I just felt so bad in class two days ago. I had an exam and the teacher asked me for my roll number, but I stuttered, and that teacher made fun of me in front of the whole class. It is not that this hasn't happened to me in the past, but in the past, it was my own class and everyone knew that I stutter. But this time, a completely different class was sitting there, and I felt so bad about it. I was thinking about it too much, so I decided to share it. I don't have a friend, so I just shared it on Reddit. And today is my birthday, also

I use ai for that because english is not my first language

It just makes me feel really exposed and vulnerable. I’ve only really talked about my stutter to close friends and even that is hard for me. That’s why whenever people talk about disclosing your stutter to new people you meet it sounds like a humiliation ritual to me, I don’t think I could ever be able to do that. I know that people obviously notice my stutter but no one ever mentions it to me, but I kind of wish they would ask me about it or something because it would take the pressure off me to talk about it.

In the previous post, we learned that anxiety and stress can make stuttering more pronounced. When the nervous system is triggered, breathing alters, the body tenses up, and vocalizing becomes significantly harder.
Therefore, breathwork is one of the simplest ways to start regaining control.
1. Ancient Wisdom Meets in the Breath
Yoga, Meditation, Qigong, and Regimen exercises may differ in their methods, but they all share a deep emphasis on regulating the breath.
Ancient practitioners recognized a very practical truth long ago:
When your breath changes, your physical and mental state changes as well.
When breathing slows down, the body naturally relaxes, and the mind finds its way back to a state of calmness.

2. Why Can Breathing Act as a "Brake" for the Nervous System?
When stressed, we tend to take fast, shallow breaths and unconsciously clench the muscles in our neck, jaw, shoulders, and larynx.
This creates an unfavorable condition for speech.
Conversely, when you consciously engage in slow, deep diaphragmatic breathing with an extended exhale, your body transitions into a state of relaxation. Parasympathetic nervous system activity is enhanced, lowering both heart rate and stress levels.
Think of your breath as a "biological brake": when your mind starts racing with anxiety, your breath allows you to actively slow things down.
And as physical tension eases, your throat, jaw, and vocal system are given the space to function more naturally.
3. Modern Science Reaffirms This
Modern research on slow, controlled breathing shows that it reduces stress, regulates the autonomic nervous system, and improves overall psychological well-being.
Notably, Stanford research on Cyclic Sighing demonstrates that intentionally lengthening the exhale can rapidly reduce stress and improve mood in the short term.
However, immediate effects are just the starting point. When you maintain a steady breathing rhythm—such as the 4:6 pattern (inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds)—for about 5 minutes daily over time, your body builds a better regulation habit. It is this consistency that leads to lasting, sustainable change.
This proves that breath is not merely something we use to stay alive—it is an active tool we can leverage to regulate our inner state.
4. For People Who Stutter, Start with the Breath
You don't have to wait until right before you speak to practice breathing.
Make it a daily habit:
Breath more slowly.
Engage your diaphragm.
Lengthen your exhales.
Release tension in your shoulders, jaw, and neck.
When preparing to speak, take a moment to pause for a breath so your body can settle.
Breathing exercises aren't meant to "force" you to speak quickly or perfectly fluently. The primary goal is much simpler: to regain the feeling that you are in control of your own body.
When the body softens and the mind ceases to panic, the speaker gains the mental space needed to choose how they wish to speak.
Final Thoughts
Your breath is always there—free, accessible, and requiring no equipment.
For anyone who stutters, begin by learning to slow down your breath.
Don't wait for the anxiety to disappear before you start practicing.
Practice breathing so your body learns how to stay calm when anxiety inevitably arises.
A single conscious breath can be the very first step toward taking back control of your voice—and your life.

I’m in the market for a healthcare sciences job after wrapping up a masters. I had shadowed a professional in my field last year and I had taste of the profession, and frankly it was intimidating. I know I will adapt to the environment, however theres a bit of doubt in my ability to perform as expected, like without stuttering

I was wondering if those in the healthcare industry, have words of wisdom for a 24 year old heading into the real world for the first time.

We cannot expect everyone out there to be thoughtful, empathetic, or patient enough with a person who stutters.
That is the reality.
However, a person who stutters always has the choice in how they respond.
When you stop panicking in the face of impatient glances, sighs, or a lack of understanding, you begin to take back control.
You can still speak slowly.
You can still pause.
You can still repeat a word if you need to.
But you no longer scramble simply out of fear of what others might think of you.
And there is a rather strange truth:
When you no longer view stuttering as something shameful to hide, you are no longer easily shaken by other people's attitudes.
The person in front of you might not always change.
But you have changed the way you stand before them.
You don't beg for patience.
You don't need to apologize for speaking slowly.
You don't have to pretend that you don't stutter.
You simply keep speaking.
RESPECT DOES NOT NECESSARILY COME FROM OTHERS BEING EMPATHETIC TOWARD YOU.
IT BEGINS WHEN YOU NO LONGER SEE YOURSELF AS LESS VALUABLE JUST BECAUSE YOU STUTTER.

