Does anyone else do this?

Does anyone else do this? I’ve had a moderate stutter since childhood and very recently I’ve noticed that I don’t take a breath before, or while I’m speaking even when I get stuck on a word. Like many other stutterers I recieved ridicule and condemnation for my stutter during my upbringing, and I think my lack of breathing is a result of me trying to force out my words in public situations to avoid embarrassment. I’ve been working on catching myself in the moment and making a point to a breathe. This exercise has improved my speech incredibly when I’m talking alone or with close family, but in public I tend to revert to my old habit. Is this something other stutterers deal with or have overcame?