Do you stutter?

Stephen P

I've been thinking about posting this topic for a couple of weeks now. I would like to see how many boards.ie users have a stutter. I myself have a stutter most of my life, I'm 25.
I decided to keep the poll to a Yes or No answer instead of getting into a complicated poll.

I would also like to get people's views on stuttering both from the people who stutter and those who don't. I'll add in my views as people post.

Thank you,

Stephen

Morlar

Nope.

The Bollox

yeah, it gets extremly annoying, like if you think of a great joke/comeback and are unable to say it, merely spray it, also if you are chatting someone up.

pain in the nads!

Stephen P

Marts wrote:

yeah, it gets extremly annoying, like if you think of a great joke/comeback and are unable to say it, merely spray it, also if you are chatting someone up.

pain in the nads!

Totally agree with you there. I just avoid telling the joke if I feel I'm going to stammer. In relation to chatting someone up, any girl I've ever "tried" to chat up has been understanding. It can get annoying though.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

not usually, but sometimes I can be in the middle of a sentence and just feel that I'm not going to be able to say a word that i know is coming in a few seconds.. I'll be thinking about it, thinking about it.. then I'll try to say it and choke. And then I can't say that word for a few minutes.. usually only lasts a few minutes, and then I can talk normally again.

kind of annoying.

oulu

The the the the the , tell me about it I use to stutter jesus so annoying the words just would not come out.Yet when a stutterer sings a song they dont stutter. 3 in our family of 10 kids use to stutter it became a joke in the familt in a good way take the piss out of each other. Like a brother would say just wait I will be back in 2 hours to hear you finish your sentence you would have to be there. Now I dont stutter anymore but talk alot so when people say do u ever shut up I tell them I use to stutter and if I spot talking I might cease up again. Remember a friend who had it later in life due to an innicent he seen. Trying to order a pint in a packed pub God I felt for him took about 5 mins no joking,

Stephen P

oulu wrote:

The the the the the , tell me about it I use to stutter jesus so annoying the words just would not come out.Yet when a stutterer sings a song they dont stutter. 3 in our family of 10 kids use to stutter it became a joke in the familt in a good way take the piss out of each other. Like a brother would say just wait I will be back in 2 hours to hear you finish your sentence you would have to be there. Now I dont stutter anymore but talk alot so when people say do u ever shut up I tell them I use to stutter and if I spot talking I might cease up again. Remember a friend who had it later in life due to an innicent he seen. Trying to order a pint in a packed pub God I felt for him took about 5 mins no joking,

I've always wondered if it runs in the family cos my aunt has a stutter too. I developed my stutter between the ages of 5 - 10. I'm not too sure of the reason why I started.

Mr. CooL ICE

Had one as long as I can remember. I was dreadful when I was younger, and my parents brought me to speech therapy, where they claim I got worse**. It just got gradually better in my early teens, and now I rarely stutter, but if I am looking to get attention from somebody thats distracted, I usually stutter. One side effect fom not stuttering (or a method I use to prevent) is that I talk very fast.

**The speech therapist's only solution to my stammer was to get my parents to punish me every time I stuttered. Jeez, its not like I wanted to stammer! Bloody idiots.

Basq

Yep.. have chatted to stephen_p already so he already knows i suffer badly from a stutter ever since i was younger.

Speech therapy made me better for a short time but stutter was back worse than ever once you stop the therapy.. but through plenty of research and reading on the subject, it is all in the mind. Anyone who is talking out loud to themselves will NOT stutter, but as soon as any interaction with another person - it occurs! The idea that you will stutter will then surface and it will happen.

There is more or less no known (or should i say definite) cure.. you can try free and worthwhile Valsalva techniques to improve your breathing and ease those blocks that occur into fluid breathing and speech, pay money for those "worthless" (from my readings of other people's opinions anyways.. don't know this first hand) programs such as the McGuire Program which typically work similarly to speech therapy (i.e will help the stammer for a short time but will come back) or invest in incredibly expensive apparatus

PS - was in Brussels last weekend... and stutter practically vanished. Was in because i was in a new atmosphere among people who didn't know me.. quite possibly!
PPS - think my stammer somewhat deterred me away from going to Boards Beers once or twice also.

