Stuttering leading to anixety?

[adamo]

I've stuttered for more than I remember. Been to a couple speech therapists and long story short, they didn't work. But I'm coming to realize I don't stutter anymore. I completely block out any word I anticipate I'm gunna stutter on. This is already a complete mind warp as is, than I have anxiety on top of that. Can anyone else relate to this anxiety? My brain feels like a quad core computer trying to process so many things! Ooo the headaches

[amey]

I think we can all relate to this situation. It sounds like you are mentally dodging all words you are going to stutter on. so, you brain is on over drive, looking for sudstitution words, rephrasing sentences,.... This all does cause anxiety and physical pain. I believe that you still stutter, just not out loud.-- hiding stuttering is a full time job and with that comes anxiety and headaches. --

[Fredrick]

Originally Posted by adamo

I've stuttered for more than I remember. Been to a couple speech therapists and long story short, they didn't work. But I'm coming to realize I don't stutter anymore. I completely block out any word I anticipate I'm gunna stutter on. This is already a complete mind warp as is, than I have anxiety on top of that. Can anyone else relate to this anxiety? My brain feels like a quad core computer trying to process so many things! Ooo the headaches

hi

I would like to comment on this but I don't think I understand completely.

Are you saying that when you block out the words that you think you are going to block on and you are then successful when you say the word THAT THEN YOU FEEL ANXIETY AS THE RESULT OF THAT?

fredrick

[GeekGirl]

I have a lot of anxiety, I just know how to hide it so no one knows. But sometimes I feel like my head is going to explode. Add severe stuttering on top of that, and you feel like someone is choking you, your head is going to explode, someone just stepped on your chest, your jaw aches from exhaustion, and your whole body is tense.

I went to lots of intensive speech therapy courses, but I didn't really pay attention. Because somehow, when I was there, my speech was perfectly fluent. I don't think I stuttered once during those times. And it wasn't from using the speaking skills I was taught there. It was because I didn't even think about my stuttering. Everyone there stuttered, so there was absolutely no pressure or mocking.

I am now trying to bring back to mind the skills I was taught at those courses, as I can't even speak some days. My advice to anyone who is in speech therapy: Listen and memorize EVERYTHING. And when you get home, PRACTICE. I sure didn't practice or do any of the stuff they told me to do when I got home and in the "real world". I really regret it now. I would love to be fluent again like I was back then :P

[GregC]

I know the anxiety that you are talking about. Just today as I was driving to the barbershop, I had anxiety because I knew I would need to say my name when I checked in. Sure enough, I had some trouble saying my name. However afterward when I was more relaxed and when the barber asked me what kind of haircut I wanted, I had no problems with that.

I wish I could tell you something other than the fact that you need to eventually accept your stutter before the anxiety can go away, but sadly it's always easier said than done.

When you say you block out words, are you saying your mind just doesn't think about them? Or you physically have trouble saying that particular word? I fall into the category where my anxiety will lead me to physical blocking on words.