# Stuttering...?



## H4hope (Apr 6, 2009)

Does anybody else stutter when they talk?
Or have you developed the habit later in life when you never had it as a child?

I started stuttering really bad when I reached my 20's. I wonder if it is linked to depression/SA issues? I read that it is a disorder but most ppl have it in early childhood (like a learning Disability)?


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## kraigg (Apr 25, 2009)

I'm not sure if this is a depression/SA issue, but I think it could be.

I never used to stutter, but I started developing an occasional stutter during my 20's. I'm in my 30's now and for the past couple of years, I've been stuttering quite often. It's probably the worst this year than ever before. 

I think it's a breathing issue for me. I find that when I talk, within a minute, I start feeling breathless and light-headed, and so I end up stuttering the rest of my speech. My tongue gets lazy and lethargic, so my speech ends up being garbled. At other times I sometimes have troubles pronouncing words with lots of syllables in them too.


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## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

It is an anxiety symptom. You could start by trying to work just on the symptom or you could try and tackle the reason.


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## Envision (Jul 30, 2009)

H4hope said:


> Does anybody else stutter when they talk?
> Or have you developed the habit later in life when you never had it as a child?
> 
> I started stuttering really bad when I reached my 20's. I wonder if it is linked to depression/SA issues? I read that it is a disorder but most ppl have it in early childhood (like a learning Disability)?


Yes, I stutter. My maternal grandfather likewise had a stutter. Stuttering seems to run in families. If a woman stutters, there's a 50 percent chance her children will stutter.

I have Persistent Developmental Stuttering ( PDS ), and my stuttering started when I was around 4-years-old. Fifty-percent of childhood stutterers outgrow it. If a child is still stuttering by the age of say 18, he or she is not likely to outgrow it.

Three-quarters of stutterers are men. So the disorder affects men to a greater degree than women.

Stuttering is a brain disorder. MRI scans of stutterers' brains confirm that our brains are wired differently.

It's somewhat unusual to start stuttering in your twenties. As far as I know, a head injury sometimes is the source of a stutter at an older age. I would talk to a professional and get their opinion.

Social anxiety and stuttering is not a good combination. Thankfully, I stopped taking antidepressants eight years ago and my stutter is better. I take Klonopin and that seems to help my fluency, too.


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## Silence (Jul 4, 2009)

I stutter, and speak very quietly while doing it. So I have two bad habits, which means when I talk to people, they usually lean closer with their ear inclined towards me, or ask me to repeat myself. It's kind of embarrassing. But I know it's something I need to work on.


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## Patrick Bateman (Jun 5, 2009)

I sometimes stutter when I am very nervous. This means that it happens in places such as crowded shops, which makes it all the more embarrassing!

I first developed a stammer when I was about 18, and I became very self-conscious about it very quickly. I can remember the day when I phoned one of my friends and said "H.. h... h... ", and he said "Oh hi Patrick!". I felt absolutely crushed.

Recently it has come back, which I can only attribute to my increasing anxiety. One thing I have found which helps me is that whenever I start to stammer, I simply start take a breath and start the sentence again, taking more care about choosing the right words. It works; and what's more, most people don't even seem to notice that I have done anything strange. When you start to listen, you'll hear that other people start their sentences again, go back on words etc., all the time.

I wish you the very best in coping with this embarrassing problem. You're not alone. Look after yourself.


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## Envision (Jul 30, 2009)

Efsee said:


> I was going to make a thread about this but wasn't sure if anyone here stuttered. I started stuttering when I was about 16 or 17. It's not bad, it only happens when i'm telling a long story or explaining a joke, which ruins the joke by the way if you can't even get the timing right :roll. It has happened occasionally while ordering food but It's not too debilitating, I can spit out what I want to say when I absolutely have to. I just have to say the word slowly. It's an interesting experience, it's like there's an actual physical blockage in your speech.
> 
> I was searching for why I may have this stutter. One of my friends is a speech therapist. I asked her what causes stuttering and she said one of the reasons could be a lack of confidence, which makes a lot of sense in my case. Another possibility that I came up with is that I rarely spoke for 5 years, only to my family and one closest friend so it's possible that i'm just out of practice.


Lack of confidence doesn't cause stuttering. That is certainly a symptom of stuttering but it's not directly related to the cause. Many people lack self-confidence, but the incidence of stuttering is low. The general incidence of stuttering is reported to be 1 percent. I don't think that stat is accurate.

I assume the incidence of stuttering is higher than 1 percent. Maybe 1.5 percent? It's not 10 percent. There's a lot of stigma associated with stuttering, so many stutterers avoid talking as much as possible.

