postr/StutterMarch 19, 2026

How to get over the shame of talking about it?

23 points13 commentsView on Reddit →

Content

How to get over the shame of talking about it? So I’m 34F and have dealt with stuttering my entire life. I’d probably be categorized as a convert stutterer, but I feel like I’m managing it and stressing over it every minute of the day that I’m interacting with someone or anticipating that I will. My stuttering can vary in severity and mostly comes out as blocking and straining to speak to avoid repetition, which of course comes with strain, stress, and constant panic. I could go on and on, but basically, I stutter or struggle to speak with my close family and my partner every time I speak with them, but it’s something that’s totally unspoken (no pun intended). My entire life, I’ve only been called out about it twice (once from my partner), and I said it’s something I’m not comfortable talking about and don’t want to talk about again. The other time was a close friend who jokingly teased me when I let a repetition slip through. I brought it up once with a therapist and felt like she brushed it off and said she hadn’t noticed, and I felt somewhat ignored. Well, now I have a new therapist who seems really supportive. I have my second session with her today, and I told myself that for my next therapist, I would talk about stuttering and the impact it’s had on my life to deal with the anxiety and other effects. Even if she’s not a speech therapist, I think it could help. How to get over the shame and embarrassment that I’ve associated with stuttering for so many years to be able to bring this up?

Themes

Anticipation & AvoidanceEmotional ExperienceIdentity & Disability

Subthemes

Avoidance & SubstitutionHiding & ConcealmentOverthinking & MonitoringShame & EmbarrassmentAnxiety & Social JudgmentAuthenticity vs. Masking