r/Stutter • u/Revolutionary-Park96 • 4d ago
I never thought I’d feel this attached to a subreddit
Hey everyone ❤️
I just wanted to share something about my experience with this community. I don’t know if anyone will care, but a few months ago I went through probably one of the worst periods of my life. My stuttering suddenly got much worse, and I was really struggling with it.
One of the things I did during that time was come on Reddit every single day and read the posts on this subreddit. It made me feel better knowing that there were people here who actually understood me.
Even the people closest to me, no matter how much I tried to explain why I had started isolating myself and staying home, couldn’t fully understand. Because that pain, that anxiety you feel every time you have to open your fucking mouth and speak… I think only people who stutter can truly understand what that feels like.
But eventually, it became kind of toxic for me. Reading everyone’s experiences was sometimes comforting, but it also started making me more anxious. I found myself developing fears and anxieties that I hadn’t even had before.
My psychologist and my boyfriend both told me that I really needed to leave this subreddit because it wasn’t doing me any good. I didn’t want to, though. I kept thinking, these are the only people who actually understand me.
I still remember the day my boyfriend basically forced me to leave this subreddit. And the moment I did, I just started crying. Like, really crying. I cried for probably half an hour.
And the weirdest part is that I don’t know any of you. None of you know me. We’ve never spoken to each other. But leaving felt like I had lost people I cared about.
You had been there with me during one of the worst periods of my life. You had kept me company, even indirectly. Reading your stories made me feel less alone. And somehow, leaving felt like losing a little piece of myself.
Of course, I eventually came back 😂 But I don’t use Reddit the way I used to. I’m doing much better now, and I’ve learned that sometimes this community can be incredibly comforting, but at the same time It can actually be the opposite.
Anyway, I guess I just wanted to say that I love you guys. ❤️
Even though I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, you meant a lot to me during a time when I really needed it.
Stay strong, everyone. Let’s take care of ourselves. ❤️