>*I think I'm ignoring the "autonomic" part of that. Maybe something messes up the autonomic part and that's just a biproduct of the deeper issue.* You're amazing! fantastic reply as always! You’re absolutely right. The **autonomic nervous system**, which includes the fight, flight, or freeze response, operates involuntarily and unconsciously. We can’t consciously control its unconscious processes. It kicks in automatically when we perceive a significant stimulus as a problem and to be avoided.. in such a moment, if we attempt to avoid the significant stimulus, this triggers the automatic fight, flight, or freeze processes (where the indirect outcome as a consequence appears to be involuntary stuttering. On the other hand, when we speak fluently while alone or during choral reading.. in such a moment we're not attempting to avoid the significant stimulus (for whatever reason, it can essentially be any reason). Resulting in not triggering the automatic fight flight freeze unconscious processes, and then it won't trigger the autonomic nervous system. This is just my own take on it