Hey OP, I've been there and definitely can relate to this situation. I can confidently say from my own experience that this is an issue or disorder that can be helped/improved on! What I have (and what you MAY have) is something called apraxia of speech . To me, this is different from the stuttering we are used to. The "repetition stutter" I would call it. Do you feel like you are having a "speech block" where your vocal cords constrict and freeze, preventing you from articulating yourself ? Some tips my speech language pathologist taught me are: Try your best to NEVER substitute words. It's the easy way out and only a temporary solution. It doesn't solve the root problem; usually anxiety or your mental state. Learn to stop . Simply stop. Believe it or not, it's pretty hard to stop. Stopping and assessing your own self briefly (for a second) gives you a chance to focus on relaxing your vocal cords and/or notice your brain has been racing around like crazy. Its to help you regain control . Make sure to take controlled breaths when you stop. In the beginning it may feel weird because of fear of seeming awkward and judged. It's honestly not a bad thing and many people actually seem to take it as a form of self control. Like what another Redditor posted, try to be soft on the consonants you have difficulty saying under pressure. Overall, the problem we have as stutterers is all in the mind muscle (vocal cord) connection . Psych yourself to be that confident person you strive to be and scream out loud before you answer the phone if you have to haha Goodluck