Fluency When You Are Alone

[JeffB]

You commonly hear about stutterers being fluent when singing, speaking in chorus, etc. However, I've noticed that I can achieve about 90-95% fluency when speaking alone. This includes reading a news article or just blurting out some random sentences. (No, I don't go around taking to myself, I've just been experimenting ;) )

When talking to another person, whether it's face to face or on the phone, I'd say I'm a severe stutterer, stuttering on most sentences in most situations.

Obviously I can't go around singing or speaking in chorus all the time, but if I can achieve fluency while speaking normally by myself, why can't I achieve the same amount of fluency talking to other people? Lately this has been really bothering me...

Has anyone else noticed the ability to speak fluently by themselves by not replicate it when talking to others?

[DonR]

You don't stutter when talking to yourself because you have no fear of stuttering and you are relaxed. If you could achieve that state when talking to folk you wouldn't stutter then either. It's the fear that causes the tension that causes the stutter.
That's my theory anyway and by learning to relax when talking to others I ended nearly 50 years of stuttering.

DonR

[Gary1450]

It just proves that stuttering is psychological more than anything else.

I'm the same way.

[EndOfHeart]

Yea, thats all true atleast in most cases I heard. Also proves that it is cureable but you alone have to cure it, but its way harder then it sounds ><

[DonR]

I don't think that stuttering is cureable, certainly not long term stuttering. I haven't stuttered now for at least 25 years, but I still have to watch for a build-up of tension which I know could lead to trouble if I didn't stop and concentrate on keeping relaxed. I have no fear of stuttering because I have proved to myself that it can be avoided.
There isn't the slightest doubt in my mind that persistent stuttering is a totally psychological problem.

DonR

[Iced Tea]

I talk to myself all the time because I have few problems when I do so. I don't cut myself off, laugh at myself, tell myself to talk clearly, or leave when I can't speak.

People think I'm nuts when I converse with myself in public but sometimes I'm the only one I can talk to. :D

[DonR]

I talk to myself all the time because I have few problems when I do so. I don't cut myself off, laugh at myself, tell myself to talk clearly, or leave when I can't speak.

People think I'm nuts when I converse with myself in public but sometimes I'm the only one I can talk to. :D


...........and get sensible answers? ;)
DonR

[bathaluman]

Has anyone else noticed the ability to speak fluently by themselves by not replicate it when talking to others?

yes this happens to me. i speak fluently when i talk by myself, when i read out loud and when i sing, when i practice the things i'm going to say. then when i talk with other people i stutter and then i'd get depressed and i would obssess about it till i fall asleep...:(

[Cammie]

I sing fluently :) doesn't matter if i am alone or in front of others, i always sing fluently.

[Silent]

My only 100% natural fluency situation is chorus reading, doesn't matter if I'm alone or not.
When speaking alone, I'm only fluent when using fluency techniques.

[johndrob2222]

I know I can talk much more fluently when I am alone. I will still stutter but the severity will be decreased. I like to view this in the capacities demands model. Everyone has a capacity for fluent speech. When the capacity is exceeded by demands that is when stuttering can occur. Demands can be internal or external. Internal demands are demands that you put on yourself such as emotional reactions to either stuttering or the prediction of stuttering. External demands would be environment such as who you are talking to and what the speaking situation is. It could be that the demands on your speech while talking by yourself could be less than the demands on your speech when you are talking to someone. That's just what I think.

[vegasboi]

Im the same way. Ive stutter all my life but ive noticed i dont stutter at all when im alone. I also dont stutter when i talk to my pets or to my baby nephew. But when i have to talk to someone i almost always stutter. I think about it having to talk to someone before i do so when i actually talk to the person im tripping over my words. Sometimes its not bad at all and sometimes im so embarrissed that i constantly think about it after and feel ashamed. Because of this i try avoid talking to strangers or really anyone as much as i can and if i have to talk i pick words that i know i can say without stuttering but doing that makes me seem like im not that bright using small words when really im very smart and know alot more then most of the people i talk to but fail to express it. Im just wondering why i have such issues stuttering when im talking to people but dont when im alone.

