Did you know that 1 percent of the world’s population is affected by stuttering? That is 70 million people or one person out of every 100.
While the condition is relatively well-known, there are many myths surrounding this speech disorder. From the cause of stuttering to the treatment of a speech stammer, the falsehoods have developed and persisted throughout decades.
Below, we’ll debunk some of the most common myths of stuttering.
Stuttering is Caused by Nerves/Anxiety/Stress
Individuals with a stutter are often mistakenly categorized as being an overly nervous or a shy person when in fact, they could have a full range different personalities. While being nervous or stressed can amplify a person’s stutter, it is not the cause. Stuttering is a neurological condition, not psychological. How and when a stutter occurs varies widely by individual. For some, it is completely unpredictable.
Stuttering is Linked to Intelligence
You’ve probably seen at least one unintelligent caricature in a cartoon or movie that has a stutter. This is because of the infuriating misconception that having a stutter means a person is not smart. This is an absolute myth! Even though people who stutter may take longer to relay their thoughts, their thought process is at the same, normal speed as a person without a stutter.
Stuttering Can Be Caused by Imitation
While some believe a child with a stutter has developed the condition by imitating his or her parent, stuttering is not “contagious.” While stuttering may happen within the same family, this is because it is a genetic condition — not a modeled one.
Stuttering Can be Eliminated Through Persistence and Therapy
While speech therapy can help individuals who stutter a great deal, there is no proven “cure” for adults with the condition. Speech therapy tactics often include “fluency techniques” that include slowing down speech, blending one word with another, and taking short breaths before speaking. Even if someone works very hard with these techniques, they may still be faced with speech difficulties.
Thankfully, today’s technology offers additional assistance with speech aid devices like that at SpeechEasy. Because of the common misconceptions linked with stuttering, afflicted individuals may sometimes find themselves in challenging situations as it comes to the workplace, phone conversations, or public speaking. With the help of a speech aid, the sound of your voice is delayed and pitch altered creating a “choral effect” which has been shown to drastically reduce–or even eliminate your stutter when in use.
