:57 pm

I have the same issue with interrupting, and from what I can tell by reactions I get (like "LET ME FINISH MY SENTENCE"), I'm really a severe case. A few people close to me started telling me that I interrupt constantly, and the worst part is that I've been totally unaware that I do that. Completely clueless. I try to be more aware of it but really it makes me not want to do interacting at all, especially on the phone.



AnneOleson
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20 Mar 2020, 9:18 pm

Me too. All of my life. I’ve often angered people but it’s so hard to not do it. It’s hard enough realizing in the first place that you’re doing it.



Fireblossom
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21 Mar 2020, 7:51 am

I have the same problem to some extent, but I've gotten better at not interrupting people. I also get interrupted often, so I think that, along with not being able to pick up the signal of someone finishing their turn to talk, I also unknowingly give off that signal to others sometimes even though I've not finished my turn.