commentr/StutterApril 2, 2021

Content

Hey, sorry to hear what you have to go through. Is it just me or is stuttering the only DISABILITY that is still openingly mocked, ridiculed and used as the butt of a joke? I think at some point we just need to say fuck it - this is who we are. The stuttering wont go away, regardless of what you do. What is very much in our control is.... every other part of our lives though. We can change how we respond to stuttering, the main one is being honest with ourselves by being honest with other people. In my experience, 99% of people will not give a shit about your stuttering. Think about a friend who might have some other form of disability. Once you know about that thing its rare that you'll think about it again. Don't get me wrong, stuttering is obviously more obvious to people due to the nature of it, but it really isn't much different. Telling people around you about your stutter is scary, but I'll put 100 euro on it that almost everyone you tell will understand and react positively. In the very very rare case that someone is an asshole about it, cut all contact with that person because you're worth more than being ridiculed for something you can't control. If you're worried about what other people think, just know that having hobbies, being hygienic, healthy, interesting, friendly etc all go a VERY long way. Funnily enough, focusing on these things as the core part of myself rather than with my difficulty speaking has often times improved my fluency.

Themes

Identity & DisabilityCoping & Advocacy

Subthemes

Acceptance & PrideSelf-Advocacy & BoundariesAuthenticity vs. MaskingIdentity & Self-Perception

Codes (2)

socializing_group_sizeperceived_judgment