Most people are afraid of public speaking, or experience severe anxiety before an interview. Although stuttering is a physical barrier to speech, one of its main effects is that it creates fear during everyday conversations, and this fear in turn exacerbates the stuttering. While there is no way to cure stuttering, breaking the cycle of anxiety and stress can reduce its severity and minimize its effect on your life.
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Method 1 of 3: Reducing Anxiety When Stuttering
Step 1. Understand how stuttering works
When a person stutters, it blocks speech, causes him to repeat a certain sound, or causes him to "hold" on one sound for too long. At this stop, the vocal cords are pushed with great force, and the person is unable to speak until the tension is released. Making stuttering commonplace and practicing the following techniques will minimize the tension it creates.
While there is no cure for stuttering, these techniques will help you reduce it to a certain level so that it can be managed. Many individuals stutter for awards in fields that rely heavily on speaking skills such as sports commentator, TV journalist, acting, and singing
Step 2. Ignore the shame you feel
Stuttering has nothing to do with a person's lack of intelligence, personal deficiencies, or parenting. Then it also doesn't mean that you are a very nervous or anxious person, just that you are faced with situations that make people nervous. Realize that your stuttering has nothing to do with you personally. It's normal to feel embarrassed, but understand that there's no rational reason to lessen the shame and pain you're experiencing.
Step 3. Practice speaking in front of supportive people
It's likely that your friends and family know about your condition, so there's no reason to feel anxious when you "show" your stutter to them. Be open to the fact that you want to practice speaking, and say it out loud to them or make an effort to have a conversation. This is a good move to try and support your supportive friends if you want to tell them publicly.
Step 4. Stop avoiding situations where you are required to speak up
Many people who stutter try to hide the facts, either by avoiding certain sounds, or by completely avoiding stressful speaking situations. You should try not to hold back or resort to safer words when talking to supportive friends and family members, as well as strangers. The more conversations you avoid when you stutter, the more you'll realize that it's not a hindrance to you and it's not as annoying to others as you thought it was.
Step 5. Understand the behavior of people who tease and annoy you
Those bullies only want one thing; they want to irritate or upset you, so it is best to ignore them or report their behavior to the appropriate authorities. A friend should support each other. If a friend makes fun of your stuttering that makes you feel anxious, tell them that it bothers you. Remind him if he's replaying his old habits, and warn him that you may no longer need to be friends with him if he continues to make you suffer.
Step 6. Join a support group for people who stutter
Search online groups for support groups for stuttering individuals where you live, or join online forums. As with any other challenge, stuttering is easier to handle if you have a group of people to listen to and share experiences with. It's also an excellent medium for getting more recommendations on managing stuttering or reducing your fear of stuttering itself.
National associations for stuttering exist in the United States, India, the United Kingdom, and in many other countries
Step 7. Don't feel the need to completely cure your stuttering
A stuttering rarely goes away completely, but that doesn't mean you fail to control it. Once you've managed to reduce your anxiety when faced with a situation that requires you to speak up, there's no need to panic when your momentary stuttering becomes more severe. Reducing anxiety will help you live with stuttering and minimize the amount of stress it causes.
Method 2 of 3: Managing Stuttering
Step 1. Speak at a pace that is comfortable for you when you can speak fluently
There's no need to slow down, speed up, or change your speech pattern when you're not stuttering. Even if you can speak uninterruptedly for a few words at a time, speak at a normal speed, instead of changing your speech pattern to avoid stuttering. It's more effective to relax and focus on what you're saying instead of feeling tense and focusing on how it's said.
Step 2. Take the time you need to deal with the stutter that appears
A major cause of anxiety, and the main reason some people stutter, is the urge to finish the word quickly. In fact, slowing down or stopping when you stutter can train you to speak more fluently and reduce anxiety.
Step 3. Let your breath flow
When you have trouble pronouncing a word, your initial reaction is generally to hold your breath and try to force the word out. This will only make the stuttering worse. You need to focus on your breathing while speaking. When a stutter occurs, pause, inhale, and try again to say the word while exhaling slowly. When you breathe in, your vocal cords relax and open so you can speak fluently. This is easier said than done, but it gets easier with practice.
