commentr/StutterApril 11, 2017

Content

I was in your spot a couple of years ago. My stuttering was THE determinant of basically how my life went. I realized I couldn't do anything else until I put speech front and center to address it. I told my parents how I felt and how my speech affected me even more than I thought (you should tell your parents, they don't know how debilitatingly all encompassing stuttering can be), I got involved in the NSA, and from there I was able to find a good therapist and make progress. I still struggle but my life is very different from what it was before. The mental anguish and torture of speaking is now mostly just annoying. I can socialize, talk to people, have business meetings, even date. I still stutter quite often and it can be pretty hard as well. So while my fluency hasn't improved a ton, my life has improved a ton and I am doing wayyyyy more and being affected wayyyy less in my life. (My therapy is avoidance reduction and doesn't focus on fluency at all, only on reducing struggle). I'd suggest focusing less on fluency and more on reducing all the other things.

Themes

Identity & DisabilityEmotional ExperienceTherapy & ProfessionalCommunity & SupportSocial & Relationships

Subthemes

Acceptance & PrideHope & MotivationSeeking TherapyAdvice RequestsQuality of Life