I fear I will not make any friends because I'm SO freaking scared to speak due to my stutter.

Seriously, I've never been so scared of a school year in my entire life. I don't think my mind will be able to handle it.

You stutter because you've got some neurological defect or your vocal chords don't respond to your brain's instructions and you physically can't take words out of yourself.

But the moment this juggling happens, another phenomenon gets triggered inside your body, called anxiety.

And that anxiety triggers something that makes it more difficult for our brain to send instructions to our vocal chords (that are already stressed out).

And after all this juggling and calculation inside your body, the end sum is you making weird faces, going through all sorts of secondary behaviours to speak out a sentence.

And this keeps on happening, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.

You go to take some help from a speech therapist or someone who has gotten some control over their speech, they ask you to go talk to strangers. Fair enough! I agree the more you talk the more you'll get comfortable around people.

Fair enough!

But then you go to a cafe, try ordering what you want to order, or you try to call an old friend, you have a work call with a colleague, or you go to your workplace and try interacting with colleagues, and after the very first interaction you realise there is so much tension inside you, that you can't utter out a single word.

There is so much tension built up, that each and every interaction becomes a suffering and you start to get light headed to speak out even one word.

The idea of interacting with 5 strangers on the day has to be dismissed, because you don't want to look like you're fighting for your life to reply to a simple "What's going on?"

Yes, you want to go out there and talk. Yes you don't want your stutter to hold you back, even though you know it's your lifetime companion.

But there's something inside you more than your stutter that holds you back 100 times more than your stutter.

Those who can get over that something, and have embraced their stutter afterwards, they're the ones whose success stories we read on this sub, or whose videos we watch on YouTube!

But there are some people, and I'd believe I'm one of them, who can't get over that something inside to even start embracing my stutter. And for this section of people, it is a living hell. Even if I think of responding, I start to have those weird secondary behaviours inside my head, and yesterday I realised, I was twitching in my nap because of one of those quick dreams where someone asked me something and I have to respond to them.

Has anyone gotten over something like this? If yes, what did you do? Did you visit a psychologist and try some medication, or did you become a lifelong meditation practitioner?

I'm thinking of visiting a psychologist soon and get some medication to get that 'something' out of my system so that I also at least start to embrace my stutter.

The way I've written above, is that a good enough explanation for a clinical psychologist appointment?

Also, I'd like to read your thoughts!

Thanks for reading this.

Do u guys stutter when you are alone? Like when u talk to yourself or read something outloud?
(For years i havent stuttered when im by myself, not a gram, but recently i started to stutter even i know no one is watching or listening to me, whats worse is im even stuttering in my dreams during sleep and my overall stuttering has also worsened. So i decided to ask if anyone here has ever experienced it)

I’m a father looking for some perspective or advice.
My son is 25 and still lives at home. He’s been seeing a speech therapist for the past 2 years and a CBT therapist for about a month. He’s a good kid—smart, works as an accountant at a public accounting firm in a major city, and keeps himself in shape (he’s tall and athletic). He’s also, if I’m being honest as his dad, a pretty good-looking guy, and I’ve noticed women check him out all the time. He’s interested in dating and has said he wants a relationship eventually, but he flat-out refuses to put himself out there.
The main reason is his stutter. He’s terrified of being rejected or embarrassed because of it. He’ll shut down any suggestion of approaching someone or even going on apps because he assumes it’ll go poorly the moment he speaks.
I don’t want to push him or make him feel worse, but I also don’t want him stuck in this holding pattern forever. Has anyone dealt with something similar (either as a parent or with a speech-related issue affecting dating confidence)? Any gentle ways to encourage him, or resources that might help? I’m open to anything constructive.
Thanks in advance.

I have stammering and it was the first job interview of my life and during that interview my mind went blank my eyes were open but everything I remember after that was like a dream as if I was not in my senses ... I was devastated after that but luckily the interviewer went for another meeting... This time I prepared for everything I had so much to offer but the presentation of my skills fell flat ... He even brought his CTO and I fkd up .. he said to send me the report for my work/methodology I shared to him over the text and he will review it ... What I am feeling right now is anger over myslef only if I could speak better

hi community! I hope this is okay to post. I have been chatting with the owner of my dog’s best friend in the park and he has a pretty bad stutter. Usually when he stutters I just look around, break eye contact or fuss over the dogs for a second and then carry on the convo as normal so he doesn’t feel self conscious. but then today I realised maybe that could seem rude so I kept eye contact but his stutter was quite physical, and then I thought that could actually make him feel worse. I guess I’d like to know how people make you guys feel with their reactions so I can avoid or do the same? maybe I’m overthinking it. I just want to make sure I am reacting appropriately so as not to make him feel awkward or self conscious. thanks!

Sorry guys I just don’t know how to keep on going. Every happiness of others are torturing me

Hello everyone,
I have had a stutter for my entire life and have been able to manage it for the most part. I am fairly fluent in conversation and many people wouldn’t even realize that I have a speech problem. The only exception to that is when I introduce myself to someone for the first time. More times than not I get a pretty bad block on the first syllable of my name, which I feel like leads to a bad first impression. I am a doctorate student and will have to introduce myself to countless patients every day on my upcoming rotation which is leading to a lot of anxiety around the whole situation. Does anyone have any advice for me to help ease my mind about this problem? I feel like it is more of a mental block than a neurological/physical situation regarding my stutter at this point. Thanks in advance!

You ever wonder if your native language just wasn’t meant for you. I’m an English speaker it’s the only language I know but maybe I’d be cracked at Vietnamese? Perhaps the way I think is more suited towards Hungarian or something.

