Possible Cause and Cure for Stuttering (my case)

[mayfieldga]

Cause of Stuttering and possible cure
Many persons believe stuttering is caused by a neurological problem. Stuttering usually begins in early childhood, and it effects can last for years. For me it began when I was about four years old. My move from Atlanta may have caused internalized stress. This internalized stress greatly affected my delicate muscles to create high muscle tension. This high muscle tension constricted air flow from my diaphragm when speaking. This constriction of airflow thus created the stutter we all hear from time to time from persons who have this problem.
As I would stutter, this would add to my already high internalized stress. I was now dealing with two large stressors that raised my muscle tension and impeded airflow from the diaphragm. I was now in a vicious cycle of high average stress that was reinforced negatively every time I would stutter, and my muscle tension would tighten and so maintain my speech impediment. At the same time, another problem was being created within my muscles. My muscle tension developed a memory of being tight and would jump back into its tight memory position. Now, even after the situational stress of leaving Atlanta, I was working with the stutter, and my muscle memory had attuned itself to lock up at any time. This self-perpetuated my stutter.
Many persons do not understand the cause of stuttering and are not able to improve their speech. Speech therapists attempt to use more force from the diaphragm to force air through the constricted muscle tension. This doesn’t work.
Finally, at age thirty-four I solved my speech problem by redefining my average stress as layers of mental frictions. By doing this, I was able to begin more permanently reducing layers of mental frictions, which lowered my average stress. This lowered my average muscle tension. I also had to relearn how to talk normally as any minor stutter would still cause my muscle memory to lock up. I would practice enunciating individual syllables in a very full way. This added smoothness to my words and created a measure of rhythm to my speech. In time, by maintaining lower average stress, my muscle tension began to develop a memory that was less tense and so gradually, my speech became more fluent for longer periods of time. I later went to the University of North Florida where I became a Special Education Teacher. I now have fluent speech.
For all who wish a copy of my learning theory and my additional article on stuttering, just e-mail me for free copies at mayfieldga@bellsouth.net.
rick lynn
5012 Seaboard Ave.
Jacksonville, FL 32210