Hello Everyone - Please Reply with Thoughts

[propelahed03]

Hey, how is everyone? A little about me: I'm 23, from Virginia, and just graduated from college with an engineering degree. I've been stuttering ever since i was very young.

I never thought my speech was that much of a problem, until one vivid day in 5th grade when I was made fun of by a group of kids that I considered my friends. After that point, I can remember repressing inwards and disassociating socially, which unfortunately has continued to plague me to this day. Group social situations remains the most difficult situation for me to speak.

When I was 18, I went to the Hollins Fluency intensive three week program. While it helped me for a year or so, I never felt that it completely 'clicked'. Even during the program I could not effectively use my targets in certain speaking situations, such as talking to store clerks at the mall. It seemed as if mental forces I could not control were shutting out my hard learned "fluent" speech behavior. I wonder, has anyone had long term success with the Hollins approach? Have you all had the discipline to practice alone every day for half hour?

Last year, I went to Spain to study spanish for a semester. While my main motivations were to learn spanish, see Europe, and learn a new culture. But in the back of my mind I wanted to see how my speech impediment would affect speaking a foreign language. Well, I ended up having the same reactions and problem areas as when speaking in English, only it could be compounded more because I wasn't always sure how to say what I wanted to say. I ended up feeling really disappointed, because I wanted to communicate in my adopted tongue very badly, but upon hearing a block everyone assumed that I just didn't know Spanish, even after studying it for years. When I should have been having the time of my life, I ended up being depressed about my speech most of the time. What are other peoples experiences speaking foreign languages?

As to the cause of my speech impediment: I believe it started out as a simple motor problem, such as many children have that eventually progress out of it. However, I was a very sensitive child (and still am sensitive), and i believe that I became self-conscious and this made things spiral downward. When other people reacted differently to me when I spoke, the problem became much more psychological than physical. It seems that the psychological sense of shame and failure has continued to pile up and reinforce itself, worsening my speech further. Have others here had a similiar history?

Right now I view my speech problem as a glass. The roots fill up the bottom 10%. These roots are the underlying physical problem. Growing from these roots are the subsequent behavioral problems that have resulted, filling up the other 90%.

This is why I don't think Hollins worked for me: It taught me to disregard 90% of what was affecting me, and just change the underlying 10%. The problem is, the mental and physical are intertwined and both must be dealt with, at least in my case.

I'm at a crossroads in my life right now, and really wish to dedicate myself to improving my speech and working on the mental issues that have plagued me. I've tried self-help therapies, such as the valsalva technique, and even tried DAF/FAF fluency enhancer gadgets. But I'm the kind of person who needs help from others; someone to help me get up if i fall down. I've done a little research on other fluency programs out there, and the one which interests me the most is AIS, the New York program run by Catherine Montgomery.

Has anyone here attended or know anyone that has attended AIS? What is their reaction...especially "long-term", meaning after they have been out of the program for several years?

Are there any other programs people know of that attack stuttering in the way I have described it?

All my life, Once I have set my mind on something, I do it. I dedicate all my drive and passion to getting it done. I want to finally set that 'drive' to overcoming my speaking fears and becoming more fluent.

I may never be able to speak perfectly fluently. I may never feel completely comfortable in every speaking situation. But I owe it myself to try to improve.

Any replies you all have could help me on my way. Thanks for your time.

-Adam

[alikhan84]

My name is ali khan . i am from pakistan .
i have just read ur post adam .
well every one(stutter) has the same problem . ie they can't speak clearly in group discussions or on telefone etc.
while not having a single block when speaking to himself or herself.
This thing is so worldwide . i mean not connected to a specific race ,cast or country still no one can find the cure with all the scientific knowledge.
keep working on it adam and if u find something interesting that can cure then do share it with us .
bye

[si123]

I think that stutterers can get far too bogged down spending their lives searching for the elusive cure. Being a stammerer myself I see my stammering as a habit, just something I do.
The fact I can talk to myself or read a book out loud in my own company proves that there is nothing medically wrong with my vocal chords or anything else!!!
I find myself stuttering more when i'm thinking about it and worrying about it, following the therapy I have taken I worry alot less about the fact I stammer, and now I still stammer but in a more relaxed way without all the facial tension and long blocks(producing no sound) and loss of eye contact.

