Food for thought: 1) Stuttering can go into remission and people who once stuttered are better for the time bring. 2) Some kids who were severe, hit puberty and their speech got better into adulthood. 3) Stuttering like anything else is on a continuum ranging from mild to severe. The continuum encompasses everyone and someone who says they stutter too could be telling you the truth and not merely empathizing. 4) Along with stuttering often comes the anger associated with thinking, “You definitely don’t know what the hell I’m going though.” This includes all the mental anxiety associated with stuttering. 5) People who don’t stutter have no idea how to react and they potentially say and do some bizarre things that they think will simply help. How many times have you heard, “Oh honey, just slow down and breathe.” And you angrily think, “Of course if it were that simple I wouldn’t be stuttering stupid a**! This is like an old vinyl record and it plays over and over in your head. 6) Perhaps the bigger dilemma isn’t the stuttering but the mental baggage that goes with it. I’m talking about the stuff that your communication partner can’t see or hear but the boatload of stuff that you feel every day in and day out. This includes tension in your upper body and mental exhaustion. 7) Back to the continuum: EVERYONE stutters to a some degree sometimes. No one has perfect fluency. 8) Be easy on yourself and on others. Try to ditch the anger. Try to adopt the attitude that I’m okay no matter what. (And truly, no matter what, you are okay and trying your best.) 9) Announce (upfront) to your com partners that you stutter and might need more time to speak. Let them know if needed that you prefer to finish your own sentences. Or you might need more time to convey a thought. 10) Connect with a Speech-Language Pathologist in your area who can help you navigate these and other things.