I appreciate the tough love here. Honestly, there’s been more than a few times over the years where I’d decided enough was enough, made an active effort to stop avoiding words, worked on pausing and breathing through a block, etc and would feel like I regained confidence pretty quickly. Until something would come up, like a job interview or an important meeting, where I’d start avoiding words rather than risk stuttering or blocking under pressure. Then it was right back to square one. There’s also the problem that the field I’m in requires meeting with clients, sales calls, etc. You’re expected to be a “good talker.” And in most situations I can pull it off. Except, not coincidentally, where I feel like I’m being the most scrutinized. I’m fluent until I’m worried about speaking fluently. Stuttering my way through an interview would almost certainly cost me the job, so in that case, my fear is justified. The worst situation for me is a job interview when I’m unemployed and /need/ that job. Where paying my bills all comes down to speaking well. It feels more like Russian Roulette than a conversation. That was yesterday.