[neeme]

Hello everyone. I also have been depressed and bogged down by my stammering problem. I recently graduated from university in Birmingham (united kingdom), and I now regret not fully participating in activities I really wanted to do. I made little amount of friends and did not socialise as much as I should have done. From my 10 years or so of stammering/stuttering, I really regret letting this stop me from doing stuff and on lowering my self-confidence. I still have this low self-esteem problem, however I am willing to make a change from this cycle I am having - (not able to do and say what I want, and trying to compare myself to others who are very fluent and confident) - these negative thoughts and actions further affects my confidence and self identity.

I recently started a TEFL course to teach english to students abroad. As part of the course, I had to deliver 2 five minutes lessons to the rest of the class. Although I was very nervous and did deliver a too formal lesson (I need to improve on being more spontanous, which in my opinion is quite difficult due to my stammer), I felt rather calm and the students didn't really notice my stammer. I hope to teach english abroad in the future and although I have problems with the pronounciation of spanish and italian, I am willing to continue to learn these languages, because stammer shouldnt stop me from achieving what you want in life.

I know am being too cliche about this, but I have seen other stammers (at university) who have accepted that they may always (even after therapy) have a stammering problem, and have not let this affect them in most areas of their life.I am now trying to do the same.

Hope to hear from you soon

neeme

[wenchnwitches]

The worst situation to be in is one of regret because you cannot change the past and you have to live with your decisions. I too have been a loner most of my life due to the fact that I stammer. It was worse in my childhood and early adult life but now it has receded a lot although I still suffer emotional pain and low self-esteem because of it. I don't go out of my way to meet people because I feel I am uninteresting. Funny thing is, I can't summon up the courage to start a conversation with a stranger, or chat someone up, yet I have had the courage to travel from my homeland - Birmingham, England too - to Denver in 1984 to be a nanny even though I had never left my city before and I was painfully shy. I left despite my family telling me that it might not work out....and then in 1991 from Birmingham again I travelled to Canada as a nanny to work for strangers who are now my second family.

I am now attending the University of Toronto and have one year left of my Sociology/Linguistics degree...I too want to teach English as a Second Language to immigrants....I hate talking on the telephone to strangers and funny thing, I worked in the travel industry as a corporate travel agent dealing with clients over the telephone - I seem to push myself to face my fear....when I give presentations I hardly stammer.....I hated my job as a travel agent, listening to clients being snotty or complaining or talking down to me....always dealing with problems yuck..

Anyway that's my story...I am doing research on stuttering for my sociology and language course....how sufferers social life is effected.....

Take good care my fellow brummie..I wish you well.

[Tess]

Hi, I'm Tessa and I'm from Holland. I'm 14 years old, which makes me the youngest here I guess..I've always had a stammer, but it became worse when I was like 10 years old. I joined this forum because I want to talk about my stammer, and I also wonder how other people with a stammer deal with this problem. And sometimes I feel like I can't talk about this with my parents or friends, because they don't always understand how it's like to have a stammer.

[wenchnwitches]

Tess: not only your parents and friends, but the rest of society doesn't understand either. That's why we are constantly bombarded with pledges for AIDS and cancer, but we rarely see celebrities talking about the suffering of stutterers, and we DO suffer.

I grew up with a bad stutter which made me painfully shy..I HATE reading out in class and kept to myself because I was made fun of by the other kids....

I coped with my stutter the way most stutterers do,,,by inserting words into my sentences that I could say instead of the words I had problems with, by saying 'er' before the word I couldn't say...but the embarrassment and inadequacy I felt was painful. I would go to my room and read aloud from a book for an hour each time and that seemed to help...I also meditate from time to time, breathing deeply because I think my stutter is caused by anxiety and self-consciousness so learning how to breath deeply helps.