Stephen P

basquille wrote:

Yep.. have chatted to stephen_p already so he already knows i suffer badly from a stutter ever since i was younger.

Speech therapy made me better for a short time but stutter was back worse than ever once you stop the therapy.. but through plenty of research and reading on the subject, it is all in the mind. Anyone who is talking out loud to themselves will NOT stutter, but as soon as any interaction with another person - it occurs! The idea that you will stutter will then surface and it will happen.

There is more or less no known (or should i say definite) cure.. you can try free and worthwhile Valsalva techniques to improve your breathing and ease those blocks that occur into fluid breathing and speech, pay money for those "worthless" (from my readings of other people's opinions anyways.. don't know this first hand) programs such as the McGuire Program which typically work similarly to speech therapy (i.e will help the stammer for a short time but will come back) or invest in incredibly expensive apparatus

PS - was in Brussels last weekend... and stutter practically vanished. Was in because i was in a new atmosphere among people who didn't know me.. quite possibly!
PPS - think my stammer somewhat deterred me away from going to Boards Beers once or twice also.

Thanks for your reply basquille, I was going to PM you to tell you I started this thread.

There is no cure for stuttering but as basquille said there are methods of controlling the stuttering, the biggest thing being breathing properly. I recently started working in a call centre and it's been a real challenge for me so far. Some calls I take are fine I don't stutter but some calls I do. It can depend on the call, if the customer gets irate or narky my stutter is worse cos I get nervous but if the customer is pleasant I'm fine. I also tend to speak rather fast which doesn't help. If I tell my mind to slow down I'm not too bad but it's just to get into the habbit of doing it. I'm looking into getting some speech theraphy done in the next few months, I will re-post then to let you know how I get on.

BTW Thanks for all the replies so far!

Ruu_Old

Don't really stutter but do choke on words quite often.

democrates

I have no stammer but I had a boss who had.
I heard a bit of slagging behind his back in the workplace but nothing serious. By that I mean no-one ever dared question his ability as a manager, and neither did anyone look down on him. It's hard to explain but their was no disrespect.

I often went to him for advice on things, work-related and not. He always had a well considered view and was ready to explain it. The stutter became absolutely transparent after a very short while, it got that I didn't even notice it, it became no different to listening to someone else, in fairness, you still have to hear the words, relate them to the question, distill the message, and try and comprehend it. Most importantly, the personality is what makes the impression.

The fact is I liked him a lot more as a boss than others not because he was cleverer, but because he was willing to share his views, some others without a stammer were sh1tehawks keeping any good views to themselves, and trying to play God, zero respect for them. But he had a serious stammer and didn't let it hold him back, was willing to help others like me, even giving presentations to large numbers of staff, if anyone new sniggered it was the rest of us who put them in their place rapidly. He was above such petty things. Great respect, Mick was his first name and if he reads this I hope he knows it's about him.

Carpenter

stephen p wrote:

I've been thinking about posting this topic for a couple of weeks now. I would like to see how many boards.ie users have a stutter. I myself have a stutter most of my life, I'm 25.
I decided to keep the poll to a Yes or No answer instead of getting into a complicated poll.

I would also like to get people's views on stuttering both from the people who stutter and those who don't. I'll add in my views as people post.

Thank you,

Stephen

Yes for 44 years now and all i can say is the older you get the less you stutter relax.
Tell your story slower people want to hear it no matter how quick you tell it when i was 20 it was very bad 24 years later you would not cop i have 1 and one more thing women love it

LovelyHurling

I have a slight stammer which doesnt bother me that much anymore. I used to stammer terribly until I started doing my A levels. It was a time in my life where all of these new avenues of change and possibility were opening up and I dont know if it was just age or seeing my ability to shape my own future that was the driving force, probably a combination of both.
I found that drawing out my words and actually visualising a smooth flow or link between one word and the next actually helped me a lot. Also I began to get more comfortable in telling people I had a stammer and either joked about it and them to be patient. In that way I stopped listening to myself trying to speak, it took the pressure off. I used to let it hold me back as a teenager and wasnt very sociable but have done a handbrake turn on that since University I reckon:D

I still stammer quite mildly sometimes when speaking to a client and Im bluffing one of their questions etc. Thank goodness I didnt become a salesman:p
Ive always hated the word "stutter". As a boy my Granny (who didnt understand the condition in fairness) used to give out to me and tell me to stop stuttering. I dunno I think stammer sounds more correct somwhow, maybe its just me!!

bohsboy

Yeah, have stammered (hate that word "stutter" for some reason) all my life, 30 now and not as bothered as I used to be. Held me back socially for years and I was always very hesitant to push the boundaries with friends, girlfriends, jobs etc.

