I am so sorry that kids were mean and bullied you. Your teachers should have put a stop to it. The kids who teased me (porky pig was a popular because I am also overweight) didn't really stop till I actually got one on the ground, throwing very bad punches, and then another into a locker and screamed in face (Having a mother who worked for attorneys also helped, I'm sure). ​ I can't say that I ever developed a coping mechanism like you did - When my anxiety is high, I do find myself picking at my skin but that is something wholly separate from my stutter. I think what helped me, and I understand now that I've spoken with some stutters is that mine is not nearly as bad as I once thought it was, that I became a jerk about it. I've encountered three adults in my life who have made it a thing. And each time, I essentially shamed them by being honest with them. In my experience, a lot of people don't realize stuttering is a chronic disorder. That not only is it something we can't always control, but that it's not necessarily tied to stress or nerves. For example, this one woman I was cashing out chuckled and mimiced my stutter on a word as she said it back, lets say I stuttered on the amount of money she owed the registered and she said it back. My go to is to look directly at them, shoulders back and calmly say "I have a stutter." In the two times I've had to do that, ( I was a cashier for 4 years and now I regularly speak on the phone and give tours to the public) the people have suddenly become very.. "Oh, I'm sorry.. I didn't know, I thought it was a joke.." the woman in this example even tried to pull the whole "Oh I would never make fun of you, my brother has (insert condition here)". Which of course is a bunch of bullshit, and thus they get the very cold, bare minimal cashier treatment after that. Even the sarcastically peppy yet lifeless "Have a nice day. (Insert smug grin.)" ​ Now this may not work for everyone, I am incredibly stubborn, very headstrong, and bitter person (Life! Lemons! I love Lemonade) but it does for me. But really, in my little corner of the world and life experience.. once you get out of the toxic environment that can be young kids, pre-teens and teens.. people stop caring and commenting. Once again though, I've learned that my stutter is very mild compared to others.. so when people tell me they don't notice my stutter, maybe they really don't anymore. If yours is worse, you may encounter more horrible people but I encourage you to learn to live alongside your stutter and to speak your mind. You are not your stutter and if you have to things to say, then you can say it. You will say it. <3