I encourage you to speak to your parents because then maybe you can get help via therapy....my parents used to think I was imitating my brother who was also a stutterer or they would give me well-meaning advice that didn't help at all, i.e. talk slower...

Take care

[Tess]

Thanks for your message for me, wenchwitches. My parents already know I have this problem, and I've had a speech coach for 3 times (It's a bit emberrasing actually =S) I had my first therapy when I was eleven..After that, it did go a lot better, but when I was almost 13 it became worse again..I don't know why actually. I learnt a few breathing techniques. I had my last therapy last year in september till december, and that was to overcome my fear of stammering. My stammer has made me really shy too and I don't trust people easily. I also hate reading out in class, that's the worst thing about school. I'm glad that I have really nice people in my class (most of them understand my problem), otherwise it would be even harder.
I think I'm on a better way, cause my fear isn't that bad as it used to be. Last year, I was trying to hide my stammer. I was at my new school and I was just scared to talk actually, it was so frustrating. I was afraid for the reaction that they would have at my stammer. No one knew about my stammer at that point, they just thought: why are you so quiet? Have you always been this shy? they even came up to me and asked me! It was weird..
A friend called me this morning, and when I picked up the phone, I said: H-h-h-hello? It was so embarrasing..It was a good friend of me who knows me pretty wel, so luckily it wasn't problem this time..

I have a brother who had a bad stammer too, and my speech coach also thought that I was copying him. Obviously I'm not doing that.
Maybe it's genetically: my brother, my father and a few uncles of me had a stammer when they ware young. But I'm not trying to use that as an excuse, I'm still trying to overcome my stammer completely.
Thanks for your help/advices wenchwitches. You take care too

[wenchnwitches]

and when I started stuttering, my mum thought I was imitating my brother - it was frustrating!!

I wish you well..take care.

[Professor]

you know what really pisses me off when people think its not a bad thing to stutter its like runing my life i cant do anything im shy to read in school shy to talk in front of the class shy to order something shy to talk on da fone or order pizza shy to just communicate wit people i dont know it bothers me very much id rather have cancer or aids then stutter and this isnt no joke seriously its like one of the worst problems that physically doesnt harm u but mentally does very much

[peikayla]

Hi Adam! Nice to hear from you. My name is Kayla MacLean and I am 16 years old. I am having a hard time finding the courage to go get a job and I am afraid, because after next year I am done school and school is my comfort zone. My only friends are my teachers because they understand me and don't care weither I stutter or not. I afraid that I will never have the courage to do it and I will make a mess of my life. I can't aford to go on with my education and I don't know what I want to do. Do you have any suggestions?

[wenchnwitches]

You haven't decided what you want to do yet, and you find shelter in education - why not use this time to go to university? YES, I understand that you can't afford it - I was in the travel industry for five years - I HATED IT....I applied to university not knowing HOW I could afford it, but I took one day at a time and three years later, I am three quarters of the way finished..and my nephew? He is attending now and believe me, my sister is poor too...University will OPEN up your world, change your view and while you're attending you will have counsellors available to help you with your difficulty....There will be so many opportunities for you to get support, make friends, etc...think about it. I have led an isolated life because of my stutter, but I was fortunate in that it has receded a lot now..and university is the best thing that happened to me....

I wish you much happiness and optimism.

[peikayla]

My Parents have already told me that I can't go and that they won't let me because it is a waste of time when I could be working. They say that what we learn in school is not what we use in life!

[wenchnwitches]

I'm so sorry about your situation - you can only get so far in life on a high school education - whereas a degree can give you so many options....

I wish you the best of luck but promise me one thing - that you won't go through life dreading getting up every morning because you HATE your job - I did that, and I never want to experience that again.

Take good care

[Theo Dreiser]

I don't have any solutions to this 'problem'. A while ago I used to visit a stuttering forum, but then I refuse to acknowledge that I even have a problem. My fluency would probably be at 90 per cent. As a 'closet-stutterer' I can achieve 100 percent fluency, but it takes a lot of mind-games to maintain that.

People don't understand the problems a stutterer has. Anyone who has listened to the Howard Stern radioshow will know how they have stutterers are regulars. Maybe this raises some kind of awareness?

