So this is going to be an obvious sentiment, but every individual person is going to cope or handle situations differently and there unfortunately isn't a cure-all for every circumstance. That's why mental health, especially in today's modern Facebook/Twitter/Reddit/etc world can be hard to control because you never really know what's going to tick in one person or the next. I don't stutter, but I'm visiting these forums (and I made a post last night) because I want to understand the condition better so that I can provide a realistic and respectful portrayal of the condition for a character that I'm including in a book that I hope to publish one day. I'm creeping up on middle age now, and while I don't have a stutter, I was bullied a lot when I was in middle school. Three years of bullying left me when years of emotional scars that I carried for many years after. To clarify, I wouldn't back down, and I never had to throw a punch at anyone, but I would stand toe to toe with a bully and stare them down really out of a defensive position - I didn't want to throw the first punch and be the one who "started" the fight. Still, it sucked, though my worst enemy was my mind and what my thoughts provoked in me. When I got into high school, I just decided to try and be a friend to anyone who needed one because I knew what it was like to feel alienated and alone. When you're friendly with everyone, you'll have a lot more chances that someone will come to your aid when you need it. That was my philosophy, at least, but more so I just simply wanted to be a decent human being to my peers. Either way, I suffered from really bad self-worth issues and feeling like I wasn't good enough. I didn't date in high school, didn't even have a girl friend. Never had my first kiss until I was out of college because I carried that baggage with me for years. I never really came out of my shell until I spent a summer working as a camp counselor for kids with special needs - I would highly encourage anyone to do the same. Those kids man... They touch your life and change you into a better person. For me, I had almost a spiritual awakening working with those kids. My whole outlook on life changed and I became a more confident and humble human being for it. All that being said, one thing that you mentioned was how if you could go back in time and change the situation with the dog that you would - I would encourage you to never feel that way. You are absolutely right - if you didn't have a stutter you would be a different person, but that does not mean that you would be a better person. I wouldn't take back the bullying I endured as kid because it made me a better person and it made me who I am today. If not for that, or any of the decisions that I've made up to this point, I might be a totally different person - for the better or for the worse. Look up Drew Lynch on Youtube - he was the season 10 runner up on America's Got Talent and he developed a severe stutter after suffering an injury playing softball. He uses his stutter as a means to embrace who he is and share his gifts with the world. For you, and I say this as someone who doesn't know you or know what you deal with on a daily basis, I could encourage you to not let the stutter prevent you from speaking out in class or befriending people. Your classmates who laugh? They'll be flipping burgers at McDonald's in 10 years for minimum wage - maybe. Embrace who you are and let what you feel is a hindrance become your strength, because the alternative is to let it bring you down. You have total control over how you let it affect you emotionally and mentally. It's only a roadblock in your life if you allow it to be.