How to Stop Stuttering
Mentally and physically relax... Tell yourself that you really are going to do fine., Stand in front of the mirror and imagine the person in the mirror being someone else., Read books out loud., Visualize the words you're going to say before you say...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Mentally and physically relax... Tell yourself that you really are going to do fine.
When you are worried that you are going to stutter, you make it likelier that you will.
Relax both your body and your mind.
Relax your body:
Release the tension in your back, neck and arms.
Relax your shoulders; let them sink down to a natural level.
Buzz your lips for a couple seconds before you start speaking.
Singers do this sometimes to warm up.
Shake out any tension that you have in your legs and arms.
Twist your torso.
Relax your mind:
Tell yourself: "I am bigger than this stutter; this stutter is not bigger than me!" Don't tell yourself it's a life or death situation.
Stuttering is annoying, but it's not as much of an issue to other people as it probably is to you.
Let this thought relax you.
Concentrate your attention inside your head.
Gently let your attention drift to the furthest tips of your body, breathing evenly.
This can be done as a form of meditation. -
Step 2: Stand in front of the mirror and imagine the person in the mirror being someone else.
Just start talking about anything — how your day went, what you're feeling like, what you're planning on eating later on — and watch your stutter disappear.
Of course, talking in front of the mirror isn't the same thing as talking to another person, but this exercise should give you a good boost of confidence.
Remember how well you spoke to yourself in the mirror when preparing to talk to somebody else.
Try speaking to yourself every day for 30 minutes.
It might seem weird at first, but the exercise is hearing your voice without the stutter.
It'll give you lots of confidence. , Your charisma skills will be improved.
Just read out loud.
It's going to be hard at first, but it will teach you how to breathe.
One big problem most stutters have is knowing when to breathe while reading or talking while also giving you practice on recovering from stuttering. , This is hard to master, but it really helps.
If you can imagine words, you claim them and it'll be harder for them to slip into a stutter.
If you cannot imagine it, they can't be yours.
Have a clear mental picture of what you want to say.
If you are stumbling over a particular word, try using a word that has a similar meaning— a synonym.
This word might be easier to use and one that you won't slip over.
Try to spell a word out if you stumble over it.
You might have to pronounce it very slowly and letter by letter, but at least you'll get the satisfaction of knowing that you pronounced it.
Don't be afraid to pause as you visualize or spell out the letters in the word.
We're trained to think of silences as frightening; you have to train yourself to think of the silences as opportunities to ace it. , Work through stuttering by letting out deep, guttural noises at each block.
For example: "It's s-s-s-s-s-.
GRRRRRR It's silly." Try stopping by saying "Blah " or Aa and continue. , Before you go to talk, get optimistic instead of pessimistic.
Often times, the fear of stuttering can cause stuttering itself.Instead of fearing it and expecting it to happen, try to visualize succeeding.
This will help you destroy any nervousness you might encounter. , Often, a stutterer will have trouble breathing while they are stuttering.
Getting your speech back could be helped drastically by doing breathing exercises.
Try these for more fluency while you speak:
Take a couple of deep breaths before you start speaking.
Pretend you're diving down into water and you need to get a couple of deep breaths before you dive.
This may ease your breathing and help regulate it.
If you're in a social situation and you feel uncomfortable doing this, try to breathe deeply through your nose.
Remember to breathe when you speak and if you stutter.
People who stutter often forget to breathe once they begin stuttering.
Pause, give yourself some time to breathe, and try to tackle the word or phrase again.
Don't try to set any speed records.
There are plenty of fast talkers out there, but the goal is not to speak how they speak.
Your goal is to be able to express words and be understood.
Learn to speak at a moderate pace.
There is no rush here, nor are there competitions on who can out talk the other person. , People who stutter tend to lose their stutter when they sing, for several reasons: the words they are singing are prolonged, and the voice they use is smooth and delivered easier than normal speech.
If you can put a little bit of rhythm into your speech (give it an oratory quality, like Martin Luther King, Jr.) you might find that your stutter has lessened or even gone away. , Look over people's heads, or at a point in the back of the room.
This way, you might not get as nervous and start a chain reaction of stuttering.
If you're talking directly to someone, see if you can make regular eye contact with them.
You don't have to stare at them the whole time, but making eye contact with them will put them at ease, which will help you feel more comfortable. , Understand that you'll make mistakes.
But it's not the mistakes that define you.
It's how you rebound from the mistakes, how you persevere.
Understand that you will probably lose some battles, but that your goal is to win the war. , Even if people think poorly of you,you can't let their thoughts affect your mind. -
Step 3: Read books out loud.
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Step 4: Visualize the words you're going to say before you say them.