Lowest point was dropping out of college with three weeks to go back in 1996 because we had to do an oral presentation in front of 100 people as part of our finals. Even passing by the college to this day nearly makes me feel physically sick. Speech was extremely bad around the 18-23 age gap for some reason and I basically shut myself away from the world. i ended up working in a factory packing CD's all day because I was so fearful of any verbal contact. Luckily I have never encountered much teasing or bullying, bar the odd tosser who you will always meet in every walk of life.

Have turned it around and improved a lot over the last five years and now have a good job, very happily married and a baby boy just born. Highlight for me was taking my vows and making my wedding speech in front of 250 people with no slips whatsoever.

The best treatment I received was on the Patmar Programme, http://www.stammeringireland.ie/ISA_PATMAR.htm, which was introduced by two speech therapists in the North Western Health Board back in 1999. It's a seven day residential course which looks at all aspects of stammering and how to control it. It's the first course that outlines from the beginning that there is no cure for stammering, which has been proven to be true, but instead helps people tackle their stammer, bring it out into the open, discuss it, deal with it emotionally and physically. When the fear of stammering goes and realisation thats it's not that huge of an affliction to have, the stammer becomes less of an issue and it's possible for the stammer in most cases to lessen.

As far as I know, the Eastern Health Board have begun an identical course but it's under a different name. However, the NWHB will accept any applications from anywhere in Ireland. It's free of charge as it's funded by the health board and you just have to pay hotel costs for the week. It's a tough seven days but if you are serious and committed about improving your speech, it will transform you.

I found the Mc Guire Programme dreadful, very regimental and no time is spent at all on the emotional scars people have from years of frustration and anger. It's purely speech orientated, four intensive days and an incredible 1,100 and the goal is finding that elusive "cure". In the past, they advertised that they had an 83% cure rate but legal action taken against them resulted in them having to withdraw this comment from any public advertising. Short term results are fantastic and you will be fluent, however, two weeks later, anyone I know from the course I was on had lapsed back to their old ways. It can succeed for a limited few but you must be extremely motivated and willing to spend an hour a day on breathing excercises.

General speech therapy can help but I found lapsing into old habits was a huge problem. Any of these physical aids on the Net for sale make me very angry as they advertise immediate cures and are unbelievably priced which can be quite cruel for people who are desperate and willing to do anything for help.

Sorry for the long rant but this is a topic which I've a huge interest in and like trying to help anyone who has suffered as I have. If there was enough interest among posters we could maybe arrange a get together for a chat and share our findings and experiences of treatment, both positive and negative. if anyone needs any more info regarding the above course or feel like dropping me a line for a chat, PM me !

Mick.

democrates

Here's a mad question: does stammering get better or worse with drink, or no difference?

LovelyHurling

For me it definitely helps, I dont stammer as much when I drink. I smoked hash a few times in college it helped too. Problem is you cant go around drunk and stoned in real life so you have to face the problem with a clear head*:)

*Dammit

democrates

Ok so alcohol or what-not can reduce the stammering for some people, I wonder is that because we are more ourselves with a few drinks? I mean were not normally drunks but there are fewer filters, fewer interruptions between thinking and talking hence we say things we may regret later.

I won't be so arrogant as to propose this a mass diagnosis, but in some cases could childhood difficulties be the source of some adulthood difficulty in mental -> oral free-flow?

Does intense anger make it better or worse?

Edit: And what about singing? I've known a stammerer who sang flawlessly (better than the original in fact)...

The Bollox

stephen p wrote:

I've always wondered if it runs in the family cos my aunt has a stutter too. I developed my stutter between the ages of 5 - 10. I'm not too sure of the reason why I started.

I know why I started, when I was 12 I worked on a farm and the boss I had had a slight stammer. So one day, behind his back, I impersonated him infront of that lads I was working with and one of them said "you shouldn't take the piss with someone who stammers!" after that I developed one, irony eh?

