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Stammering is ruining my life!! Backstory: I am a 27 year old man living in the UK and I have a stammer. I have had it since the age of six. It has definitely shaped who I have become. I was born extroverted, funny and energetic. Over time as I grew up I lost many of those attributes. I became reserved, quite and timid. I have social anxiety and I am pretty sure I also have avoidant personality disorder. Both issues stem from having a stammer. Family have never supported me, or cared to show any concern. I have only had one speech therapy session at the age of 24. However, due to financial reasons at the time, I had to quit. I have been severely lonely for the past ten years. I am very fearful of being judged for my stammer. I am constantly wondering what others might think. Will they mock me? Will they understand? Are some of the questions that play out in my head. I rarely speak and only speak when I am spoken too. I work in a warehouse and coworkers find me strange since I rarely talk. People avoid me and treat me like I am some socially inept freak. I am not weird, I just don’t want anyone to hear me stammer, so I avoid engaging in any conversation. I have had coworkers talk behind my back and people thinking I am rude and standoffish for not speaking. It sucks. I am someone who naturally values human connections. I love the idea of friendships and having romantic partners, but stammering makes it soo much difficult . I am 27 and I still can’t get passed the shame and embarrassment of having this condition. It has totally robbed me off having any kind of social life. I was speaking to my brother in law on the phone today, and the conversation was so awkward and had to be cut short. He doesn’t know I have a stammer and I tried to hide it. My sister has been married to him for a year, and I still can’t form a bond with him. He must think I am some absolute retard. I guess I made this post because I am fed up. I feel less masculine because I can’t talk properly. My career options feel so limited and I can’t make any friends. I am nearly 30 and look what my life has come too. Working a dead end job with no friends or partner. I missed out on the best years of being social. I spent 18-25 roting away in my bedroom. No memories. This seriously can’t be life! Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Or am I going to keep living this miserable and mundane existence.