Physical effects of a stammer

Does anyone else here go through the 'dying fish' routine when they start to stammer?

I find that sometime it seems like my whole jaw and mouth muscles have 'locked up' when I am stammering and that (I imagine) I look like a choking fish when trying to speak.

Personally, I find that when I have reached this stage my confidence just evaporates, and I will do anything to get away from the people where I just was.

Thankfully, it doesn't happen too often.

ParkRunner

I think we all have our little physical signals that a block is occuring and unfortunately most are self perpetuating and very difficult to counter act. There can be an alternative however, I believe from my experience. There arent many sounds you can make looking like a 'dying fish' so if its possible to stop that behaviour and focus on making the first sound with a soft contact or the like it will soon become clear how unnecessary these almost reflex reactions are

Beano

That sounds exactly like what i used to go through when i was younger. I lost count of the number of times i hung up the phone or just left a shop because i couldnt speak at all. After speech therapy and hypnotherapy and being generally more chilled out in general it never gets that bad any more. Also, i recognise when it is happening so i stop, take a breath and continue on. My stammer always seems to disappear after a few pints so its definitely a tension thing with me.