Exhausted from trying to speak + therapy

[Geoff]

Well, early in the day I was speaking fine but these last few hours it's been horrific, the worse I've ever been. It changes as quick as that from being moderate to horrific. It was that bad I'm really thinking about therapy now because It's just getting worse I can't ignore it anymore.

I was on the phone and I was trying that hard to speak I physically felt drained. My chest/abdomen is aching and I generally feel exhausted. I was scrunching my face and pulling all sorts of gestures trying to get the words out, it was horrible.

I've never looked at my stutter as being THAT bad but after today I'm shocked. I'm thinking about going to the doctor and just telling him about it and see what he suggests. Is therapy expensive? It seems that my stutter is getting worse and theres nothing I can do. It's totally out of my hands so I'm thinking therapy is the only way.

[ratboy]

it isn't expensive. but here's the catch: it doesn't work. people everywhere will tell pretty much blame you for being a stutter (or PWS, sorry for not being PC) because you won't go to a speech pathologist because they think you go in stuttering and come out an orator. i did find it helpful (all 3 times i've gone to one when i'm overwhelmed like you are) as i could talk to somebody totally openly about... but that's not what you pay for, is it?

[sst]

it isn't expensive. but here's the catch: it doesn't work. people everywhere will tell pretty much blame you for being a stutter (or PWS, sorry for not being PC) because you won't go to a speech pathologist because they think you go in stuttering and come out an orator. i did find it helpful (all 3 times i've gone to one when i'm overwhelmed like you are) as i could talk to somebody totally openly about... but that's not what you pay for, is it?

I believe it could help some. But like everything else in life, it only works if you put the effort into it. Personally I don't see myself going back to a speech pathologist. I guess it's just bad memories from school.

[Jamus]

I went for years when I was a kid, and didn't notice any help from it back then. Then I went about 10 years ago when I was 23 and I did get more out of it that I remember this time around.
Bottom line is, if your stutter is really that bad and you feel the need to do something NOW, then go for it. Speech therapy, for me, slowed down my speech as a whole, and as a result I was able to better manage my words and I stuttered less. But. It didn't last. At least for me. I think for any type of speech therapy, if you are committed enough and determined to stick with it, it can help.

[Silent]

I don't know the UK market but I guess you should be able to find a decent course in the range of £1000 - £2000.

The more desperate you are, the more you'll get out of it.