postr/StutterFebruary 12, 2024

Can anything be a stuttering secondary behavior?

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Content

Can anything be a stuttering secondary behavior? For those unaware, a secondary behaviors are an observable behavior that people sometimes do when stuttering which includes but are not limited to: repetitive blinking, leg tapping, facial grimaces, distracting sounds (like clearing your throat), etc. Usually when people do then when they stutter it’s because they’ve done it before and it helped alleviate the stress or discomfort during the stutter so the person subconsciously latches onto the motion to cope. My question is can anything become a secondary behavior? A couple days ago I made a post about how I used to say the term ‘words’ whenever I stuttered because it was me deliberately interrupting my stutter and allowed me to start over. Otherwise I can get stuck on a sound for a long time. However I’ve gotten so used to doing this that not only it doesn’t help, but now it’s become a subconscious compulsion to say it almost as part of the stutter itself. Example Before: “May I have a- have a- have a- ‘words.’ May I have a peppermint frappe?” Example Currently: “May I have a- ‘words’ have a- ‘words’ have a- ‘words’ have a peppermint frappe?” I’ve never read about saying an unnecessary term as being a secondary behavior but this happens compulsively now when I stutter when it used to help me alleviate it. Is it a secondary behavior? A nervous tic? I’d love to hear more input about this.

Themes

Speech & StutteringAnticipation & Avoidance

Subthemes

Physical TensionAvoidance & SubstitutionRepetitions & Prolongations