Of coarse it's hard to deal with and some people don't even understand how it feels. I don't know the type of stutter you have. I have the "block" one...if I can call it that. It is as if the word or letter gets block in my throat, It doesn't want to come out, my heart keeps pounding harder, when I try to force it out. I lose my breath because my air also seems blocked. If I talk a whole lot, I get exhausted and get actually out of breath like I was exercising or something. In school it was really hard for me (not that it got any better), I never talked in class, I never did presentations or read out loud in class. I was excused from all of that stuff. They gave me an average class mark. I hated group work, I just sat there and let people tell me what I should do or not do. I wasn't really contributing, I just did my work and shut up. I had some friends in school, but not really close friends. I don't even talk to my school "friends" anymore. Now I only have basically one friend. It suites me though. Less people to worry about. I have a fiance though, which I love more than anything and I am very grateful that she loves me back and even love my stutter. I get some emotional days as well, it comes randomly. I may be angry, I am be sad and down or even days where I don't give a fuck! But I know we are better and stronger that most of the people that talk fluently, because I know for a fact they would not handle it. God gave us stuttering because we are strong people. And some days I blame Him for it...but still. We got to hang in there!