Oriel

Stephen,
I have a stutter, and have done since I was born. I started a thread like this about two years ago, as I was interested in the same thing.
My stutter isn't always too bad, but that can be a bad thing. I can speak fine one moment, then all of a sudden it kicks in... so people who otherwise thought I could speak fine, suddenly hear my stutter, and think I'm strange because I've just stopped speaking and look at my feet, my hands, the sky etc while I try to either get the word out, or try to think of another word to say.

Generally, I'm always thinking a few sentences ahead. It has made me the introverted person I am today.
I hate it with a passion, but I make sure I'm able to laugh at it at the some time, as this is the only way to overcome it.
I am better than my stutter. It has made me who I am today, and in a strange way, I'm thankful for that.

Of course, you'll have every other person saying to you "Oh, I have a stutter too" or "I used to have a stutter", when in reality, they only have the same hesitation that all other people who speak have. If you're talking about people who have a true stutter/stammer, then yes, there are a few people like you out there too, myself included

I went to a Speech Therapist when I was younger, but, in truth, I think that this doesn't really help most of people with a stutter. It can help you deal with it, but not cure it at all. The main thing is - people to this day don't even know what causes a stutter. I'm 100% sure it's a psychological reason. It's nothing physical at all.
One person asks me my name, I can say it fine. Next person comes long... nothing...
But hey, I've pulled some fiiiine women in my time, so it's not all bad

Hey, PM me.

Stephen.

Oriel

Also, it's definitely gentetic. My mother's brothers all had stutters, my brothers all had stutters too.
Unfortunately, I'm the *only* one who kept theirs into adulthood.
I got sooo sick and tired of hearing "Don't worry, you'll grow out of it when you're 16". When I reached 19, I think people started to catch on...

FranknFurter

I have a mild "stutter" from time to time.
For me it kicked in at about 20-21, apparently as a result of years of damage from neuro-meds for epilepsy.

Im getting used to it, and its v mild compared to most.

b

Freedomfighter

Can someone explain what it feels like to stammer. Does frustration build up? I had a friend who had a very bad stammer but took his own life two years ago aged just 24. Because his stammer was so bad he would just sit with us and say nothing. I could see his anger build up over time but when i tried to help him he would push it aside. Id get information on tecniques to stop or reduce the stammer but anytime i tried to talk to him about it he would walk away from me. He was my best friend and could talk to me about everything else bar the stammer.

Basq

bohsboy wrote:

The best treatment I received was on the Patmar Programme, http://www.stammeringireland.ie/ISA_PATMAR.htm, which was introduced by two speech therapists in the North Western Health Board back in 1999. It's a seven day residential course which looks at all aspects of stammering and how to control it. It's the first course that outlines from the beginning that there is no cure for stammering, which has been proven to be true, but instead helps people tackle their stammer, bring it out into the open, discuss it, deal with it emotionally and physically. When the fear of stammering goes and realisation thats it's not that huge of an affliction to have, the stammer becomes less of an issue and it's possible for the stammer in most cases to lessen.

I see that was run by Maria McDonnell (who was my speech therapist) and i assume Patrick (sorry but i forgot his surname) - did a crash course week type program with two of them as a trial before they started that programme with myself and about 3 other people.. again, it helped me temporarily but not in the long run.

Both two very nice people though!

They more or less encouraged you to stammer in the day to day course.. and it did help but not very practical in the outside world in my opinion

FreedomFighter wrote:

Can someone explain what it feels like to stammer. I had a friend who had a very bad stammer but took his own life two years ago aged just 24.

That's very sad! Believe it or not.. i'd be lying if i said i hadn't thought of it at one stage or another when i was younger. I got so frustrated and angry with people who judged me or slagged me because of my stammer.. especially kids were the worst but truly good people will see past it. But even now, i feel frustrated when i'm in a conversation with my family especially and i start to stammer and they just talk over or interrupt me.

Regarding how a stammer feels, it's tough to explain as i really don't think about it anymore. But essentially you throat will either block up or tighten.. typically around your larynx and the word will fail to come out or it'll come out in short breaths or patches - it'll result in a loss of air from the lungs and a forceful strained look on your face and mouth.

