Can it be cured?

[lalita]

Can stuttering be cured? Is there any way out? Is there anyone on this forum who has been cured from stuttering?

I find it very annoying. Although I dont stutter that much, but when i do, it is REALLY embarrasing!

[purpleocean]

I have gone through two or three weeks stuttering very little. Unfortunatly at the moment there is no magic cure for stuttering. The things i find that helps the most is getting enough sleep this can make a big improvement.
Charlie

[Lenny]

Can stuttering be cured? Is there any way out? Is there anyone on this forum who has been cured from stuttering?

I find it very annoying. Although I dont stutter that much, but when i do, it is REALLY embarrasing!

THe Hollins Program does work if you can:

1. Understand what the speech targets are and how they interact with each other since this is mostly a behavior modification program so there is minimal teaching in this program and mostly doing on your part alone with a computer.

2. Remember what you have learned and not forget it or resort to old speaking patterns when under pressure or anxiety

3. Accept that your speech is slow and not mind if people interrupt you or speak over you as they all do and can still concentrate on what you are doing with the Hollins program.

Any comments?????

[MatthewSNJ8]

It can't be CURED, but it can be OVERCOME and beaten. It'll never happen for me though. At this point I'm utterly incurable. I would KILL to be Andrew Greenstein or John Stossel. Elliot Dennis and John Haskell also overcome stuttering.

[Steven]

It can't be CURED, but it can be OVERCOME and beaten. It'll never happen for me though. At this point I'm utterly incurable. I would KILL to be Andrew Greenstein or John Stossel. Elliot Dennis and John Haskell also overcome stuttering.

Why do you think you are incurable? Who is Andrew Greenstein Elliot Dennis and John Haskell?????

Have you overcome and beaten stuttering?

Don't worry I wont think you will actually write back and answer some questions and if you do it won't say much.....

Oh if you say you would KILL to be these people and you capitilized the word KILL that means you are one very angry guy.......

[srdonjuan]

Stuttering seems to be such a complex problem with many and emotional, psychological, and habitual neurological triggers that few seem to cure themselves or totally overcome it. I HAVE met and know of people who were severe stutters for 20-30 years and have now have absolutely no trace of their stuttering. It CAN be done but it takes an understanding of and addressing of the non-physical aspects of stuttering such as your fears, ingrained triggers, perceptions of speaking situationist etc...and most of all a relentless tenacity and positive outlook.

I take issue with those who say it CANNOT be done. It HAS been done by other and people will continue to, but there is no fast and easy answer. And you will likely always have a "stutters mentality" that you'll have to work to breakdown your whole life.

[Lenny]

Stuttering seems to be such a complex problem with many and emotional, psychological, and habitual neurological triggers that few seem to cure themselves or totally overcome it. I HAVE met and know of people who were severe stutters for 20-30 years and have now have absolutely no trace of their stuttering. It CAN be done but it takes an understanding of and addressing of the non-physical aspects of stuttering such as your fears, ingrained triggers, perceptions of speaking situationist etc...and most of all a relentless tenacity and positive outlook.

I take issue with those who say it CANNOT be done. It HAS been done by other and people will continue to, but there is no fast and easy answer. And you will likely always have a "stutters mentality" that you'll have to work to breakdown your whole life.

You just did a good job of explaining what is required to cure it and why it is close to impossible!!!!!

[srdonjuan]

I actually went to Hollins and agree with you. I think it's mainly near impossible to cure because there has yet to be a clear agreed upon way of disappearing stuttering that is proven to work and everyone gets behind. I'm amazed at all the ideas floating around on just this one forum. But as you said even if all I said is correct and would always result in fluent speech it in no way makes it easy to do. I'm working at it now and although I'm making progress it's going to be a long road. :)

[Lenny]

I actually went to Hollins and agree with you. I think it's mainly near impossible to cure because there has yet to be a clear agreed upon way of disappearing stuttering that is proven to work and everyone gets behind. I'm amazed at all the ideas floating around on just this one forum. But as you said even if all I said is correct and would always result in fluent speech it in no way makes it easy to do. I'm working at it now and although I'm making progress it's going to be a long road. :)

what happened when you went to hollins?

are you using their technique now and this is how you are trying to overcome it?

will you actually write back and give a detailed answer (probably not but gosh one can hope!)?

[Francisco]

I don't it can be cured either, but I think its severity can be lessened. I don't think there can be a cure due to the fact that some of its cause may be psychological in nature and others say physical.

[srdonjuan]

I went to Hollins about 13 years ago. It worked pretty well for me for about 2 months. By pretty well I mean I could speak much more fluently but it sounded very slow and unnatural. Of course your told that that is the trade off. Speak slowly and almost robotic but no horrible blocks etc. I could live with that trade. I learned the mechanics of speech and how to control my blocks. The problem was VERY little time was spent on the psychological baggage that stuttering had caused which also fed my stuttering itself. I feel like it was valuable, but it never addressed the real issues with stuttering. The fear, anxiety, avoidance(addressed a little), and other cause/results of stuttering.

I practiced my butt off but when put into a stressful situation the targets taught became useless. Within 5 months it was as if I had never gone. I was unbelievably discouraged. I felt like my parents had saved and paid all this money and I had let them down. I was also angry.