[Bass Cadet]

It just proves that stuttering is psychological more than anything else.

I'm the same way.

Exactly. I never stutter when speaking alone or with McGuire Program people. I rarely stutter when speaking to another PWS.

Im 100% convinced that stuttering is purely psychological. I have proven this to myself and was fluent for over a year by training myself to not care about my stutter. If I stuttered, I didnt care and this denied the stutter to become ingrained in my mind.

However, other situations in my life at the time meant that my stutter gradually disappeared. I was happier and content back then...It gradually crept its way back however and although I have had periods of relative fluency, I have had very bad experiences aswell.

I think outside factors in our lives affects our stammer aswell, this all points to psychology. If we can control our emotions when we talk we can have a handle on stuttering. As PWS we are very sensitive people, we have to learn to just 'let go' if we are to beat it

[Lenny]

exactly. I never stutter when speaking alone or with mcguire program people. I rarely stutter when speaking to another pws.

Im 100% convinced that stuttering is purely psychological. I have proven this to myself and was fluent for over a year by training myself to not care about my stutter. If i stuttered, i didnt care and this denied the stutter to become ingrained in my mind.

However, other situations in my life at the time meant that my stutter gradually disappeared. I was happier and content back then...it gradually crept its way back however and although i have had periods of relative fluency, i have had very bad experiences aswell.

I think outside factors in our lives affects our stammer aswell, this all points to psychology. If we can control our emotions when we talk we can have a handle on stuttering. As pws we are very sensitive people, we have to learn to just 'let go' if we are to beat it

even i don't think it is 100% psychological there is some kind of physical component to it and to a large degree it is a very ingrained habit.

However i do think and have learned from therapy experiences over a period of 25 years that very deep down in your brain is a little person that has learned to think that stuttering is better than what caused it in the first place

[srdonjuan]

Nearly everyone that I've met or heard of that has "overcome" their stuttering has used the principles that are involved when we speak fluently alone. It's the psychological difference that come from lack or fear and anticipation of block that allow our speech mechanisms to operate freely as they were designed.
I've always felt that if we could have our memories washed of every stuttering and negative speaking experience we would speak fluently because we would not try to not stutter. It's ironic that trying not to stutter is the main cause of our dis-fluency. It's also INCREDIBLY frustrating!

[Rich]

I’ve been reading up about research into this. I wasn’t aware but it turns out that there are other speech conditions where the severity decreases with certain kinds of speech. For example there is a condition known as Apraxia of speech where people have trouble articulating what they want to say. This condition can be caused by strokes and brain damage or may occur in children. Like people who stutter people with speech apraxia are more fluent when they sing or practice repetitive speech. There are studies that show that different parts of your brain are used when you sing or do repetitive speech. I don’t think a study has been done that shows that different parts of your brain are being used when you talk to yourself compared to normal speech but this makes sense and would explain why we don't stutter while taling to ourselves.

[Bass Cadet]

Try adding some 'music' to your voice. Look up information on John Harrison. He is someone who has overcome his stammer. Some of his techniques are ground breaking and have helped thousands of stammerers and no, he doesn't sell anything like a 'cure' or any of that bull

You commonly hear about stutterers being fluent when singing, speaking in chorus, etc. However, I've noticed that I can achieve about 90-95% fluency when speaking alone. This includes reading a news article or just blurting out some random sentences. (No, I don't go around taking to myself, I've just been experimenting ;) )

When talking to another person, whether it's face to face or on the phone, I'd say I'm a severe stutterer, stuttering on most sentences in most situations.

Obviously I can't go around singing or speaking in chorus all the time, but if I can achieve fluency while speaking normally by myself, why can't I achieve the same amount of fluency talking to other people? Lately this has been really bothering me...

Has anyone else noticed the ability to speak fluently by themselves by not replicate it when talking to others?