Many people with stutters struggle with confidence. Studies show that nearly 24% of children and a whopping 60% of adults with a stutter qualified as having social anxiety disorders as well. While having a stutter isn’t ideal, when it comes to being social with a stutter, it’s all about confidence! While you work on improving your stutter with therapy, books, or a stuttering device, there are plenty of ways to help boost your morale. Here are four ways to be confident when you have a stutter from SpeechEasy.
Speak Up
One of the biggest fears of many with speech issues is meeting someone new. Hanging out with friends used to your stutter may feel comfortable, but meeting someone new who may have a hard time understanding you, or worse, who may make fun of you for your stutter or stuttering device, can be nerve-wracking. While the first thing out of your mouth doesn’t have to be “My name is ______, and I have a speech impediment,” if you begin struggling during a sentence, you can take a moment to let them know why. Having a speech impediment isn’t your fault, so it shouldn’t be anything to be ashamed of.
Don’t Avoid Certain Sounds
Anyone with a speech impediment will tell you they often avoid certain words or sounds when speaking. Not only does this prevent you from working on your speech, but the stress from trying to find another word to say in its place can make the situation worse. If you do this enough, it could even cause severe anxiety around speaking altogether. If you don’t have a stuttering device to help you with this, try compiling a list of words that tend to trigger this fear response to practice (and conquer) later!
Practice
You may have heard the term “practice makes perfect,” and it couldn’t be more true. In order to improve on your speech, you have to work at it! If you see a speech therapist, make sure to follow their curriculum and any homework they’ve assigned. If you don’t have a therapist yet, look for books or computer programs for those with stutters. If you have a stuttering device, make sure it’s in good working order. Take a list of those hard words and sounds you struggle with and try making flashcards. You don’t have to spend hours a day at your desk either, try taking just 15 minutes a day to practice. The best time to learn? Researchers say between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. are ideal.
Showcase Your Other Skills
Having a stutter can feel identity-engulfing, especially if you’re dealing with bullying. While you should be working towards improving your speech with therapy or a stuttering device, it shouldn’t define who you are. Make a list of all the things you’re good at. If you can’t think of anything, try asking your family and friends. If you have musical talent, try taking instrument or singing lessons. Are you great at gardening? Take up horticulture studies. Instead of boxing yourself in as the one with the stutter, flip the script by thinking of yourself as the person who just happens to have one.
SpeechEasy | Stuttering Device
We hope these suggestions help you to feel more confident! Do you have a speech impediment? Would you like to stop stuttering? SpeechEasy can help! With years of research, we have developed an anti-stuttering device to help those suffering from speech issues. Whether you’re looking to help your child, or you’re an adult with adult-onset stuttering, our devices have been proven to dramatically decrease stammering. We have four different models of our stuttering device, each with different attributes to suit different sufferers’ needs. To learn more about our stuttering hearing aid, contact us today!