And many stutterers are very good at concealing their stutter. They may use substitute words that are easier to say and other techniques.


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## Atticus (Nov 10, 2003)

I stuttered a bit as a young child. Now I may occasionally when I'm talking too fast, but its easily controlled if I just pace myself a bit.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

I do stutter when i'm nervous!
Time for a sound card upgrade, i think.


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## Envision (Jul 30, 2009)

Patrick Bateman said:


> I sometimes stutter when I am very nervous. This means that it happens in places such as crowded shops, which makes it all the more embarrassing!
> 
> I first developed a stammer when I was about 18, and I became very self-conscious about it very quickly. I can remember the day when I phoned one of my friends and said "H.. h... h... ", and he said "Oh hi Patrick!". I felt absolutely crushed.
> 
> ...


The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) is currentely conducting trial studies on a medication specifically for stuttering. As far as I know, this medication is in the final trial stage. It's passed every trial stage with flying colors.

It's conceivable this medication could be on pharmacy shelves in a few years. It's hard to say. This very severe recession may move the time table back.


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## Efsee (Jul 20, 2009)

Envision said:


> Lack of confidence doesn't cause stuttering. That is certainly a symptom of stuttering but it's not directly related to the cause. Many people lack self-confidence, but the incidence of stuttering is low.


I didn't mean it was the cause, just a possiblility for my own specific problem. I know it's much more complex than that.


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## Envision (Jul 30, 2009)

Atticus said:


> I stuttered a bit as a young child. Now I may occasionally when I'm talking too fast, but its easily controlled if I just pace myself a bit.


A lot of kids outgrow it to a large degree. Some don't stutter at all.


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## Envision (Jul 30, 2009)

Efsee said:


> I didn't mean it was the cause, just a possiblility for my own specific problem. I know it's much more complex than that.


I've had tons of speech therapy. To say the least, I have a lot of issues with speech therapists. Stuttering is a brain disorder, so I personally believe that speech therapy is the wrong approach.


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## UKPhobe (Oct 22, 2008)

I get a nervous stutter sometimes although it's is due to anxiety.


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## Traci (Jan 26, 2004)

When I get nervous/anxious I stutter a word or two.


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## aricu (Aug 27, 2009)

I’m Glad I found this section. HHope even doe my father speaks fast and stutters a bit not to much but noticeable I try to believe I didn’t inherit this. That’s why I’m here I’m trying to associate my stuttering with what I now know is social anxiety as a kid I did not stutter I noticed that I stutters a little bit during my mid years in high school I never knew about social anxiety so theirs no way I could have diagnosed myself with this but recently trying to figure away to stop stuttering not just for myself but also for my 2 year old song which is the person I most love in this world. Sometimes I look at him and feel so bad because I would hate for him to be like me. Back to subject. Until recently I started learning about Social Anxiety as far back as I can remember I have been shy but not regular a natural shy like im just like that. I started reading about shy Todd’s and read something that described me perfectly. Wao I’m writing a lot and getting of subject. Sorry. The point is that in my case and I believe other cases Social Anxiety can producer or worsen stuttering. Ph.D's who write about this swear on there life that they are not associated but they are because im living proof. The truth of the matter is that their are different cases of S.A.D. Social Anxiety disorder and different cases of stuttering. Im sure medication can help me, never tried doe. But I have noticed the few times that I haven been drunk my tension, anxiety went down and in those cases I was able to socialize and make friends with people. (Wont Give details) but the next day people will call me and even tell me I sound like a totally different person. My Diog. Of my social anxiety is: I’m constantly bothered by what someone can be thinking of me, when driving or walking in public I feel people are starring at me and I don’t have the will power to stare back, I’m only able to think (Why are they looking at me? Why?), Cant answer phones because of fear of not stuttering but having no words come out my mouth, can talk to higher authority without stuttering or having a hard time speaking.

People I assure you I am not a monster or a freak even doe I might seem like from everything I have written.

The honest truth is that I never really cared about my condition for the whole time that I have known or myself. But I breaks my heart to think my son can be the same way. I have noticed that he doesn’t socialize with other kids’ at all even doe he only talks Spanish and we live in the US his only 2 and that’s what we speak at home. BUT IT BREAKS MY HEART. The other day I looked into his eyes and so much anxiety got into me that I had to leave him with my wife for a little bit and catch my breath my eyes felt like they burned and teared up a lil bit but anxiety makes me feel horrible.

There is so much more to day but I have written enough.


