need help with communication and surviving med school

[abcde2011]

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I can't think when people are talking to me.
I can't think when I am saying things.

I compensate for this by saying very superficial things so it won't be super awkward, but at the same time I don't really know what im saying.

Example conversation:
Student 1: That lecture was so confusing.
Me: Yeah totally, it was super hard. I should have drank more coffee.
(when in reality I might not have had thought it was hard, or even think that I need more coffee. It isn't that I am intentionally lying, I just can't think at all about what I am saying).

This may seem normal but it prevents me from having deep meaningful conversations with people. And it will hurt me with my patient communication, and my communication with other physicians. I have no sense of humor, and cannot say anything really thoughtful. Unless, I have 5 minutes to think of a line to say which only happens in discussion type settings.

It got me through life so far but a very minimal level.

I went through interviews preparing 10x more than most people so I became a robot in answering questions, and even practiced making sure I don't sound like a robot. I did not have to think about any questions I was asked because I already had the answer prepared.
I taught SAT classes for a long time by rehearsing my class every time.

I need help.. Does this sound like a social health problem that I should get checked?
Thanks

 

[Noyoudinit]

This will only hurt trying to have meaningful relationships with the opposite(same?) sex. This is how an insincere person lives and if you want to be sincere, people won't like what they hear.

Live in the grey.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Should you get counseling? Yes. Sounds like some severe social issues that you have.

 

[ArcGurren]

I can't think when people are talking to me.
I can't think when I am saying things.

I compensate for this by saying very superficial things so it won't be super awkward, but at the same time I don't really know what im saying.

Example conversation:
Student 1: That lecture was so confusing.
Me: Yeah totally, it was super hard. I should have drank more coffee.
(when in reality I might not have had thought it was hard, or even think that I need more coffee. It isn't that I am intentionally lying, I just can't think at all about what I am saying).

This may seem normal but it prevents me from having deep meaningful conversations with people. And it will hurt me with my patient communication, and my communication with other physicians. I have no sense of humor, and cannot say anything really thoughtful. Unless, I have 5 minutes to think of a line to say which only happens in discussion type settings.

It got me through life so far but a very minimal level.

I went through interviews preparing 10x more than most people so I became a robot in answering questions, and even practiced making sure I don't sound like a robot. I did not have to think about any questions I was asked because I already had the answer prepared.
I taught SAT classes for a long time by rehearsing my class every time.

I need help.. Does this sound like a social health problem that I should get checked?
Thanks

Sounds a lot like OCD to be honest

 

[Noyoudinit]

Should you get counseling? Yes. Sounds like some severe social issues that you have.

Who are you to talk

 

[Noyoudinit]

Sounds a lot like OCD to be honest

OCD involves getting anxiety of something you obsess about and then do a compulsion that alleviates the anxiety. However, the main aspect of it is that the obsession or compulsion gets in the way of functioning normally in life, like turning a door knob for 8 hours and missing out on the SAT class because of your compulsion.

Maybe people with actual advice can come help OP rather than pretentious med students.

 

[ArcGurren]

OCD involves getting anxiety of something you obsess about and then do a compulsion that alleviates the anxiety. However, the main aspect of it is that the obsession or compulsion gets in the way of functioning normally in life, like turning a door knob for 8 hours and missing out on the SAT class because of your compulsion.

Maybe people with actual advice can come help OP rather than pretentious med students.

I've taken step 1 bud, I know what OCD is.

I wasn't being pretentious. I think he should definitely seek professional advice; it was just my initial impression - more closer to a compensated anxiety disorder if anything on further review

 

[evilbooyaa]

Who are you to talk

Just a lowly medical student.

He says he has a debilitating (to him) social issue that he knows will affect patient communication. He asked if he should at the very least, go see someone about it.

I told him he should go see someone about it.

Please inform me where I am at fault here.

Also, who are you to talk?

 

[abcde2011]

I am married already btw, and have a lot of close friends.


Can someone explain to me why they think this is ocd / anxiety?

I don't feel any anxiety with people. I didn't even realize I was doing this until I did some reflection about this.

At first I thought of it as just being an area for self improvement. Perhaps my post made it come out as more serious as it is?


I will be seeing someone tomorrow btw.

 

[evilbooyaa]

I can't pigeonhole what you have described in your post into a concrete diagnosis. It does not seem to be 'classically' anything (at least not to me, since I suck at behavioral science/psychiatric issues, at least right now).

I am glad you are seeing someone about it. A trained professional can give you a lot more help than the internet can. Good luck with it. Hope it's either a benign condition or something that can be managed in some way.

 

[Noyoudinit]

I've taken step 1 bud, I know what OCD is.

I wasn't being pretentious. I think he should definitely seek professional advice; it was just my initial impression - more closer to a compensated anxiety disorder if anything on further review

So is it OCD or Anxiety Disorder NOS, I'm guessing you did a lot of flip-flopping on your Step 1.

 

[evilbooyaa]

So is it OCD or Anxiety Disorder NOS, I'm guessing you did a lot of flip-flopping on your Step 1.

LOL.

To all other SDN posters:

:troll:

 

[abcde2011]

just another comment,
I don't feel like I have anxiety. I don't do anything out of worry, fear, or concern.
I just feel like I am naturally that way.

 

[Dash2021]

just another comment,
I don't feel like I have anxiety. I don't do anything out of worry, fear, or concern.
I just feel like I am naturally that way.

I had a very similar experience growing up. I had a very hard time carrying on any conversation that wasn't exactly what I was thinking about at that moment, and even then I wasn't relating to the person- I was just talking about things I'd already been thinking about. I was nearly incapable of coherent small talk, mostly because I didn't think anything I was going to say was worth the effort of vocalization. This wasn't in a low self-esteem/depression sort of way though. I just didn't see the point of talking about something that wasn't important (important being defined as something I had thought deeply about).

When my wife and I did some pre-marital counseling, one of the biggest things we worked on was communication skills. I learned effective strategies for communication that worked for me, and think I may have figured out where the problem originated ( my family aren't stellar communicators).

So FWIW, I'd recommend a counseling. It probably won't hurt anything, and you have everything necessary to make it work for you: admission that there is (in your eyes) a problem, and the desire to work to make it better. I have no idea if there is any overlap in our stories or not, but I hope that helps some. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

[SpecterGT260]

Sounds a lot like OCD to be honest

With diagnostic skills like these, who needs med school?

 

[SpecterGT260]

I've taken step 1 bud, I know what OCD is.

I wasn't being pretentious. I think he should definitely seek professional advice; it was just my initial impression - more closer to a compensated anxiety disorder if anything on further review

You should stop while you're ahead. Pretty sure noudidnt is a troll, but.... the OP sounds nothing like OCD

 

[ArcGurren]

So is it OCD or Anxiety Disorder NOS, I'm guessing you did a lot of flip-flopping on your Step 1.

Oh man you hit me right where it hurts, right in the step 1

 

[Etorphine]

Read these articles:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307094143.htm

http://www.paediatric-monitor.com/content/story/43/autistic-children-look-away-faces-when-thinking

"ScienceDaily (Mar. 7, 2012) — Children with autism look away from faces when thinking, especially about challenging material, according to new research from Northumbria University."