PS - oh and i hate the term "stutter" too - i think "stammer" is more an American term but it is definantly a nicer way to say it.

democrates wrote:

Here's a mad question: does stammering get better or worse with drink, or no difference?

In my experience, worse with drink but you care a lot less about it.. especially when ordering at the bar. And if it's really busy, you can just shout out your drink order (and i think i read no-one stammers when they shout.. i definantly don't)

Black Swan

No. But I can "sputter" and hesitate a lot when really embarrassed.

Stephen P

bohsboy wrote:

The best treatment I received was on the Patmar Programme, http://www.stammeringireland.ie/ISA_PATMAR.htm, which was introduced by two speech therapists in the North Western Health Board back in 1999. It's a seven day residential course which looks at all aspects of stammering and how to control it. It's the first course that outlines from the beginning that there is no cure for stammering, which has been proven to be true, but instead helps people tackle their stammer, bring it out into the open, discuss it, deal with it emotionally and physically. When the fear of stammering goes and realisation thats it's not that huge of an affliction to have, the stammer becomes less of an issue and it's possible for the stammer in most cases to lessen.

As far as I know, the Eastern Health Board have begun an identical course but it's under a different name. However, the NWHB will accept any applications from anywhere in Ireland. It's free of charge as it's funded by the health board and you just have to pay hotel costs for the week. It's a tough seven days but if you are serious and committed about improving your speech, it will transform you.Sorry for the long rant but this is a topic which I've a huge interest in and like trying to help anyone who has suffered as I have. If there was enough interest among posters we could maybe arrange a get together for a chat and share our findings and experiences of treatment, both positive and negative. if anyone needs any more info regarding the above course or feel like dropping me a line for a chat, PM me !

Mick.

The PATMAR course is the one I'm thinking of going to. I've a meeting in just over a month about it.
It probably wouldn't be a bad idea if some of us met us to discuss our experiences.

democrates wrote:

Here's a mad question: does stammering get better or worse with drink, or no difference?

Most times its better with drink on me. I talk kinda fast anyway so that doesn't help when I'm drunk and shouting in a packed pub

sinecurea wrote:

Also, it's definitely gentetic. My mother's brothers all had stutters, my brothers all had stutters too.
Unfortunately, I'm the *only* one who kept theirs into adulthood.
I got sooo sick and tired of hearing "Don't worry, you'll grow out of it when you're 16". When I reached 19, I think people started to catch on...

My Aunt has it too so it's quite possible a gentetic thing.
Of the people who have said Yes so far has anyone in your family got a stutter/stammer? (I hate the term stutter too seem to use it more than saying stammer )

Freedomfighter wrote:

Can someone explain what it feels like to stammer. Does frustration build up? I had a friend who had a very bad stammer but took his own life two years ago aged just 24. Because his stammer was so bad he would just sit with us and say nothing. I could see his anger build up over time but when i tried to help him he would push it aside. Id get information on tecniques to stop or reduce the stammer but anytime i tried to talk to him about it he would walk away from me. He was my best friend and could talk to me about everything else bar the stammer.

Frustration builds up a lot of the time for me. If I'm having a conversation with more than one person and I start to stammer some of the people tend to take over the conversation or get disinterested in the conversation. I also think some people get embarrassed if I start to stammer. That happen to anyone else?

The best bit of advice I ever got from a speech therapist was to NEVER APOLOGISE for stammering and I NEVER do. Another bit of advice that works for me sometimes is to say the vowels by opening your mouth really wide i.e for E you'd stretch your mouth across as if smilling and hold it for a minute or so. It works for me sometimes.

Another thing that I've noticed is that none of my work colleagues never mention it to me in any of the jobs I've worked in, some people might be afraid to bring it up incase its a sore point with me (which it isn't), I'd prefer if they did!

I'm really impressed by all the replies so far!

radiospan

basquille wrote:

PS - was in Brussels last weekend... and stutter practically vanished. Was in because i was in a new atmosphere among people who didn't know me.. quite possibly!

I have a stammer (used to be worse when I was younger), but it was practically gone completely when I was in San Francisco last year. I was a bellman and had to make small talk with people every day and I never even had to worry about it. I also think it was because people over there didn't know me.

