I've noticed that the more I try to stop myself from stuttering, the more I end up blocking on almost every word, with a lot of tension in my neck and face. My speech becomes very choppy and strained. But if I pay less attention to it or feel more comfortable with the fact that I stutter, I tend to have more repetitions, but my speech is smoother overall, without the physical tension, which is probably more pleasant for both the listener and myself. The problem is, it's hard to control sometimes. If I have to speak in public or in front of strangers, I instinctively try not to stutter, even though I know it usually makes things worse.