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## when will we be new skin (Aug 18, 2009)

I have mild cerebral palsy, and it affects my speech. I have a low lung capacity so I can get winded easily when I'm talking. Usually if I'm completely relaxed, I rarely stutter. But I can't do things like walk and talk because I need as much air I can get when I speak. When I get nervous, my symptoms are highly magnified. I don't stutter in the sense where I go "t-t-t-t-t" but I will get to a word and find it impossible to get it out. Like, "I went to the st-...." and it's like I can't say store. I think if I had my anxiety under control, my speech would be a lot better.


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## DSPFrat (Aug 2, 2009)

I used to stutter a lot. People would make fun of it, so I worked on it on past couple years. Now, I rarely stutter anymore.


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## epril (Mar 24, 2009)

H4hope said:


> Does anybody else stutter when they talk?
> Or have you developed the habit later in life when you never had it as a child?
> 
> I started stuttering really bad when I reached my 20's. I wonder if it is linked to depression/SA issues? I read that it is a disorder but most ppl have it in early childhood (like a learning Disability)?


I think if it started in adulthood, it's related to SA. I stutter sometimes, but I don't let it bother me. It's not embarrassing to me, it just pisses me off.
I know a young man who stutters and I think it's endearing.


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## Hypnos (Aug 17, 2009)

I stutter sometimes but most of my verbal communication problem is due to the fact that i mumble and talk too fast. I really hate talking because it means people s full attention is on you and so i want it over with as soon as possible so i try to say what i need as fast as possible, which often results in quiet mumbling and the person having to ask me to repeat what i said, which in the end just makes me more self-conscious.


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## kenny87 (Feb 22, 2009)

I do this when I get nervous or to excited, the most the time when I am nervous I loose my train of thought.


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## epril (Mar 24, 2009)

I also mumble, when I think what I'm saying isn't important. It's like I'm just talking to myself.


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## ashu (Dec 17, 2012)

Hi 
I am Ashutosh from India.I started my stuttering when i was at 7 yr.I was talking something suddenly i noticed stuttering.My friends thought that i was joking with them.But after 7 days everything was all r8.Then after 10 years again it started.Now i m at 25.I look good.I m an IITIAN.I was working with IBM.Now i left the job before 3 months.I think i should try once with medications before thinking this is the end of my life.


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## ashu (Dec 17, 2012)

When i m talking to my self no prob.when i m talking to my mom n my bro n friends then also no prob.When anyone will drag me to the meeting then it happens.I behave differently.I can't speak anything.If i will start saying anything then also can't say a single word.from last 2 days i have started talking LONAZEO MD 0.25 medicine.If any medicine is there which can cure me with less side effects then please recommend me.


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## bazinga (Jun 9, 2010)

This was rude but when we were kids, my brother and I had a friend that stuttered. We told him 'why don't you stop stuttering' and he did. He no longer stutters.

Rude but strange.


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## Alexis1213 (Jun 20, 2012)

Stuttering is a common side to anxiety and Aspergers syndrome.

I do it ALL the time, and at least 20 times a day.


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## billyho (Apr 12, 2010)

ashu said:


> Hi
> I am Ashutosh from India.I started my stuttering when i was at 7 yr.I was talking something suddenly i noticed stuttering.My friends thought that i was joking with them.But after 7 days everything was all r8.Then after 10 years again it started.Now i m at 25.I look good.I m an IITIAN.I was working with IBM.Now i left the job before 3 months.I think i should try once with medications before thinking this is the end of my life.


..

Is it only certain words or letters you get stuck on? this is totally treating the symptoms by replacing words that make you stutter with words you know won't make you stutter. this is what worked for me growing up, everyone says it's anxiety related and i do agree with that assessment however it is impossible to convince an 8yr old he is anxious, he doesn't even know what that word means. I've also heard stuttering is a result of PTSD. so you can either treat the underlying cause of anxiety or PTSD or concentrate on the words that make you stutter and switch them with words that will flow smoothly.


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## darkraincloud (Dec 11, 2012)

I briefly had a stutter when I was on a certain medication. It went away when I stopped taking it.


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## Luvere (Dec 11, 2012)

I occasionally stutter. I usually just skip the word I'm stuttering on, and continue the sentence. Happens more often when I'm tired or if I'm drinking.


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## exrovite (Feb 5, 2011)

I also stutter when I feel anxious. Interestingly I am able to control the stutering in some anxious situations like presenting in front of a crowd of people even if they are up to 300, but when I do an online presentation like a Webinar, and all I can see is a computer screen i find myself stuttering alot. I have been consiously doing practical exercises on this. 

I notice the stuttering is more whenever i feel my speech needs to be as perfect as possible. When I am not mindful of making mistakes my speech flows a lot better.