Seems to get worse around stressful times though.

Tar.Aldarion

No, not at all. I'm surprised so many people do though.

It's good that you don't apologise, people shouldn't.

Stephen P

Tar.Aldarion wrote:

No, not at all. I'm surprised so many people do though.

It's good that you don't apologise, people shouldn't.

I heard there's about 45,000 people in Ireland who stammer and 45 million all over the world.

abetarrush

This reminds me of a lisp


Who the fxck came up with the word? ye'd wana be a cruel fxck to name the thing that effects ur S's with a word with an S!

eamoss

Yep I have one as well. When I was very young I had it very bad but my parents took me 2 speech therapy at young age. But now(age 18) I rarely do it but I always plan out what I am about to say and if i think I am going to get stuck on a word I work my way around it or let nature take its course and pretend I cant think of the word like for example the word humanitarian(picked up a book & picked out the 1st word i saw) i wud say "hum ahh humanitarian sorry cudnt think of the word there"

LovelyHurling

stephen p wrote:

I also think some people get embarrassed if I start to stammer. That happen to anyone else?

Yes. I find that people who get embarressed when I struggle often make me a lot worse as I feel uncomfortable. Usually they go red or stare at their feet, and then I stammer worse and start to stare at my feet too. Im sure to an onlooker it must just look like a conversation about shoes:D

On the genetics thing, I think Ive heard that before alright. My younger brother has a stammer, but his is worse and he hasnt managed to improve upon it since when it developed (7/8yo) He also had to make his way through a 15 minute UCAS interview last March because the college wouldnt make an exception. The CAO has its advantages...

EDIT: I think a meeting/ beers thing is a great idea. I find that I my speech really improves when Im with other people who suffer with this! Lets hope we all do eh, could be avery silent meeting:D

Cravez

I had speech problems when i was very young and had to go to speech therapy until i started secondry school. Its not as bad now, i don't stammer at all really now but during some sentences or long explaination routines i do stammer a bit. As others have said its a pain in the nads trying to chat someone up or telling a joke if you have one

takola

I don't have a stammer but i do tend to get a block mid-sentence and i'd have to start talking gibberish and start over again. i laugh it off and most people find it funny.

I read a comment saying that some people find that the person they're talking to gets embarrassed if you start to stammer around them, I think that's true sometimes. I know if someone starts stammering around me and can't get by that one particular word it tends to get awkward. I really don't mean for it to get that way! I would just be wondering should i finish the sentence for them or wait for them to get over it! And i really never know what to do so i keep my mouth shut and try to make it seem like it isn't awkward and make it worse! Then i think i'd just try to laugh it off.

So.. How would you want people to react if you start stammering? Should they finish the sentence or leave you to get over it?

Setun

Michael Cravez wrote:

I had speech problems when i was very young and had to go to speech therapy until i started secondry school. Its not as bad now, i don't stammer at all really now but during some sentences or long explaination routines i do stammer a bit. As others have said its a pain in the nads trying to chat someone up or telling a joke if you have one

After a while though people who know you get used to it and it becomes almost unnoticeable.

rain on

i used to have a lecturer in college who had a stammer - i thought standing up stammering in front of 300 people must be pretty awful but she seemed to take it in stride. she used to say it'd give us more time to take down notes. i thought it was really cool that someone could be that successful in a job that involves a lot of public speaking, she was a really good lecturer and all.

radiospan

rain on wrote:

i used to have a lecturer in college who had a stammer - i thought standing up stammering in front of 300 people must be pretty awful but she seemed to take it in stride. she used to say it'd give us more time to take down notes. i thought it was really cool that someone could be that successful in a job that involves a lot of public speaking, she was a really good lecturer and all.

I think I remember reading that eight times as many men stammer than women? Dunno why that is.

LovelyHurling

takola wrote:

So.. How would you want people to react if you start stammering? Should they finish the sentence or leave you to get over it?

Depending on how long it is my my mates/ family usually just smile or say "Dont worry" and wait for me to get over it. They know how to react well to it and that helps a lot. It helps to acknowledge the stammer is there but to let the person know that its okay and just wait for it to end. Pretending to ignore 'the elephant in the room' just makes everyone feel worse.

