Recognizing why interrupting happens is a great place to start.

A discussion can take only so many interruptions before it ceases to be a discussion.

For this reason, chronic interruptions are conversation-killers that disrupt ahealthy exchange of information.

This can make interrupting seem like a natural behavior to them or something they do almost automatically.

Their way of making this happen is to interrupt and usurp control of the conversation.

Their excitement leads to interrupting you, the speaker, mid-sentence.

Lack of Awareness

Chronic interrupters sometimes have no idea they are even doing it.

To them, interrupting others is simply what makes a conversation interesting and dynamic.

Gender Differences

Interestingly,a person’s gendermay impact their interrupting behaviors.

According to the researchers, during a three-minute conversation, men interrupted women 2.1 times.

By contrast, when speaking with men for the same length of time, they only interrupted 1.8 times.

Meanwhile, women in the study, on average, only interrupted men once.

This can make you feel likethey are dismissing youor don’t respect what you have to say.

And in extreme situations, interrupting can be anything but analtruistic behavior.

I want you to be able to grasp the entire picture before you ask questions, OK?"

It’s also important to give the interrupter the benefit of the doubt.

Some people simply do not realize that they interrupt as much as they do.

And, if you frame your thoughts objectively, it’s more likely toproducebehavioral change.

No one can change a pattern of behavior instantaneously.

They are still getting what they want when they interrupt.

Do you share long, drawn-out stories?

Could you be more succinct and to the point?

But with persistence and patience, you might be able to have more balanced and effective conversations.

After all, everyone in the conversation benefits when people feel heard.

Frequently Asked Questions

This behavior is often referred to as chronic interrupting.

There are a number of reasons why you might interrupt others without meaning to.

Gordon AM, Chen S.Do you get where I’m coming from?

Perceived understanding buffers against the negative impact of conflict on relationship satisfaction.J Personal Soc Psychol.

2017;36(3):260-272. doi:10.1080/01459740.2016.1274750