I also find that my speech flows well when I am discussing a subject I am farmiliar with.

Interestingly I am not ashamed of stuttering as I will speak confidently even with the stuter. I presented a webseminar on anxiety last sunday. Listening back, it was full of stuttering. Despite the stuttering, the feedback I got from people was excellent.

What i am saying in short is that, whilst it is helpful to learn how to "not stutter," stuttering does not have to stop us doing things we want to do.


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## DesertStar91 (Feb 1, 2012)

I don't really have a stuttering problem, but sometimes when I talk I stutter for a long time. It really sucks.


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## chickenfett (Jun 2, 2011)

I started to stutter during high school. People (including my parents) said that I was "making it up" and "faking it for attention". I got so anxious and nervous that I stopped talking completely for a while. I would go days at a time without talking to anyone because I was so scared. Today, I still stutter occasionally, but nobody thinks anything of it. Whenever I do, though, I get really scared and stop talking. If I have to keep talking, I usually just mutter so no one will hear me.


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## Wall of Red (Jun 24, 2011)

I've had a stuter since the age of eight. For me this is probably the root cause of my social anxiety and shyness.


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## PurrPanther (Nov 16, 2012)

Like others here I talk wayyy to fast and people only catch 1 or 2 words I said and yes I stutter at the same time...It's embarassing because people know for a fact I'm anxious when I stutter...them knowing=more anxiety....It was a problem in meetings at work, I just wouldn't talk and take notes..but now I just take a bit of my seroquel and hour before the meteting and really make sure to TAKE MY TIME when I talk...


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## Noll (Mar 29, 2011)

I stutter. But not the anxiety-sort of stuttering. I mean I stutter as a speech impediment. Been stuttering ever since I learned to talk. Don't know what's caused it, no one in my family has it.


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## anxious dreamer (Dec 23, 2012)

I stutter when I'm really excited or nervous. It's not that bad, but I still get embarrassed when it happens.


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## Eversosweeten (Dec 11, 2012)

I stutter when I talk in front of people, I hate it it's so embarrassing. I don't breathe when I talk to people too which causes me to seem like I can't find my words either. 

What are ya gonna do.


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## MDF93 (Dec 27, 2012)

Yes, I used to have this pretty badly and It definitely stemmed from my SAS.

I find breathing techniques to help me quite a bit. I still suffer setbacks occasionally but it's a work in progress!


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## disorder (Dec 19, 2012)

I stutter quite badly when I'm really nervous. I was with a girl I liked and I slurred / stuttered a lot of my speech.. she just smiled and pretended to understand me.

Situations where it happens:
1. Talking to women I find attractive
2. Using the phone
3. Going to a counter to order something
4. Trying to start a conversation with people
5. Groups of people
6. Asking for help


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## Invisiblehandicap (Jul 31, 2011)

I used to do it. It happened because I was thinking about what I wanted to say while I was saying it. Or because I was daydreaming.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

For me, there was a nerves factor. Trying to get out something to say isn't always easy.


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## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

My husband stutters but he also has Tourette's Syndrome.


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## German (Jun 17, 2013)

Well I've stuttered and mumbled since my childhood, and it is mortifying. I've learned coping techniques over the years. Here are some:

1. When you are stuttering just stop and forcefully talk a little slower while at the same time consciously relaxing throat muscles. It sounds hard but try it every time and it will get easier.

2. Tell yourself before you talk to someone, that you will _NOT STUTTER_. Tell yourself you should just talk a little slower and that you will not stutter. Again it sounds like it won't work, but try it and it will eventually.

3. Be conscious of your speech, but don't fear it. You can interpret that yourself.

I know how embarrassing it feels to stutter, but you'll get through it.


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## Engrddd (Nov 4, 2013)

Lisa said:


> It is an anxiety symptom. You could start by trying to work just on the symptom or you could try and tackle the reason.


I loathe it when people try to correlate or link stuttering with anxiety or nervousness. Typically, you get this from people who don't stutter chronically or since birth. As a stutterer; since birth, I can tell you that my stutter and as with many severe stutterers, our stutter has nothing, virtually nothing to do with anxiety or being nervous. Common sense will tell you that if stuttering can onset in their victims at an early age of 3, 4, when a child has no clue what nervousness or anxiety is, should delegitimize that argument. I rate my stutter now 6/10. However, I'm extremely confident; something which my fluent friends envy. If by any measure stutterers are nervous; it's the nervousness of losing control of their speech or being embarrassed, uncomfortable, and should not be confused with anxiety you find in people who can speak for the most part (Non stutterers...those will tell you I stutter too.Yes you stutter once in a while but not every second of your life. Do you know what SEVERITY mean? Same way I wouldn't try to equate myself 6/10 stutter to someone with 9/10 stutter ). A case in point was when I couldn't say my name within the time required for one to say their name; took me like a minute or so; I felt embarrassed; I was confident, extremely confident, I wasn't anxious at all, just something inside of me; neurologically I have come to think that is not working as it should. Stutter runs in the family; my uncles have it and late grandfather had it. So it's also genetics.

