Confession from Stutter

Yes, I want to write about it a long time ago. I’m a light stutter (in British English, Stammer), lot of times I think it is good to be a stutter, because we don’t speak a lot and we do lot of thinking and work. Each stutter is different and unique. For me, I had great days, most of the times I’m able to talk without any interruption or block. But sometimes I would totally black-out or small blocks, mainly under stress. Based on my decade long research, here are the events or situation that makes my stutter worse, this might be helpful for those who stutter like me.

1.     Change in routine: If something got changed, that triggers some stress. For example, today I went to one place, normally in lobby they take my id and let me in, but today the front desk lady called the place where I want to go and asked about me, yes bingo!, that created some stress and made my stutter worse.With that delay, my stutter came rushing and it solid one minute for me tell for what reason i came. Tip: Forget unwanted things from memory, the issue here is still i remembered how they allowed me in last time, which is almost 4 months ago.

2.     Outright lie: If someone talking with me and making constant eye contact but tells a lie. For example, I met one of my ex-colleague in street, I asked him “how you are?” and I asked about some others and he replied back “are you not with us?” without a smile, as if he doesn't know that i left the company about 4 months ago.For me it is an outright lie, yes again that made stutter worse, the questions he asked after that I couldn’t talk. This is really a troublesome part because I feel that we have to face this issue all the time. Because people want to tell some lies because they want to avoid something or they forgot or they are under stress or we read them wrong. I think we are too much into reading them, that is, creating some issues. If we know how to cope with this? We can avoid 90% stuttering. Tip: Don’t read others and socialize more is remedy for this.

3.     Long distance calls: If some one speaks faster than us, normally this happens only with international calls. Especially India calls if other side person doesn’t know how to handle the delay and speaks faster than us, some little stuttering comes up. Tip: if someone speaks faster than you in phone, just wait for them to finish and politely tell them about delay for them to adjust. Still they are not adjusting, who cares just speak with stutter.

4.     Alcohol: For me this is worse and unbearable, but a common stereotype is most of light to medium stutter can overcome stuttering if they use a single shot but for me if I drink alcohol, my stutter would be worse for almost 24 hours, even a single 8 oz beer. Tip: Avoid too much boozing, avoid alcohol if we have next day meeting or important conference etc.

5.     Smoking: Smoking cigarettes is very good for stuttering, that is because we try to be relaxed at the time of smoking and nicotine really helps. Tip: This is like artificially looking good, don’t smoke and don’t hurt health. Communicating with stutter is not bad as smoking and then getting lung cancer.

6.     Group Discussion: For me, talking with strangers in meeting or group not at all an issue, stand up meetings not at all an issue. If we are group situation with known person is an issue with out multi media support, or until I’m clear with agenda of meeting and a favorable body languages. I’m still working on it, it may take long of time to give a tip.

7.     Bullying: In School it was an issue, adulthood we have so many option to avoid bullying. So this is not an issue.

But there are several ways to overcome stuttering including exercise, low caffeine and it is not that bad. But inferiority complex because of this issue is worst, be confident and be candid.