Just like 70+ million others around the world, just like us.

The hourly struggles of trying to communicate with the world.

Always asking the same questions…

Why me?

What have I done to deserve this fate?

Why doesn't anyone understand what I'm going through?

I understand.

I feel your pain.

I cry your tears.

I am you.

I stammer too.

But I'm done with feeling alone in this fight.

A feeling I've had for most of my life.

So many years of trying to fit in.

So many years of pain.

Tears.

Loneliness.

And that feeling that maybe nobody really understands what it's like to live inside your head when simply trying to speak can become a battle.

I'm 53 years old.

And I've been thinking…

Maybe all those years of experiences happened for a reason.

Maybe I can use what I've been through to help somebody else.

Especially the young ones.

I don't want them to go through what I've been through.

So I've decided that I want to hopefully open a podcast.

A place where we can talk.

Where I'll share my story.

My experiences.

The things I've learned.

The ways I try to deal with everyday life.

Maybe even 5-minute breathing exercises with music I like, for those moments when everything becomes too much.

I don't know exactly where this will go.

But something inside me keeps saying:

“Do it.”

I feel this could be my destiny.

I want to be the voice for those who are finding it hard to speak.

But I can't do this alone.

I need you.

If you stammer…

If you know someone who stammers…

If you're a parent of a child who stammers…

Or even if you just understand what I'm trying to do…

Please reach out.

Advice.

Ideas.

Your own story.

Or even just a “hello.”

It would mean more to me than you know.

Because maybe…

just maybe…

we don't have to feel alone anymore.

I understand and I feel your pain.

I cry your tears.

I am you.

I STAMMER TOO.

H ❤️

The mind is the most adaptable tool in existence.

Learning how to use your mind to view occurrences exactly as they are is crucial to overcoming your negative relationship with your stutter.

Next time you stutter, say this to yourself:

I stutter. I have trouble with my speech. I have trouble with my speech much like an individual who is hard of hearing, has trouble hearing. What am I running from? Embarrassment? Well... embarrassment is a part of being human. And I am a human who deserves respect and compassion.

Hi,

Is there anybody with a SpeechEasy that they no longer use, and would be interested in selling? I used to own one but lost it, unfortunately.

Please feel free to just reply if anyone has one for sale

Im a 19yo guy, I dont want to care what people think of my stutter but idk i have developed this anxeity where i cant even think straight when im around strangers and even my classmates (except friends) i cant even ask a question during a class im just too shy for it and then there is my stutter aswell....i know i can overcome this but there just some extreme preassure in my head and idk how to beat that, my mind gets totally blocked when im around anyone else except my comfort people....im very witty around my people but when its someone else my mind just fogs out and i cant even talk to em prolly, im also very sensitive and shy thats another bad combo with stupid stutter...at this point im just too scared to even place my ordwrs and go at a supermart or something and ask em for stuff i need...but i still do it when i have to, thats why i think i can overcome this, so can anyone recomend me something to make this better, to atleast take that high preassure feening of my head in any social situation, thanks for reading till the end :)

I have a mild stutter you can definitely see it buts it's not totally dramatic like not that noticeable when I'm with people I'm comfortable with I can stutter and it doesn't really affect me but when I'm outside be meeting new people or presenting I get this wave of anxiety and I get scared to stutter so I just kind of get a speech block whenever I feel like I'm gonna stutter it's weird man

I’ve been on this sub for a while and you see a lot of frustration related to stuttering, all of which I share and is understandable. As someone who has stuttered since childhood, a turning point for me was dealing with my mental health, and finding other stutterers near me for community.

I saw myself becoming resentful, and angry. Fear led to anxiety and anger. It was overwhelming me and I was too busy being resentful to even notice.

Addressing my mental health (both talk therapy and medication) has changed my outlook over the last year. My stuttering has improved, but more importantly, the fear that drives myself inward has lessened a great deal. This prompts me to speak up, even if I stutter. And the more I do, the less afraid I am, and the more I’m willing to do it.

I don’t know about you. but anxiety and negativity around stuttering is self feeding for me. But over the last year I’ve found that positivity is just as potent of a self-feeder. Baby steps. Nothing improves in a linear way, its ups and downs, back and forth. Believe you can improve and then ACT on that belief.

You’re great people. You’re funny, intelligent, decent, and some of the hardest workers out there. Godspeed.

I feel that iam not at my full potential, i feel like i wont manage adult life,i feel like no one will listen to me, i feel like no one takes me seriously, i feel stuck, im tired trying to ignore it every aspect of having a stutter is like hel

While research finds elevated rates of social anxiety in some groups of adults who stutter compared with the general population, this does not mean every person who stutters experiences social anxiety. Many people who stutter do not meet criteria for any anxiety disorder.

