commentr/StutterApril 20, 2023

Content

Ok, this is absolutely new thing to me and might be a temporary placebo or just a good part of the stuttering time cycle, but I still want to share this. Try implementing this, I feel like it helps me a lot, so maybe will work for your as well. Take it with a grain of salt. I feel like there is a way to “reprogram” the brain to a “normal” non-stuttering state. My way: If you are one of those people, who think by “talking” to themselves in their mind, have you noticed, that when thinking that you are talking you involuntarily move your speech muscles (lips, throat and especially tongue)? This is why many people report actually stuttering in their “thoughts” as well. I do not think this is accurate. The reason they say that is because they engage many muscles, responsible for speech productions, thus stuttering even when they think. This only reinforces the stuttering experience, making many of us continue stuttering when we actually speak. Now, what I found helpful is to force me to think about speaking but not engage any speech muscles when I do it. This might be breaking your brain a bit at first, but do not worry, you will get used to it. Again, speak in you mind, but force the mouth and tongue not to move with it (you should not stutter this way). This way you will start to “erase” stuttering from your experience, hence think less about stuttering, hence stutter less. Just try this, you don’t lose anything. Also, pls text back here if my experience (about stuttering in “mind”) is similar to yours and tell me if this “exercise” helps. P.S. this is only my subjective experience, it might not work for you but I think you should still try. P.S.S. sorry for bad English, it is not my native language.

Themes

Anticipation & AvoidanceIdentity & Disability

Subthemes

Avoidance & SubstitutionOverthinking & MonitoringAuthenticity vs. Masking