Anyways, a year later I decided to serve a 2 year proselyting mission for my church. I had talk to people, speak publicly, and teach lessons every day. It was brutal! Doing the thing I feared most and was the worse at every day. After 4 months of hell I almost went home but finally just let go and decided not to care how I sounded or how stupid I looked. I talked at every opportunity and situation. I made more progress in 1 month then my entire life to that point.

I can't tell you how much of it is psychological. When the fear was gone the progress was amazing. I still stuttered but not nearly as bad and it didn't stop me.

But you have to constantly work at it. I think most of us look for a cure SO we can start talking. Not talk TO help find a cure. Every person I've heard or that overcame their stuttering did it that second way.

[John Woo]

HI there, I can tell u that stutter can be cure and I could be a good example.

[srdonjuan]

HI there, I can tell u that stutter can be cure and I could be a good example.

Could you tell us a little about how you did it? Thanks.

[ron99]

There isn't a cure such that suddenly you are totally fluent forever but I went through one of the fluency shaping programs that helped me a great deal. It's siimilar to the Hollins program but I took it at Easter Virginia Medical School in Norfolk Virginia 10 years ago.

I decided to go back and take it again about 5 years ago and today I'm still fluent to the point that I seldom think about my speech anymore. It helped a great deal and now have no fear of telephone, being on the radio or other things I used to fear.

I still practice a little bit occasionally but not much and although I wouldn't say I'm cured my speech has almost no impact on my life anymore and most people wouldn't know I stutter a little. So all in all I'm happy.

[Fredrick]

There isn't a cure such that suddenly you are totally fluent forever but I went through one of the fluency shaping programs that helped me a great deal. It's siimilar to the Hollins program but I took it at Easter Virginia Medical School in Norfolk Virginia 10 years ago.

I decided to go back and take it again about 5 years ago and today I'm still fluent to the point that I seldom think about my speech anymore. It helped a great deal and now have no fear of telephone, being on the radio or other things I used to fear.

I still practice a little bit occasionally but not much and although I wouldn't say I'm cured my speech has almost no impact on my life anymore and most people wouldn't know I stutter a little. So all in all I'm happy.

Thanks for the info.

When you say that "although I wouldn't say I'm cured my speech has almost no impact on my life"

In what way is your speech not cured or you are not cured(if that is what you meant), I could not tell if there were still areas of your life where communication is not cured or areas of your life where you still stutter or if you were referring to something non-speech wise?

I took the Hollins program and want to compare notes, thanks.

[ron99]

I guess it all depends on your definition of cured.

If it means you never stuttering (even a little) or never thinking about the mechanics of speech no matter the situation then the answer is no.

If it means making tools a habit that lets you gain control of your speech to the point where you don't avoid any situation, that you seldom stutter and when you do it is mild, that you practice occasionally to continue with the success you have then yes.

If it's an extra stressful situation or a big event like speaking before 200 people or doing a live webinar, I may stutter a little from time to time.. But it's mild, not continuous and I can usually get back "on target" as we say. It may or may not even be noticeable to the listener. Nothing like the big blocks and facial contortions I used to have when I was at my worst.

I'm probably more fluent than 90% of most people who don't stutter when they try to speak in stressful situations. :-)

I hope this helps.

[Bronson]

Numerous of famous celebrities have overcome stuttering: tiger woods, bill walton, marc anthony, bruce willis. There is no specific cure. Im 18 years old and have talked like this my entire life and i don't all of sudden expect my stuttering to stop. Just being honest but i have no hope that this will go away

[greatar]

According to thorough research that I've made there is not an effective cure that works for everyone. There may be approaches people can use that can help them. When it comes down to overcome stuttering it is not something which is going to easy. Something you've been living with for years won't go away in a few days or immediately. Therefore there is no magic in getting rid of stuttering.

[paddypops]

Hi I have undertaken slow speech camperdown therapy in melbourne and it did help me for a short while.I couldnt sustain slow speech practise in public.I have recently started to stutter severely which has never happened before.Any feedback about the Hollin's program and is it available in australia?

[ron99]

Hollins uses a technique called Fluency Shaping. Although each place might teach it a little differently, there are other places in the U.S. that offer it. I took it from a place in Norfolk, VA. Look at my other postings for the results I got.

Do a search to see if there is anyone offering Fluency Shaping in your country.

Ron


Hi I have undertaken slow speech camperdown therapy in melbourne and it did help me for a short while.I couldnt sustain slow speech practise in public.I have recently started to stutter severely which has never happened before.Any feedback about the Hollin's program and is it available in australia?

[martie]

Hi,
I had a stuttering problem for a long time but at one point I decided I was gonna get rid of it, it took me about a year of trying different techniques and alot of practice, but now I'm totally free from stuttering.

I have posted a three part video on youtube with all my tips and techniques
so please check it out, I think it can be very helpful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9jhPrzlAAs&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Cheers,

Martin

[xeon]

I would say yes, it can be cured. If you are able to speak to yourself fluently, there is nothing wrong with your speech mechanism. It's just not easy to cure. However, the worst thing I think you can make is to give up.

One of my favorite quotes: "The question is not who is to blame. The question is what you can do about it".