Step 4. Practice imitating a fake stutter
Paradoxically, you can help yourself manage your stuttering by deliberately repeating sounds that are difficult to pronounce. If you're worried about a situation where you can't control a certain sound, say that sound on purpose to practice controlling it. Says the word "d.d.d.dog." feels different from saying "d-d-d-dog" when stuttering. You're not trying hard to say the full word. You just say the sound, clearly and slowly, then continue to say the word when you're ready. If you stutter again, repeat the sound until you are ready to try again.
It takes a lot of practice to get comfortable with this condition, especially if you're used to hiding the stutter instead of accepting it. Practice on your own first if you feel you need to, then practice this technique in public
Step 5. Deal with obstacles with sounds that are easier for you to pronounce
A common experience for people who stutter is the presence of a "wall" or obstacle that they know is coming for certain sounds. Overcome this problem by sounding a sound that is not problematic. For example, making sounds through your nose like "mmmm" or "nnnnn" can help you "slide in and through" difficult consonant sounds like k or d. With enough practice, this technique can make you confident enough to pronounce difficult sounds normally, and continue to use this trick in stressful situations.
If you have trouble with the m and n sounds, you can try the "ssss" or "aaa" sounds instead
Step 6. Try talking to a speech therapist
Consulting a speech therapist will be very helpful in reducing the effects of stuttering on your life. As is the case with the other techniques described here, the practice and advice a speech therapist can give you works to control your stuttering and minimize its impact on your speech and emotions, not eliminate it altogether. It may take a lot of practice to use these therapeutic techniques in the real world, but with patience and realistic explanations, you can overcome your stuttering when speaking.
If advice or practice doesn't work, try to find another therapist. Traditional therapists may suggest slowing down your speech, or suggest other exercises that modern researchers or stuttering individuals find counter-productive
Step 7. You can also consider electronic conversational aids
If your stuttering is still causing severe anxiety, you can purchase an electronic feedback device, a special device that allows you to hear your own speech which is slightly different and accompanied by a delay. However, these devices can run into the thousands of US dollars, and are not a perfect solution. This tool is difficult to handle in busy environments, such as social gatherings or restaurants. Please note that this device is useful as a tool not a healer, therefore practicing anxiety reduction techniques is still very useful, including consulting with a speech therapist.
Method 3 of 3: Helping a Stuttering Child
Step 1. Don't ignore this condition
Many children stutter in the first few years of growth, although many manage to get rid of their stuttering within a year or two, this does not mean they don't need help with the condition. Speech therapists who aren't up to date with modern research might recommend "waiting until the stuttering goes away on its own," but being aware of your child's stuttering condition early on is better advice. You can follow these steps.
Step 2. Slow down the way you speak
If you tend to speak quickly, there is a good chance that your child will imitate your speech too quickly. Try to slow down how you speak and maintain a natural rhythm, and make sure you speak clearly.
Step 3. Provide a relaxed environment where the child can talk
Give children time to talk at a time and place where they are not teased or disturbed. If your child is excited to say something, stop what you are doing and try to listen. Children who don't feel they have a place to talk are more likely to be anxious about their stuttering or to be lazy.
Step 4. Let the child finish the sentence
Boost your child's confidence by being a supportive listener. Don't try to finish her sentence, and don't leave or interrupt her when she stops.
Step 5. Learn to provide parental feedback
A modern treatment of stuttering for children is in the form of parental feedback systems, such as the Lidcombe Program developed in the 1980s. In this system, the therapist trains parents or caregivers to help the child instead of enrolling the child in a therapy program directly. Even if you can't find a suitable program in your location, you can benefit from some of the program's principles.
- Talk about his stuttering only if your child really wants to talk about it.
- Praise your child for speaking without stuttering or going through the day with a relatively low stuttering rate. Do this once or twice a day at a consistent time, rather than focusing too much on stuttering by repeating compliments.
- Don't give negative feedback too often by focusing on his stuttering. Don't do this when your child is angry or frustrated.
Tips
- Take a deep breath before speaking if you are feeling anxious.
- If you're comfortable talking to someone but still have some anxiety about talking on the phone, do a phone call exercise. Some people may find calling an unknown number or a business number for the general public less stressful than calling friends.
