Mum I need to talk with you. Is something wrong Steve? I just can not cope living with this stutter for any longer, please will you help me to find a solution? I really need to achieve fluency, I have to learn a way to cure this horrible stutter. It should go without saying Steve; I will help you in any way that I can.
The above is a conversation which I had with my mother when I was aged sixteen. I had just arrived home after spending a most frustrating day out with my friends during which my speech was dreadful. The problems started at the train station when I attempted to order my train ticket, I could not say the word “return”, I felt so small. Luckily I have some very good friends and they were very supportive. Don’t worry about it mate, you managed to say the rest of the words fine. This was nice but I still felt very down and a little bit depressed about what had happened. What is wrong with? Why can I not speak properly? Why have I got this horrible stutter? I try to be a decent person in everything that I do in life therefore I can not understand as to why I have this annoying stutter?
Despite the fact that my confidence had been shot to pieces I actually spoke quite well for the next few hours. This fluency was however rather short-lived and the stammer was to return at lunch time when I went to a fast food restaurant. My brain, or inner voice, advised to me ask one of my friends to order my food. This for me was just like being a wimp. I would order my own food and I will order it fluently I said to myself. Well at least I was attempting to think in a positive manner but it was to no avail, yes the stammering did occur, it was when attempting to say the word “cheeseburger”.
Around two hours later I was in a sports shop as I wanted to buy a pair of trainers. After finding a pair that I thought looked good, I went up to the shop worker to ask for a size seven. Guess what? Yes you’ve guessed it, the stuttering reared its ugly head yet again.
By the time that I arrived home I was mentally and emotionally exhausted. I had had enough, this was the last straw. I was now desperate to find a form of stuttering help that would actually work.