Anyway, this site is great. Best of wishes to you all.

[peikayla]

I am 16 years old and Most of you already know my story. I stutter on everything, I stutter when I sing and I even stutter when I talk to myself. School is ok now, but when I was younger I had no friends because of my speech impediment. I am now in grade eleven and almost all my friends are Teachers. They are amazing and all but people need friends there own ages to. Therapy made me worse and I can't afford any thing else. I recieved a package about the Fluency Master a couple of weeks ago and I looks awsome but it costs to much.

[Ivor Stutter]

Hi there everybody, one of the biggest issues with stuttering (with me anyway) is trying your hardest not to let it win over me. I am in a bit of a downer about my stutter at the moment too and i def need to take my own advice. I have recently started walking home instead of catching a bus as i cant say Waterloo which is my stop! Before i moved house i could say it fine! Grrrr! Also i am lucky enough to have finished university two weeks ago. Please dont ever let your stutter win and make you choose an easy option. Everyone ive met at uni have all taken my stutter into account and i feel comforatable talking to them. Even if they finish my sentenses for me and occasionally tease me when i stutter on something and it sounds funni! tehehe

[happy7117]

:mad: you know what really pisses me off when people think its not a bad thing to stutter its like runing my life i cant do anything im shy to read in school shy to talk in front of the class shy to order something shy to talk on da fone or order pizza shy to just communicate wit people i dont know it bothers me very much id rather have cancer or aids then stutter and this isnt no joke seriously its like one of the worst problems that physically doesnt harm u but mentally does very much


Here is a situation that jabs at me also--
My mom was on her way home from
school for the day (shes a school teacher), and
the ground was icy.. she slipped and fell
down an open manhole( why it was open i have no clue)..

Anyway, she broke her leg as a result, and thus
was in a big cast for a month or so....

Now as bad as I felt for her,[U] [U][U]I KNEW she would get better in a few months with some phys therapy, and return to work....but me on the
other hand- IT DID NOT MAKE ME FEEL ANY BETTER
ABOUT HOW I HAVE TO LIVE WITH A STUTTER....

MEANING-- she can definately get well again

A LEG CAN HEAL
STUTTERING CANNOT....

SHE COULD NOT MOVE HER LEG..
I CANNOT SPEAK RIGHT...

WORSE THAN THAT, MY FATHER ASKED
ME IF I WOULD RATHER LIVE USING A CRUTCH MY
WHOLE LIFE, THAN TO STUTTER....

I HAD TO SECRETLY LIE TO HIM AND SAY
"LIVE WITH A STUTTER THAN WITH USING CRUTCHES"...

I NEVER TOLD HIM THE REAL TRUTH... I WOULD
RATHER LIVE WITH CRUTCHES THAN
STUTTERING....

AND I NEVER TOLD HIM THE TRUTH TO THIS DAY,

PLUS, IT'S BEEN 2 YEARS SINCE THE ACCIDENT
MY MOTHER HAD....

SHE IS BACK TO WORK IN FULL SWING, AND
HER LEG IS NOT ONLY HEALED COMPLETELY,
SHE WALKED WITH A LIGHT LIMP, AND
A CANE.....HAPPY FOR HER, BUT SHE DOES
NOT UNDERSTAND THAT STUTTERING IS NOT LIKE A BROKEN LEG....

MY POINT IS--- I WOULD RATHER
HAVE A BROKEN LEG THAN TO STUTTER--

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PAIN THAT STUTTERERS FACE IS SO MUCH HORRIBLE THAN A BROKEN LEG....

NOW THAT SHE'S COMPLETELY HEAELD UP---
SHE WAS BOUND TO GET BACK AGAIN TO WORK...

