I have a stuttering problem. What should I do?

Question

I have always stuttered since I was a child. I'm in my 30s now and it's just too embarrassing. Whenever I feel a stutter coming on, I try using different words or even try to lead with a useless phrase like "I think" or "like" to get a running start to the word. Sometimes, I'll avoid saying the word all together and substitute it with "thing". The result of this is that my sentences are that much less powerful and unnecessarily verbose. I see that this is starting to become a big problem in client meetings, at work, even in my personal life, that people are often looking away, finishing sentences for me, etc. I walk in full of confidence and it takes one little stutter to completely sap my confidence and energy and I almost have this impending feeling of doom. Everything goes downhill from there.

The worst part is that there are many people who were my classmates who are all partners at the firm I work now (because they got their MBAs sooner than I did) ... and coupled with my problem of stuttering, I just feel completely low in front of them. Many of them will even walk past me without saying so much as a hello. I have noticed that my self-confidence has completely suffered as a result of this. I've been dating a girl for a few months now and I dread the day when she finds out how big of a stuttering problem I actually have.

I really don't know what to do. Sometimes people mistake my stuttering for nervousness. And yes, I feel nervous but only because I want to control the stuttering, not for the event itself. If I didn't have the stuttering problem, I wouldn't have nervousness. I don't know how to explain this to people.

Anyone go through anything similar? I'm at a loss for what kind of hope there is for me.

Answer 1

A couple of good sites are listed below, the first one is just a couple of tips but they're similar to what a friend of mine was taught when he was younger. The second is more of a forum so you can chat to others that are going through the same thing, might help?

I'd say that the stuttering provides the first hurdle for you and now, it's become an even bigger issue because you focus on it so much. I don't want to make it seem trivial at all, but you need to have confidence in yourself and all your abilities, stuttering doesn't make you incompetent at your job, or bad looking or stupid. In fact you probably observe so much more than those around you because you're not actively participating in every discussion.

Good luck!

ps- I loved my friends stutter..

Answer 2

can i suggest a personal trainer? like a voice trainer i mean?

hope it works out for you