Laura Thorburn, M.S., CCC-SLP
Have you ever had a clear thought in your head, but you couldn’t find the right words to say it out loud? For people with ADHD, it’s common to have difficulty organizing thoughts into words. This is known as a formulation difficulty.
ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects around 10% of children and 4.4% of adults in the United States, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. It impacts attention, impulse control, and executive functioning—including skills like organizing thoughts, planning, and using language effectively.
One common challenge for people with ADHD is turning thoughts into clear, organized speech. Even when ideas are strong, expressing them in the moment can feel frustrating or overwhelming. In this article, we explain why this is, share tips for organizing your thoughts into words, and explain how speech therapy can help.
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Get started nowWhat are formulation difficulties in ADHD?
Formulation difficulties happen when your brain has a thought, but you can’t organize it into words fast enough. This can happen often when a person has ADHD. They might pause a lot, lose their train of thought, or say things out of order. Formulation difficulties can be frustrating, especially during conversations, at school, or at work.
Why does ADHD affect communication skills?
So why does this happen? ADHD is a condition that affects the brain’s executive functioning, or how the brain organizes and focuses. Skills such as attention, memory, or planning are key to building sentences. If these skills are weak, it can affect how a person talks. It becomes easy to get stuck mid-sentence or forget the point you were making. Even though the words are in your brain, it can feel like your mouth and mind are out of sync.
Symptoms of language problems with ADHD can include:
Talking in circles before getting to the point
Using a lot of filler words (like “um,” “you know,” or “like”)
Struggling to start or finish thoughts
Mixing up the order of ideas when speaking
This can happen more often when the person is nervous, tired, or excited.
Speech therapy can help with organization and word-finding
Speech therapy can help people with ADHD improve how they organize and express their thoughts. A speech therapist can teach:
Planning skills for speaking
Sentence organization tools
Techniques to pause and think before talking
Speech therapy for ADHD may include role-playing, visual aids, and language games to help organize thoughts and build confidence in speaking.
With practice, it will become easier to organize your thoughts into words and express your ideas more clearly. Learning strategies to improve your focus and “quiet” unrelated thoughts will help you better communicate lengthy, complex information or answer open-ended questions.
Real-life tips for communicating with ADHD
Formulation difficulties in ADHD can feel overwhelming. You may even avoid communicating with others. But small changes can make a big difference. Whether you're a parent supporting a child, or you're navigating ADHD as an adult, using a few simple strategies can help reduce stress and build communication confidence.
Keep in mind, the goal isn't perfect speech—it's feeling more in control when it's time to share your thoughts.
A speech therapist can share recommendations that are more specific to you. But here are a few organization and word-finding tips that can help children and adults with ADHD:
Pause and breathe: Give your brain a second to catch up.
Write it down first: Use bullet points to plan what you want to say.
Practice stories or answers ahead of time: This can help with interviews or school presentations.
Use visual supports: Mind maps or diagrams can help people with ADHD organize their ideas.
Find a speech therapist to help with ADHD
When you have ADHD, it’s common to have difficulty organizing your thoughts into words. The good news is that formulation difficulties can be managed. With the right tools and support, people with ADHD can learn to share their ideas clearly and confidently. Speech therapy offers helpful strategies that support both speaking and thinking.
If you or your child struggles with putting thoughts into words, Expressable can help. Our licensed speech therapists work with clients of all ages to support communication, fluency, language, and executive functioning skills. Click here to get started finding a speech therapist for you or your child.
