postr/StutterDecember 8, 2024

What do you think about this? Can it be helpful?

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What do you think about this? Can it be helpful? Hi. I am a 23M stutterer and I’ve been stuttering since I was about 5 years old. I should note that my stuttering generally occurs in the form of blocks. I have taken therapies many speech therapists, and after various tests, I was diagnosed with “severe stuttering.” For approximately 7 months, I have taken therapy from a speech therapist. Together, we worked on desensitization exercises (such as talking randomly to people on the street, talking on the phone, etc.), and after those exercises, my speech was fluent for about 2 months. However, over time, I gradually started struggling more and eventually returned to my former state. After that, I started analyzing myself more deeply. I realized that my block stutters occur mostly centered around my throat area, which explains why I have more difficulty with vowels. Also it seems normal for me to experience block stuttering because, during these moments of struggle, there is no airflow, and my vocal cords are not vibrating. How can sound be produced without airflow or vibrating vocal cords? I have researched stuttering in relation to the vocal cords. During this process, I researched Passive Airflow technique and the Valsalva method. Based on my self-examination and the research I’ve done, I believe that the cause of stuttering lies in the vocal cords and that it is also a developmentally mislearned speech habit. As a conclusion, I believe that airflow and vocal cord vibration need to be initiated before speaking, as these are essential in the normal speaking process. **-Think of playing a string instrument. No matter how much pressure you apply to the strings, no sound will be produced unless the strings vibrate.-** For this reason, I think the following process could be effective: **starting with passive airflow, ensuring continuous vibration of the vocal cords, maintaining vocal cord vibration while speaking until the breath runs out, and speaking slowly.** **If I were to explain this process in more detail:** 1. Begin with a simple airflow to reduce tension in the vocal cords. 2. Along with the airflow, the vocal cords are vibrated in a raw state. 3. The mouth shapes the sound, and during this process, the raw vibrations turn into sound. 4. The first syllable is prolonged, and the rest of syllables are spoken in a controlled and slow manner. 5. After the word ends, the vocal cords continue to vibrate. The confidence gained from successfully saying the previously blocked word allows the next words to follow one another slowly and in a controlled manner until the breath runs out. I have recently tried this method in certain situations. In some cases, I can say it helped me overcome blocks, but there were also instances where it didn’t work. The progression should be planned from easier situations to more challenging ones. Please note that this method is not intended as advice or a recommendation. I want to share this to hear your thoughts and feedback. I would be very happy to answer any questions you might have. P.S.: English is not my first language, so there might be some mistakes. I hope that’s okay, but I believe I’ve expressed my thoughts clearly.

Themes

Speech & StutteringCauses & VariabilityCoping & Advocacy

Subthemes

Blocks & StoppagesNeurological & BrainFluency TechniquesPhysical Tension

Codes (1)

propositionality