It doesnt particularly bother me but not a good idea finish a sentance for someone or say "I know what youre trying to say". Even if it is the least traumatic way of dealing with it!

Stephen P

LovelyHurling wrote:

EDIT: I think a meeting/ beers thing is a great idea. I find that I my speech really improves when Im with other people who suffer with this! Lets hope we all do eh, could be avery silent meeting:D

How would we go about organising a meeting?

Bass Cadet

Hi, a newbie here!

I've been reading through this thread and find it really interesting. I developed a stammer around the age of 7, ironically due to attending speech therapy for pronouncing the 'sh' sound incorrectly (go figure eh?!). I'm pretty sure what happened is that I became very conscious of the way I spoke and the stammer seemed to develop since then.

I'm now 28 and over the years I've had times speaking completely fluently (months at a time) only to relapse gradually. This has convinced me that my stammer is completely phychological, in other words its 'all my head'. A feeling rather than a situation triggers it, depending on a lot of factors going on in my life at the time, somehow I've related certain feelings or emotions to trigger my stammer and at times I've been able to bypass these feelings or emotions completely leading to fluent speech which would explain why I rarely, if ever stammer after having a few drinks.

I've also attended the McGuire Program and it's definately something that works for some people and doesn't work for others. By the way, they in no way claim it to be a cure and deal alot with accepting the stammer while also concentraing on the 'costal/diaphragm' breathing method. Its all about how much work you're willing to put into the course and you're recovery from stammering where eventually you're trying to be in control of your stammer rather than the stammer being in control. It has worked for me in the past but I relapsed badly at one point due to a lot of factors, not least, me getting very lazy. It works on the basis of overkilling feared words and situations. I've attended more courses and meetings since and am building up my fluency again.

Anyway, this is something I could hammer on about all day so I'll leave it at that. I don't think anyone can dismiss anything unless they've tried it, as people are different and somethings will work for you, somethings won't. The McGuire Program is expensive for the 4 day intensive course but like a lot of things you'll only get out of it, what you put in and for a lot of people it seems to be the best money they ever spent, for others, maybe not

P

XchampagneX

eamoss wrote:

i wud say "hum ahh humanitarian sorry cudnt think of the word there"

I always do that!! I've had a mild stutter since I was about 14/15, I'm 18 now. It can be quite frustrating when i'm coming up to a word in a sentence and i know i won't be able to say it. There are certain letters that words start with that i know i have to be careful with - d, f, b are the worst! I find that i can control it to some extent though!

Many of my friends don't know I have a stutter. One said "did you just stutter?" when i was talking to him - that was the first and last time i ever stuttered around him. One of them thinks it's "cute" whenever i slip up...which i think is quite annoying.

I don't let it control my life though. I too hate hearing the word "stutter", however I do use it myself from time to time.

Dan133269

I always thought that stammering and stuttering were actually slightly different.

Yeah I had a bad stammer when I was younger, thankfully it's effectively gone now, still comes through now and again but doesn't bother me. Like a previous poster said, a friend in primary school had a bad stammer and I used to laugh my head off at him everyday, poetic irony is of course he got better and I developed a problem. I'm friends with him for the last 16 years so I don't really feel all that guilty about mocking him anymore, he's fine now anyway.

More troublingly, my 9 year old sister has developed a stammer which seems to be getting slightly worse. I felt awfully guilty about this and blamed myself but my speech was constantly getting better and it didn't rub off on her. My mother said she more than likely began stammering because of her friend next door who has it. I don't know whether it's a good thing that she's a girl, seeing as it is so much more occurant in males (as someone pointed out) than females, but of course young boys would be so much more cruel about it.

With regards to how one feels with a stammer as someone asked, you cannot begin to imagine the fear and panic that kicks in merely from having to ask for something in a shop because of a stammer. Long queues are the worst, sh*tting yourself at the back knowing your going to stammer, then every step you move forward makes your heart beat faster and your tongue get tighter until eventually the moment of humiliation arrives and you walk away (after a battle trying to spit out a few words) feeling so inadequate you just want to die. That's what it feels like.

Now I give presentations in college with no problems. Living in France at the moment and while I'm sometimes nervous speaking the language, I don't let it affect me. There's hope no matter how bad the condition is

Beruthiel

Dragging up old threads is a big no no.
B