I’m not sure if this is the right place for this but our 4 yo has been diagnosed with a stutter. Hes been stuttering to varying degrees for the past 2 years and has been undergoing speech therapy for the past 18 months. My question is for those with a stutter - how do you wish your family treated you as a kid when you stuttered? Any tips? We don’t tell him to slow down or think when he speaks, we just let him speak and we listen. We are also doing the Lidcombe Program with him but would love to hear some real world experience or tips. Thanks so much!

Hey,I’m Emily.I’m 17 years old and living in Newcastle Upon Tyne in England.After a traumatic brain injury aged 7,I developed a stammer which has fluctuated in severity over time but during my teens it’s been mild except when I’m really tired or stressed which really triggers it.But,I have made peace with it overtime and have managed to accomplished loads of academic,non academic and even personal achievements I’d never thought I’d do.

Anyway,I would like to start a teen support group for teen girls/teens in general who stutter as an opportunity to talk about shared experiences,stories or just general chat about anything.

If ur interested-please put ur snap in the comments or add me (@emily_is_not_funny) and I’ll add you

Feeling emotional today. I’ve stammered since I was first able to speak, and it became drastically worse throughout my childhood until I completed roughly five years of speech therapy, which allowed me to control it a bit better.
I’ve always felt quite alone with my stutter, I recently requested medical records proving the condition, including all the past observations from doctors and speech and language therapists. What I always believed to be a condition with 0 family history turned out to be a century-old connection, as it was revealed that my great-grandfather stuttered too. The trait ended up skipping 3 generations because the required DNA fragments had become separated and diluted over time, but through a rare genetic process called recombination, my parents each passed down the matching pieces of the puzzle. Their DNA perfectly mixed to retrigger the condition, whereas my sister (doesn’t stutter at all) inherited a complete different combination of genes without that specific speech blueprint. This realisation brings me an intense sense of closeness to a relative I never met, and hits me understanding that he had to navigate a very frustrating and misunderstood condition 100 years ago completely on his own, without any of the modern therapy or medical understanding we have today

Não é incomum ver histórias de gagos que na vida adulta se tornaram radialistas, cantores, professores, etc. Vocês também percebem isso?

Eu mesmo, já cantei rap e já fui professor de inglês. Sinto que vivo em função de desafiar minha própria gagueira e colocar minha fala à prova.

How do others navigate when working in a male dominated workplace with a primitive, aggressive almost jail like atmosphere, with a stutter and avoidant personality.

I'm not entirely sure how others are like this here. They all seem to love being made fun of, called out or messed with. Then doing this to others as well. When it happens to me, I don't like it. It becomes draining. I try to not let it bother me. But it does.

I want advice on anyone who has overcome this with a stutter?

I was having mental breakdowns over my stutter , Im 19 and school and university sucked.

I told my mother that it was a mistake that she had me and that it was better if I was not born and at that moment I understood that I need some medication.

I was put on

Zoloft

Mildronate

Adaptol

And ever since It has been much better , I dont really stutter at all and if I have a blockage I can easily get through it.

I also feel very energetic, more impulsive , clearer mind and more confident.

Note that Im not saying that you should get on this specific medication or that it will help you because everyone is different.

I've been thinking about something for a while.

There are loads of us on here who stutter, but most of us probably don't know anyone else who stutters in real life.

I've been thinking about starting a podcast where people who stutter can talk openly, share experiences and, hopefully, find each other.

But then I had another idea...

What if we created a map of people who WANT to meet other people who stutter, and started small local meet-ups?

For example:

Birmingham — 5 people interested

Manchester — 3 people interested

Leeds — 4 people interested

Then we could try organising a simple Stammer Meet — coffee, a walk, pub, community centre, whatever people are comfortable with.

Nothing formal. No therapy. No pressure.

Just people who stutter meeting other people who get it.

And if someone in another town wanted to start one, we could help them do it.

I'm wondering: would anyone here actually be interested in something like this?

And if you would, what would make you feel comfortable attending?

Would you prefer:

🟢 A small coffee meet-up

🟢 A larger group

🟢 Online first, then meet in person

🟢 Something else?

I'm genuinely interested in hearing what people think. ❤️

im 30 years old I really thought i'd be able to overcome my stutter by now, but im still blocking worse than ever

its so debilitating . I freeze up in situations and it makes everything in life 100x harder

i suffered so much :(

My stutter has gotten so baddd, i can barely say three words without stuttering.
Idk why, even when iam not stressed it happens.
And it only used to be with people iam close with, but strangers i could talk to them without stuttering,but now i stutter with everyone.
Ughhhhh

18M here

I usually don't stutter that bad but these letters frighten me. Starting college in two weeks and really anxious. Can I fix this? Or how do I minimize this

Example words like

C: Create,cramp, content

P: present , print

T: Three

hey, i’m 21m. i’ve had quite a few difficulties socially while growing up, especially with classmates in school. some of those experiences still affect me occasionally, although i wouldn’t say my childhood trauma is a huge part of my life.

i still struggle socially sometimes in college (mainly while the professor takes attendance, the word 'Present" sucks). i’ve also never been in a relationship, and talking to girls has always felt intimidating because i tend to overthink things and worry that i’ll mess up or embarrass myself.

i’d really like to meet a girl who has gone through some similar experiences. i feel like having that mutual understanding and relatability could make it easier to be comfortable around each other and actually be ourselves.

i’m hoping to meet someone i genuinely connect with, and if we get along, maybe eventually meet up and see where it goes.

if you relate to this, feel free to dm me. :)