Stutters and Stopping Them!

If you are someone who stutters as an adult, it is important to know that stuttering affects four times as many men as women. It is also important to remember that if you are someone who stutters, you are not alone-at least 1% of the adult population stutters. While 1% may not sound like a big number, please know that the world's population is currently approximatey 7 billion, so you should quickly realize that there are many others out there who stutter!. You are not alone!

If you don't begin to work on yourself from the inside out, stutters can get worse...When someone stutters, the individual may start with repeating consonants such as k, g, t. If someone who stutters does not get the right help, stuttering can get worse, resulting in whole words and phrases being repeated and later, vocal spasms can also develop. The worse the person's stuttering problem becomes, the greater their struggle to speak becomes and the harder it is to get the courage to seek help. In this case stressful situations and anxiety can make symptoms much worse. If you want to beat your stutter, you need to build your confidence from the inside-- Confidence that will lead you to want to stop your stutters forever. So, love yourself first, find a mentor and begin the process. The world is waiting for your gifts!

This is what happens when someone stutters- a timing problem occurs between communication signals the brain gives to the speech mechanism in the body. This timing problem causes a tightening of the person's vocal cords. The result is a tightening of the throat which causes mouth and breathing movements to become forced and labored. Normal flow of speech is interrupted and rhythm is lost for the person trying to speak normally. For someone who stutters, this interruption of speech produces a feeling similar to choking. Once you understand what is physically causing your stutters, you can begin work on recovering from stuttering. Make sure those around you understand what is happening to you physically when you stutter and they can be more patient and supportive.

If you are someone who stutters and wants to get relief, find a mentor. Modeling your life after someone who has tackled their stammer and overcome it is key in helping you to attain your dream of saying what you want to say and living normally! Terry McElhinney, now a British Champion kick-boxer is an example of such a mentor. He learned that developing self-esteem after years and years of coping with his stuttering enabled him to take small steps toward recovery through understanding his problem. He now has devoted his life to helping other stutterers recover from stuttering. When asked about his stutter, Terry says: "I want to prove that a lot of great things come from bad times and how having a stammer or disability can turn into a positive thing. You can turn your life around. Life might bounce us around a bit and could even capsize us but we have the strength and courage to climb back into the boat and steer it towards our chosen destination."

Remember, tackling anything in life is hard and you need support. Getting to know someone who has overcome his stutter is a great form of support-- especially if he or she can guide you with tools that helped on their rode to recovery. If you are looking for a mentor to get started on stopping your stutters-- Terry has just written an important self-help e-book with wonderful resources and exercises to help you conquer your stuttering. It is called: Are You Ready To Take Control of Your Stammer and Your Life? Check it out-- it is full of helpful insights from someone who knows how to stop stammering!