My advice to stutterers is continue to work on yourself. This is a life-long battle. One thing I have observed is my stutter has been reducing as I get older...this has been proven scientifically; that's why you don't see a whole lot of chronic/since-birth stutterers stuttering into their 40s, 50s, 60s. 70s except they had stroke or brain injury from accident. Same was said of my uncles and late grandfather. Most people that I know and have talked to in these aforementioned ages, said their stutter diminshed significantly as they got older. I would rate my stutter 9/10 between 10-25; extremely severe stutter; speech therapy did nothing but exacerbated my speech. How? Made me to talk in a way I wasn't used to. You just have to learn how to talk in a way that suites your stutter. If I talk too slow I lose my speech; too fast I lose it too. Meaning, I have to find the right cadence/ rhythm for my speech to flow in an average or acceptable level. Now at 29, I 'm comfortable with it and don't seem to think a great deal about it. Part of it I attribute to being successful in my engineering profession and academically since college. Graduated at the top of my class/Summa cum laude. My peers never judged me or try to judge me by my stutter; they listened with humility when I speak or tried to explain things to them. They are aware that my words don't come out of my mouth the way I would have intended them to; which is evident in my excellent writing skills...most stutterers I know are excellent writers. I 'm not sharing this to sound immodest but to offer help to anyone out there that... THE MORE YOU EXCEL IN YOUR PROFESSION OR IN WHAT YOU ENJOY DOING, THE LESS OF A BURDEN YOUR STUTTER WILL BECOME TO YOU AND TO PEOPLE. This belief has carried me through life happily with no ounce of regret. Where did I get this from? From Miguel Estrada; a prominent US attorney, severe stutterer; don't think I have seen a severe stutterer in my entire life in the spot light of the media and who is very accomplished in his field of - law for that matter that requires a great deal of speaking. He graduated at the top of his class, could have made it to the supreme court( not sotomayor) had he been comfirmed by the senate to the Appeallate Court...George Bush nominated him. I watched his senate hearing soon after I graduated high school, I cried, cleaned up my tears and vowed never to let my stutter deter me from pursing what I enjoy doing. This is a must-watch hearing for every stutterer out there, he stuttered through his senate confirmation hearing with patience, dignity, humor, intelligence and confidence. You can find this video on c-span video library with search phrase...Miguel Estrada. It's about 4-5 hours long and can fast forward it, I think like 1 hr into the hearing when he starts speaking. Link below...http://c-spanvideo.org/program/Pending.

Lastly, the spine of my rant is stuttering has nothing to do with anxiety nor is it psychological, has no effect on brain power, confidence level of an individual. It's purely neurological and physiological. Thanks

Techniques I use...coming from a former severe stutterer.

1. Easy onset...very critical. Start any difficult word with a soft touch. very light soft touch.
2. When you talk, focus on the vowel sounds...for example stutterers will stutter on the word TABLE with ease. Most stutterers would say they can't say the "t" consonant in the word TABLE. But in reality you are saying the "t" sound otherwise you wouldn't be stuck in saying "tttttttt" , so you need to focus more on the vowel "a" and elongate it. That will ease the tension or fear on saying the "t". It will sound like "taaaa-ble". Don't mistake the elongation in "a" as in phonetics....NO.


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## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

Sometimes stuff just doesn't come out clear because my lack of social skills and interaction.


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## wraith1407 (Nov 4, 2013)

I don't usually luckily, but I do forget words mid-sentence or forget what I'm saying sometimes. 

Though in uni I was diagnosed with dyslexia and both my depression & SA and got really bad so I stuttered when I had to do a class presentation. Worst public speaking experience ever. I omitted from completing presentation course work after that


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## Nessie91 (Jan 5, 2012)

I use to have it as a kid..although I refer to it as a stammer.

I went to a speech therapist for years and I'm basically cured now. I do have occasional slip ups from time to time. The letter 's' is still hard for me to pronounce sometimes, same with the letter 'k'.


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## Neo1234 (Mar 6, 2012)

I also stutter every now and then but when I do,I try to control it by going a little slower ,and it does help.I take a long breath ,and try to keep my disposition or composure.


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