commentr/StutterApril 16, 2023

Content

I can only speak from experience, but stuttering is a disability with easily identifiable triggering factors that can flip the script on you without warning. As an example, I stutter more often and severely if I'm anxious. It could be anxiety about something not related to the conversation, the conversation itself, or just anxiety about how fluent I'll be in the conversation. I also stutter more if I'm speaking to people of authority. Depending on which point I was in my life, this could have been managers, parents, teachers/professors, etc. Then there are days where everything is A-OK. I have no anxiety (that I'm aware of), I'm in good spirits, and conversations are cruising along without issue. Until some innocuous interaction occurs and I completely melt down and can't get a single syllable out of my mouth. It's a disability for a reason. There is no "trick" to it. It's just a thing you have and will have for the rest of your life. You can identify the factors that make it worse and take steps to mitigate them, you can go to speech therapy and work with a therapist to slow your speech down and find ways to communicate more fluently (elongation of sounds, etc.) But in the end, it's just your lot in life. You have good days and bad days. My advice is to keep track of how you're feeling when you stutter and see if there are any underlying emotions or triggers that making it happen more frequently. That doesn't mean you'll be able to take that information and fix it, but at least you'll have a better understanding of it.

Themes

Causes & VariabilityEmotional ExperienceSocial & RelationshipsTherapy & Professional

Subthemes

Stress & Fight/FlightAnxiety & Social JudgmentPower Dynamics & IntimidationSeverity & FluctuationSeeking Therapy