What has worked for you??

[ef1]

ABOUT ME:
Hey im new here. I found this website today because probably as all of you i was searching google for some advice/ treatments for stuttering and i ran into this forum. I started reading what u guys had to say and had some good ideas in here ( better then speech therapy) and its free! Im a 21 year old male live in maryland, attend college, i have freinds, i like to drink party etc.
Today i just got real frustrated with my stuttering because i was with my girlfreind which i just met a few months ago and i was stuttering like crazy and i just feel bad for her cause she is probably thinking like ok get it out already... Everytime i ask her about it she is like no its totally ok i really dont mind but i think its just frusterating. So tonite i just got real pissed off because the stuttering has been real bad lately got on this website. I have been stuttering since i started talking and been in and out of speech therapy and nothing has helped, its all shit.

TO THE POINT:
But anyways i thought i would make this thread just so we can all post some techniques that have helped time to time. I will post some of mine that i have learned throughout my life.
- I have found that when you keep a tune/song in your head while you talk, you dont stutter, but i found this effect relapses after a week... as most do.
- One thing that has also been working is yawning to start out a sentence. When you yawn it forces your vocal cords open and you DO NOT STUTTER. But its looks ackward and its hard to remember, im not sure about the relapse time.
-I have also found out that if you breath out really fast u make kind of a sigh "h" sound without actually forcing any words out but its just your breath being exhaled so quickly, aggressivly that it forms a vibration with your vocal cords and you dont stutter. I have found this worked for me on the phone real well, i still use it, tho it relapses sometimes, but maybe im not useing the proper technique.
- I have read on this site about the use of manganese i havent really used it my self but TOMOROW im gettin that shit! Does anyone know if that relapses??

Well i invite all of you to post some stuff on here that has helped you and along with relapse time etc cause i think we shold do this every so often cause who knows maybe one day we'l find ONE thing that works for us ahhhh i duno!

[chrish15]

Hi, I know exactly how you feel regarding the girlfriend, I am 22 and in college, we just broke things off, she was very supportive of my stutter. It was so frustrating for me and I imagine for her sometimes. She helped me before presentations and even offered to go to class with me when I presented. Its been tough getting over her, she was so awesome. If she supports you, hold on to her.

Regarding techniques, the ones that I have used are just deep breathing and excercising daily helps my confidence and overall speech.

Also, I have used easy onset, which is easing out the beginning of the sentence as you exhale to get the words started. Usually has worked pretty well for me.

[Standingtall]

ef1, sounds like you found a keeper. I suggest don't overburden yourself with worry, what your girlfriend thinks. She would have left a long time ago and don't set yourself up for a hurt either. That is not good. Woman are very, very strong, they can carry babies and I am not talking only about men. Remember nobody is perfect until you fall in love.

Now, what works for me. I changed my attitude. I gave my stutter so much of my energy and time, I was starting not enjoying life and was very bitter. Almost went into rehab because of it. One day, I decided, hey, this is my life. I make the decisions in my life, if I want to be happy or miserable. I'm going to do what I want, be who I want, because this is my life and the only one i have. Unless, I come back into another body and do it all over again. I put my stutter in the back seat and started focusing in having fun, improving my self, like becoming a better father, learning from other people and making great friends. When I have time, then I worry about my stutter. That is what is working for me, changing my attitude and now my stutter is from severe to mild.

[mo885]

Hi ef1,
I go to college and maryland also. I go to towson, just wondering if we happen to be at the same school? I have had a lot of luck with a program called the Ryan Fluency Program. I go to the towson university speech clinic and my speech therapist got the book and learned the program, because she thought it was a good match for me. At first I was very skeptical. But, now I mainly just stuttering when saying my name in a public speaking situation (like in class), but I'm fine one on one with a person. I still stutter occasionally in conversations but very different that last year. People that I know at the clinic couldnt believe how well it worked.
Good luck to you, and you're very lucky how supportive your girlfriend is.

[ef1]

i go to UMBC its like 30 mins from towson. Yea im gona have to look into that program. What exactly do you hyave to do in the program like repeat words or something?

[ef1]

also my girlfreind is leaving for israel for school on tuesday so i cant really hold onto her but oh well there more fish in the sea right.

[DiogoOsorio]

I everyone,

I just want to say that, from my experience, women don't get bothered by my stammering. What happens, and I know exactly how you feel Ef1, is that I am bothered by my stammering, I'm afraid that it might make me look weak or something to her eyes, but that is not true. The problem here is in yourself, you're diminishing yourself because you can't handle your stammering, because you feel guilty about your stammering... Learn to live with it, accept yourself and you'll everything will get better. I'm not saying you shouldn't treat yourself, you should of course, but learn to realize that is not your fault and try not to project your fears in everybody else.

Diogo Osorio


PS - I actually had a girlfriend a few years ago that felt that my stammering had a certain appeal (though i don't know how can this be).

[bignick]

Welcome to the forum,

My experience is that pretty much from the outset that women I have dated knew I had a stutter and it didnt bother them one bit.
In fact, if my speech has been bad they have asked me if there is something wrong, am I tired as they have noticed that my speech is quite bad.
I dont mind people being upfront to me and asking me any questions as I wear my heart on my sleeve and am pretty much open about anything including my speech.
You will realise that genuine people couldnt give a sh*t about your stutter, its how you are as a person that counts and girls are normally very good judges.

As regards to techniques, sorry cant give any but just want to wish you success in your academic career.

Nick

[Robinmd]

I found myself propelled into a job that required me to speak in front of large groups, in addition to giving presentations. Not good for one who stutters. I believe stutering is a neurological problem and I found a neurologist willing to try entertain meds. Right now I take atenolol and xanax, as needed. I find that 1.0mg of atenolol will usually help control stuttering. Xanax makes me sleepy but it works also. I stumbled upon the atenolol aspect when I read about musicians who take atenolol before a concert to control stage fright.

[doogle2k]

I found myself propelled into a job that required me to speak in front of large groups, in addition to giving presentations. Not good for one who stutters. I believe stutering is a neurological problem and I found a neurologist willing to try entertain meds. Right now I take atenolol and xanax, as needed. I find that 1.0mg of atenolol will usually help control stuttering. Xanax makes me sleepy but it works also. I stumbled upon the atenolol aspect when I read about musicians who take atenolol before a concert to control stage fright.


you say it helps your stuttering!!id like to know how much!does it take away the lump in your throat!i wanna feel relaxed mainly cos when im drinking i can speak normal cos im relaxed!!!where do you get your atenolol??i seen it on edrugnet but it comes in tablets of 25mg!!where did ya get the 1.0mg??

thanx in advance

[Robinmd]

Atenolol is generic and I have a prescription for .5mg but find that 1.0 is needed. Because it slows your heartrate, you can gain weight if taken daily.