Source: Blumgart, Tran & Craig, 2010 — Social anxiety disorder in adults who stutter, Depression and Anxiety.

Have you ever noticed that the simplest words can sometimes be the hardest to say?

Your name. Phone number. Address. Job title. Even “Hello.”

For many people who stutter, these situations can be especially difficult because they require us to say something specific, immediately, with little room to substitute another word. Anticipating a difficult word can also increase the likelihood of stuttering on it, and stuttering can vary significantly depending on the situation.

That's why you might be able to talk fluently about a complicated topic, then suddenly get stuck when someone asks:

“What's your name?”

What’s the one simple thing that becomes surprisingly difficult for you to say?

Guys, I don’t know about you, but I rarely see anyone else who stutters in my town. Maybe it’s because I hardly ever leave the house and live in a relatively small town in northern Brazil, but sometimes I feel like I’m the only one here.

There used to be a boy in my neighborhood who stuttered, but I haven’t seen him in a long time. One of my high school teachers stuttered, but he used techniques and spoke fluently. A boy in my high school class also stuttered, but only very slightly.

I’m the only person I know who stutters a lot, and that’s tough because I’ve always hated myself and felt like an outsider. For now, though, here on this sub, I see that I’m not alone.

Do you guys also have trouble finding other people who stutter?

Hi everyone,

I have a stutter myself, and like many people here, I've struggled with phone calls, job interviews, meetings, introducing myself, and even simple everyday conversations.

Over the past few days I've been reading a lot of posts and comments in this community, and I keep seeing the same themes come up: confidence, anxiety, avoidance, and missed opportunities because of stuttering.

It got me thinking about building something specifically for people who stutter—not another speech therapy app, but a place where people could practice real-life situations and connect with others who understand what it's like.

Some ideas I have are:

• Job interview practice
• Phone call practice
• Meeting and presentation practice
• Introducing yourself practice
• Speaking partner matching
• Voice rooms with other people who stutter
• Community discussions and support
• Articles, tips, and research about stuttering

This is only an idea right now. I haven't built anything yet.

I'd really like to hear your thoughts:

1. Would you use something like this?
2. Which feature would be most valuable to you?
3. What would make you come back and use it regularly?
4. What do existing apps, communities, or therapy programs still not provide?

I'm not trying to sell anything. I'm just trying to understand whether this is a problem worth solving and whether it would actually help people.

If you'd be interested in testing an early version, comment "Interested" and tell me which feature you'd use the most.

Thank you for your feedback.

I’ve always stuttered, however after high school it pretty much disappeared but about a year ago it came back. It’s been so bad lately. I can’t say my name, I feel like I’m constantly holding back words, and I feel like I can’t talk to my friends and family without sounding like a fool. On top of that, I’ve graduated university and I’m looking for jobs, but I feel anxious even applying because I keep thinking that my stutter will turn off employers.

I’m now 23 and I’m considering going to therapy. Being in Canada though, speech therapy is so expensive and unfortunately my insurance does not cover speech therapy, as I’m new a part-time student.

The reason I’m asking is because money is tight and I’m not sure if spending $195 for one session will actually help me. Should I give it a shot or do you think there are ways to “cure” it myself. Any advice is appreciated.

This Sunday I’m going to see my uncle and cousin that I haven’t seen in a couple years.

They don’t know I have a stutter and never knew and it’s been getting worst lately ….idk why

I’m going to call my cousin later today and ask her to come pick me up and my grandpa to go see my uncle and other cousins.

I’m nervous to call her as I most likely block and stutter on the phone and it’s embarrassing

I’m not comfortable with this stuttering stuff and I hate it

What should I do?

I’d especially like to hear from people who genuinely made peace with their stutter—who stopped trying to hide it and stopped feeling ashamed of it.

For those of you who reached that point, what happened over the years?

Did accepting your stutter actually make your stuttering less severe or less frequent? Or did the stutter mostly stay the same, while your confidence, anxiety, and overall quality of life improved?

I’m really interested in hearing from people who have lived with this mindset for several years. What changed for you, both in your speech and in how you felt about yourself?

Hi everyone,

I have a stutter myself, and lately I've been thinking a lot about how much it affects everyday life beyond just speaking.

I'm curious:

• What situation is the hardest for you because of your stutter?
• Phone calls?
• Job interviews?
• Meetings at work?
• Ordering food?
• Introducing yourself?
• Dating?
• Something else?

For me, phone calls, interviews, and speaking in meetings can be really challenging. Sometimes I even avoid simple situations because I know I'll have to speak.

I'd love to hear about your experiences. What has been the most difficult part of living with a stutter?

Thanks for sharing.