BUT IM STILL AT THE SAME PLACE WHEN I STARTED
STUTTERING 15 YEARS AGO....IT HAS NOT GOTTEN
BETTER-

i WISH FOR ONE WEEK A REGULAR EVERYDAY FLUENT PERSON COULD BE TRAPPED IN A STUTTERERS
PLACE.. I MEAN BE STARED AT MOCKED, AND FEEL HELPLESS, AND THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE US...PERFECTLY NICE AND FRIENDLY, BUT
SCREWED UP SPEECH---

IT'S A BAD THOUGHT, BUT NON-STUTTERERS JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS NASTINESS WE GO THROUGH-- AND THEY NEVER WILL---

:confused:

[sid2005]

hi adam
my name is stephen, iam 31 and have stammered all my life i have recently finnished a course here in Ireland, what we learned was first to accept that we stammer and will for the rest of our life but we are given to tools to choose when we want to stammer in our daily life, by using voluntary stammers or slides.

you can learn more about this work by reading up on Joeph sheehan and charles van riper. there is too much weight been put on fluency we are not natural fluent speakers but the fluency will come over a period of time. if you go for fluency too quickly you will fail and be back at square one.

[hafidmetal]

you know what really pisses me off when people think its not a bad thing to stutter its like runing my life i cant do anything im shy to read in school shy to talk in front of the class shy to order something shy to talk on da fone or order pizza shy to just communicate wit people i dont know it bothers me very much id rather have cancer or aids then stutter and this isnt no joke seriously its like one of the worst problems that physically doesnt harm u but mentally does very much
yeah brother i completly agree with you.no one wanna understand.

[wenchnwitches]

I really do understand...last week I attended a workshop for volunteer tutors and the volunteers were split into groups to work on a problem. In turn, one of the group had to read aloud their problem; luckily, there was a person who was willing to do it, but I was sitting there quaking in case I had to read aloud. And I'm in my 40s. I worry that if I become a teacher, I am going to have the same fear but Ihave to confront it and overcome it. I wish I was more confident.

[3FingerBrown]

Happy7117,
I have a brother who is going blind and never felt like I had a "right" to complain or be hurt or anything. How dare I, its not like I'm going blind...
My stuttering and my denial about my feelings have insidiously ruled my life and I didn’t even know it.

Don’t let anybody ever let you feel like you “just stutter”. As for the parents, not to let them off the hook but they may… may be acting the way they are out of suppressed guilt…

I wish you well, Ari

[3FingerBrown]

Its amazing to me how much I can appreciate these posts…
Adam, I just joined a stuttering support group in NYC this week and met 2 people who both went to see Catherine Montgomery. One of the 2 was the group’s “leader” and I can call him tomorrow.

My therapist’s therapy of choice is precision fluency shaping.

I was a lot braver and happier as a child, as an adult I’ve lived a lonely, angry, depressed, anxious life. I have no self esteem or social life. That said…

Adam, never doubt that there is a neurological physiological cause to your stuttering. Science is finally coming around to this deduction. The fact that its affected by psychological factors can’t be denied but never doubt that it is a physical problem at root. Easier to think than feel, I know…
I have that same drive Adam and I too have finally applied it to taking back my life. And being as fluent as possible while doing it…
I need to find a way out of my own head. I’ve been closed off far too long.

Ari

[neeme]

Hello.
I am finding it really hard to start the process of change, as I've been the way I am today for a long time. I have made myself an introvert person, I am lonely and not able successful to interact in any social environment.

I haven't been to speech therapy as there isn't any in my area, but I have join the BSA (British Stammering Association) and have been to a few socials. However, the difficulty for me is changing my thoughts, feelings and behaviour to become a more confident person. I don't know how to start and progress this; I've tried to think more positively in situations in the past, but it doesn't seem to last.
If anyone wishes to discuss what method or how they finally made positive changes in their lives, it would be much appreciated.

Thanx

Neeme

[bignick]

Hi Neeme,

I had a similar problem to you when I left school and started employment, but what helped me was taking small steps at a time, saying hi or morning to people and smiling, getting a nice smile and response back and you might be surprised by people wanting to interact with you and get to know you.
Once you start a conversation however small with someone you should feel more comfortable being around them and in time building up your conversations, ask if they had a good weekend, if they are busy, if they are Ok, just small questions to let them know you are interested in them.