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Step 5: When you stutter
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Step 6: try letting out tension in between blocks.
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Step 7: Get in the right frame of mind.
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Step 8: Try breathing exercises to make speech easier.
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Step 9: Try putting some rhythm into your speech.
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Step 10: If you're making a speech
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Step 11: don't look directly at someone.
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Step 12: Don't sweat the small stuff.
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Step 13: Never give up.
Detailed Guide
When you are worried that you are going to stutter, you make it likelier that you will.
Relax both your body and your mind.
Relax your body:
Release the tension in your back, neck and arms.
Relax your shoulders; let them sink down to a natural level.
Buzz your lips for a couple seconds before you start speaking.
Singers do this sometimes to warm up.
Shake out any tension that you have in your legs and arms.
Twist your torso.
Relax your mind:
Tell yourself: "I am bigger than this stutter; this stutter is not bigger than me!" Don't tell yourself it's a life or death situation.
Stuttering is annoying, but it's not as much of an issue to other people as it probably is to you.
Let this thought relax you.
Concentrate your attention inside your head.
Gently let your attention drift to the furthest tips of your body, breathing evenly.
This can be done as a form of meditation.
Just start talking about anything — how your day went, what you're feeling like, what you're planning on eating later on — and watch your stutter disappear.
Of course, talking in front of the mirror isn't the same thing as talking to another person, but this exercise should give you a good boost of confidence.
Remember how well you spoke to yourself in the mirror when preparing to talk to somebody else.
Try speaking to yourself every day for 30 minutes.
It might seem weird at first, but the exercise is hearing your voice without the stutter.
It'll give you lots of confidence. , Your charisma skills will be improved.
Just read out loud.
It's going to be hard at first, but it will teach you how to breathe.
One big problem most stutters have is knowing when to breathe while reading or talking while also giving you practice on recovering from stuttering. , This is hard to master, but it really helps.
If you can imagine words, you claim them and it'll be harder for them to slip into a stutter.
If you cannot imagine it, they can't be yours.
Have a clear mental picture of what you want to say.
If you are stumbling over a particular word, try using a word that has a similar meaning— a synonym.
This word might be easier to use and one that you won't slip over.
Try to spell a word out if you stumble over it.
You might have to pronounce it very slowly and letter by letter, but at least you'll get the satisfaction of knowing that you pronounced it.
Don't be afraid to pause as you visualize or spell out the letters in the word.
We're trained to think of silences as frightening; you have to train yourself to think of the silences as opportunities to ace it. , Work through stuttering by letting out deep, guttural noises at each block.
For example: "It's s-s-s-s-s-.
GRRRRRR It's silly." Try stopping by saying "Blah " or Aa and continue. , Before you go to talk, get optimistic instead of pessimistic.
Often times, the fear of stuttering can cause stuttering itself.Instead of fearing it and expecting it to happen, try to visualize succeeding.
This will help you destroy any nervousness you might encounter. , Often, a stutterer will have trouble breathing while they are stuttering.
Getting your speech back could be helped drastically by doing breathing exercises.
Try these for more fluency while you speak:
Take a couple of deep breaths before you start speaking.
Pretend you're diving down into water and you need to get a couple of deep breaths before you dive.
This may ease your breathing and help regulate it.
If you're in a social situation and you feel uncomfortable doing this, try to breathe deeply through your nose.
Remember to breathe when you speak and if you stutter.
People who stutter often forget to breathe once they begin stuttering.
Pause, give yourself some time to breathe, and try to tackle the word or phrase again.
Don't try to set any speed records.
There are plenty of fast talkers out there, but the goal is not to speak how they speak.
Your goal is to be able to express words and be understood.
Learn to speak at a moderate pace.
There is no rush here, nor are there competitions on who can out talk the other person. , People who stutter tend to lose their stutter when they sing, for several reasons: the words they are singing are prolonged, and the voice they use is smooth and delivered easier than normal speech.
If you can put a little bit of rhythm into your speech (give it an oratory quality, like Martin Luther King, Jr.) you might find that your stutter has lessened or even gone away. , Look over people's heads, or at a point in the back of the room.
This way, you might not get as nervous and start a chain reaction of stuttering.
If you're talking directly to someone, see if you can make regular eye contact with them.
You don't have to stare at them the whole time, but making eye contact with them will put them at ease, which will help you feel more comfortable. , Understand that you'll make mistakes.
But it's not the mistakes that define you.
It's how you rebound from the mistakes, how you persevere.
Understand that you will probably lose some battles, but that your goal is to win the war. , Even if people think poorly of you,you can't let their thoughts affect your mind.
About the Author
Kimberly Gonzalez
Creates helpful guides on home improvement to inspire and educate readers.
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