Chances are that a friend who talks over you is insecure, afraid that their own opinions will be challenged. Attacking them verbally in retaliation isn't helpful to the current problem or your friendship as a whole. Don't: Point out how many times you've sat and listened to them.
Interrupting is rude when it gets in the way of the speaker transmitting their message effectively (completely, concisely, clearly). As a shorthand, interrupting is rude if the interruption is about you, your ideas, your wants rather than about what the person is trying to communicate.
Interrupting implies that you deem your words more worthy than the remainder of what the other person has to say. You appear uncontrolled. People will view you as not having the self-discipline to avoid being rude and egotistical.
Self-focused behavior
A common sign of ADHD is what looks like an inability to recognize other people's needs and desires. This can lead to the next two signs: interrupting.
There's actually a word for that: a conversational narcissist. To better understand this type of narcissism and how to know if you're talking to one, mbg spoke with psychologists and clinical therapists. Here's what they have to say about conversational narcissism.
Behavioral scientist Alan Keen believes the stress and overload that comes from constantly being expected to multitask is causing an “epidemic of rage.” Interruption and task switching raises stress hormones and adrenaline, which tends to make us more aggressive and impulsive.
Frequent interruptions can also lead to higher rates of exhaustion, stress-induced ailments, and a doubling of error rates. Think of the impact you will have the next time you are tempted to interrupt a colleague, who is busily working away, with a quick comment.
Interrupting is a common behavior associated with ADHD and neurodiversity. It can be frustrating for both the individual and those around them. People with ADHD may have difficulty filtering out their own thoughts and ideas from those of others.
One of the best ways to redirect a tough conversation is to start talking about something positive that your conversational partner has a vested interest in. For example, raises, promotions, vacations, new cars, etc, all give your partner an opportunity to talk about something that they probably enjoy.
“OVER” is common radio lingo and lets the other person know you've finished speaking. There's no point doing much more than identifying yourself and the recipient at this point. When you know you have the other person's attention and they're able to join the conversation, you can transmit the rest of your message.
There are plenty of narcissist traits, but monopolizing a conversation is one of the most obvious. Narcissists talk over or interrupt other people during conversations to express their views or talk about themselves. This behavior can border on a compulsion, cowing others into total silence for minutes at a time.
“When someone interrupts you, blocks you, or otherwise thwarts your intended action, it's natural to feel upset,” says Dr. Judith White, associate professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. “This is a basic instinct and you will always have a flash of annoyance.”
Often, the desire to interrupt stems from excitement or social anxiety. Human beings also crave cognitive closure, a psychological concept that effectively means the opposite of ambiguity. We like firm answers and conclusions. We're psychologically wired to tie up loose ends.
Interrupting tells the person speaking that you don't care what they have to say. You think that your voice is more important, or don't have time to really listen to them. It can even make it seem that you weren't really listening properly at all and were just waiting for your moment to interject.
interminable. nonstop. perpetual. relentless. round-the-clock.
To confirm identity or world view: People often cycle through stories of the past to remind themselves of who they are and how they view the world. The less secure they are in their sense of identity and world view, the more likely they are to do this.
Compulsive. Compulsive talking is when someone feels they cannot stop talking or they compulsively keep talking nonstop. This can occur for several reasons, including severe anxiety, the impact of substances, and ADHD.
Many people with ADHD have hyperactive-impulsive traits. That means they might do things without thinking too much about the consequences of their actions. Butting in a conversation or interrupting people can be a manifestation of their impulsivity.