commentr/StutterMarch 14, 2023

Content

People who don't stutter, cannot know the pain and heartbreak that comes with it. Your mom means well, and all she can really do is to force you to "be better" even though it will be nearly impossible to get rid of the stutter. Even my parents did the same, especially my father who would always stop me in my speech and tell me to repeat it when I was young. The odd part about that was that he stuttered too, lol, but he got over it somehow due to his work. He suffered a brain stroke before he concluded his journey on this planet, and his stutter returned. I now understand he just meant well, and was possibly terrified that he might have given his stutter to me (and my middle brother; my eldest brother lucked out with the best genes, lol). Anyways, don't take your mom's guidance to your heart and feel bad about it. Understand that she can never know how it feels to stumble on your words, to have to think before speaking, to have to jumble around words and substitute words mid sentence on the fly because you can feel a stutter is coming, to remain quiet when you know you can add some value to the conversation only because you know you will stutter. Just tell her to be patient and that you are trying, but also know that this "problem" will never go away, or at least won't go away that easily. As for you, stutter is not a disease. Don't even think that. You aren't "special" or "handicap". Don't ever limit yourself because you stutter, don't ever think you are any less because of it either. All you really do is stumble on your words, so fucking what? If you stutter, pause, and repeat the words. Nothing more to it. If people don't have the patience to listen to you, they aren't worth having around in the first place.

Themes

Emotional ExperienceIdentity & Disability

Subthemes

Shame & EmbarrassmentHelplessness & AgencyStigma & Bullying