You can disagree, but many experts in the field say avoidance techniques are not healthy. Here are just a few: >While temporarily affording relief, avoidances will actually increase your fears and cause you more trouble in the long run. Charles Van Riper, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of Emeritus of Speech Pathology, Western Michigan University. >There is one good reason for not doing these things— and it is a powerful one. The more you make a practice of avoiding, postponing or substituting, the more you will keep on using such crutches to avoid trouble; and they will just reinforce your fear of stuttering. Why keep building up fear? If there is one thing the stutterer needs more than anything else, it is to reduce his fears and certainly not to reinforce them. Avoidance only makes the fear of stuttering worse." PAUL R. CZUCHNA, M.A. Director of Stuttering Programs. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo and DOMINICK A. BARBARA, Ph.D., M.D. Psychiatrist. Karen Horney Clinic, New York City. Please, take a look at [Self-Therapy for the Stutterer.](https://www.stutteringhelp.org/Portals/English/book0012_11th_ed.pdf) It's hosted entirely for free on the Stuttering Foundation's website, it's helped me more than anything else.