Confidence and positive thoughts play a vital part in improving our speech and has a major effect in how we shape our lives.

Nick

[Luser]

I had the same stuttering problem in German - which was made all the worse as I struggle on letters like "t", "g" and "d" - of which a lot of words start with in German. I think it is a beautiful language and I could say so much in it... but because of my stanmmering I don't :(.

[Standingtall]

I had the same stuttering problem in German - which was made all the worse as I struggle on letters like "t", "g" and "d" - of which a lot of words start with in German. I think it is a beautiful language and I could say so much in it... but because of my stanmmering I don't :(.
You stutter both in german and english, eh! I had a good friend who was german and when she spoke it reminds me of the Klingon language on Star Trek.:D

[Standingtall]

Hello.
I am finding it really hard to start the process of change, as I've been the way I am today for a long time. I have made myself an introvert person, I am lonely and not able successful to interact in any social environment.

I haven't been to speech therapy as there isn't any in my area, but I have join the BSA (British Stammering Association) and have been to a few socials. However, the difficulty for me is changing my thoughts, feelings and behaviour to become a more confident person. I don't know how to start and progress this; I've tried to think more positively in situations in the past, but it doesn't seem to last.
If anyone wishes to discuss what method or how they finally made positive changes in their lives, it would be much appreciated.

Thanx

Neeme
Change is always tough for most people, but if you don't like something, change it. I believe that is a line in a song. The biggest thing is to put that change into action. I agree with bignick, start off small and don't look back. It is a whole new world once you start taking those steps and you won't want to go back.

Oh by the man, nice to meet you, I don't remember greeting you. Welcome and looking forward in what you have to share with us.

[Jamester]

Hi to everyone who has responded to this thread. I have so tmany thoughs on the subject it would take up way too much space, so I will try to keep it short.

First to Adam: I have stuttered since the age of 5. My parents knew nothing about stuttering and tried to "cure" it through punishment. My mother's psychiatric problems didn't help with the problem.

I managed to graduate college, but never was able to be the teacher I wanted to be. My speech has gotten worse over the years. It especially took a nose dive after I completed Hollins. Prior to Hollins I was a able to get my Masters degree in Psychology. I was fortunate enough to get a job as a substance abuse therapist. To continue in the field, one had to become state certified. This was made possible by a simple written test. As the years went by, advanced certification became nessary to continue in the field. Unfortunately for me, the test was an oral presentaton. That is when I borrowed some money to go to Hollins. I hated it. Couldn't hit my targets and became very frustrted. I came back home with a much more severe stutter than when I went. So much for the test and the continuation in the field. I now clean houses and do handyperson work. Far cry from psychology. How many house cleaners do you know with master's degree?

Yes Adam, stuttering sucks and most people don't get it. It has been helpful for me to speak to others who stutter either in person or over the phone. If we werer to ever engage in conversation, I would not be able to help you when you have difficulty , nor would you be able to help me. This may be a good exercise for both of us, especially if we add some humor.

My two cents worth,

Jamie

[Standingtall]

Hi to everyone who has responded to this thread. I have so tmany thoughs on the subject it would take up way too much space, so I will try to keep it short.

First to Adam: I have stuttered since the age of 5. My parents knew nothing about stuttering and tried to "cure" it through punishment. My mother's psychiatric problems didn't help with the problem.

I managed to graduate college, but never was able to be the teacher I wanted to be. My speech has gotten worse over the years. It especially took a nose dive after I completed Hollins. Prior to Hollins I was a able to get my Masters degree in Psychology. I was fortunate enough to get a job as a substance abuse therapist. To continue in the field, one had to become state certified. This was made possible by a simple written test. As the years went by, advanced certification became nessary to continue in the field. Unfortunately for me, the test was an oral presentaton. That is when I borrowed some money to go to Hollins. I hated it. Couldn't hit my targets and became very frustrted. I came back home with a much more severe stutter than when I went. So much for the test and the continuation in the field. I now clean houses and do handyperson work. Far cry from psychology. How many house cleaners do you know with master's degree?

Yes Adam, stuttering sucks and most people don't get it. It has been helpful for me to speak to others who stutter either in person or over the phone. If we werer to ever engage in conversation, I would not be able to help you when you have difficulty , nor would you be able to help me. This may be a good exercise for both of us, especially if we add some humor.

My two cents worth,

Jamie
Quick reply, I hear you Jamester. My mother had a hair trigger of a temper. There is a post around here, where you can talk to other people, I think AGOFCR can tell you more. Don't be so hard on yourself, you have a great comeback story to finish.

Peace my friend,

Gene

[6022times23]

[Hi,

My name is Rachel Allen, and I have stuttered all of my life. Like you, I remeber the first day at school that I knew I could not speak as well as the other children. I had to make a presentation, and I stuttered and stammered and stuttered my way through my presentation. It was painful. I never forgot it. And like you, I began to isolate myself and my feelings. I smiled when my classmates laughed, and I clinged to the people who didn't. I don't know. I don't know, I think in my life, I have given up. I have given up the ideal of complete fleuncy. In my opinion, you are idealistic, and that is amazing to me. Me? no. I think I have been teased and laughed at and talked about for too long. Growing up as a person who stutters is difficult. I like your letter. Sincere, nice, but optimistic. I don't know. I have been stuttering all of my life, and I am so tired of it. And, I agree, most therapist and institutions don't understand, or attack the entire problems or issues when it comes to stuttering. Well, now, I am a student. I have advoided school for many years, because I was afraid to speak publically. However, I discovered, adults are not like children, and I can relax and speak openly, stuttering and stammering as I go alone. Now, I see a therapist, for my emotional problems that result from stuttering. Hopefully, from this website, and from all of you good people, I can find hope again. Anyway, my name is Rachel, and I would like to say hello to all. I truly feel at home here.

[Standingtall]

[Hi,

My name is Rachel Allen, and I have stuttered all of my life. Hopefully, from this website, and from all of you good people, I can find hope again. Anyway, my name is Rachel, and I would like to say hello to all. I truly feel at home here.
Hi Rachel Allen, nice to meet you. I went to school with a girl name Hope and she must have heard all the hope jokes. The majority of people here are still in the running for hope. Make your self at home, and I take flavor cream in my coffee. :D

[bignick]

Hi Rachel,

Welcome to the forum. We are a friendly bunch here who like to have a laugh.

Nick

[3FingerBrown]

Hi Rachel, welcome to the forum.
I (and i'm suremany others here) know whats it like to lose hope and to lose faith in yourself.
Admiting and seeking help for the emotional problems caused by stuttering is a big step onto the right road.
Congratulations on returning to school!!
Once you start facing your fears you'll start to feel better about yourself, your capabilities and your self worth.
I too have begun this cathartic journey which has shown me thus far that by facing my fears; many of the problems i thought I needed to solve have begun to dissolve.

I've really made it a point to identify the things which make me stutter worse; things, people and events with the potential to aggravate me, certain words, situations with decades of past negative experiences.

Welcome to this corner of the stuttering ,
Ari

[SarahMei]

Hey! In reply to your difficulties in speaking fluently in a different language, I've experienced the same thing too!

I'm from Malaysia where the national language is Malay. The schools are also conducted in Malay. However, my first language is English.

I found that I stuttered WAY WAY MORE when I spoke in Malay. I don't think it's because I can't speak Malay well, after all Malay has been my second language since birth. I also did very well in Malay written exams. But when it came to oral reports in Malay, I'd be having cold sweats the night before.

So during classes (which are, of course, in Malay) in primary and secondary school, when the teachers asked me something in Malay I'd reply back in English HAHA. It irked them ALOT but I don't care :D

I'm in an English-medium college now and I rather enjoy it. Look forward to classes with discussions too!

I figured, if there is a language that makes me stutter MORE, then there must be a language that can make me stutter LESS!! I still haven't found it though :rolleyes:

Anyways, all the best in your future undertakings. Don't let stuttering hinder you from being the adventurous, outgoing, person that you are! After Europe, come to South East Asia!

God bless

Lotsa Love,
Sarah