Hello all here!... Would like to explore how/why I stopped stuttering.

[Zach]

Hello all. I just joined forum today. Have never looked for a forum until today.

I've never talked to anyone about how or why I abruptly stopped stuttering, after 11 years of stuttering as severely as anyone I've ever heard stutter (including that old country singer, Mel Tillis), although I've always wanted to. I've sometimes felt a little guilty, for not ever trying to help other stutters, after I successfully stopped stuttering so abruptly when I was 18 years old, but perhaps I was still embarrassed about those incredibly painful years; perhaps the scars were still too fresh. What can I say? Life goes on, I guess. :o

Actually, I tried to, (talk about my history of stuttering), about 2-3 years ago, by calling the Speech & Stuttering Dept. @ one of our states large Universities... but the Professor I spoke with briefly, replied in a manner that caused me to think that she didn't really believe (my story). When I asked if she'd like to interview me, or have me possibly speak to her students and/or clients... she replied that she wouldn't be interested in my offer to speak to her classes or clients, or for her to even interview me... as, in her words, she didn't want to "raise any false hopes", in her students or clients minds and hearts.

A little Bio: I started stuttering at age 7, (possibly due to a trauma???; or possibly due to a drastic life and living location change -- that may have eroded my personal comfort and confidence in myself???), and stuttered severely and I mean super-severely, until age 18... at which time I then abruptly stopped stuttering one day*. [* It seems like it happened in just one day, as my stuttering did stop rather abruptly. But maybe it was actually over a month or two; I can't really remember; it's (the stopping), is something I'd like to try and recall more clearly, by revisiting and exploring my story. ].

I've always thought I've known why and how I stopped... but again, I just let the painful memory of my 11 years of severe stuttering... just fade away. My family never really brought it up or spoke about it, my 11 years of stuttering, so neither did I.

Of course, it greatly affected my adolescence and school years, and of course my grades, from midway through the 2nd grade -- upwards and right on through my senior year of High School, and graduation. I've often wondered how different my life may have been -- if I had never had my 11 year period of severe stuttering -- during those formative years of my adolescence and schooling. I've always had a desire in my heart to help other stutterer's... alas, and again, to my embarrassment, I've just never acted upon that desire.

I turned 18, 33 years ago. Now, I'm almost 51 years old, and have been stutter-free for these last 33 years. Moreover, whilst I'm not sure if I might ever be of any help to anyone... I'd like to try, if anyone's interested. Maybe the reason for the cessation of my stuttering... was unique to me? But I think not. I think I know approximately why I completely stopped stuttering, 33 years ago. Maybe I'm wrong; but then again... maybe I'm right, about the reason why!? Not sure where to even begin discussing it. If anyone's ever interested in exploring with me -- why I think I stopped stuttering, I'll be more than happy to go back to that time, in my memories, and try to share why -- I decided one day -- to stutter no more.

Didn't mean to ramble on like this... especially on my first post! :o

[warrick]

Hi Zach, welcome to Fluency Quest. What do you remember about the change?? How did your thoughts of speech change during this time?? Please do share. I look forward to hearing more. I know you can be a GREAT help to so many. I dont believe too much in FALSE hope, especially when so many people have none.

[Zach]

Hi warrick --- Thanks for the warm welcome! :) What I remember 'about the change', and my 'thoughts of speech change' during that time... will probably take up a full page or two -- when I type it out in MS Word. I'll try to do so a.s.a.p.

It mostly had to do with what you shared in your reply to [pala1414], in his thread (in the main 'Stuttering Forum'), entitled: "is there any Successful treatment of stutter???". You replied to [pala1414]... The best advice I can give you, and I use it when I hit absolute lows, is that when you feel you have hit the lowest you can go, when you even wonder if its worth going on any more, this is the time to get excited." ... and "~but you do have control of your will and your emotion,".

That, what you referred to above in your reply to [pala1414]... was exactly the genesis -- of what caused me to find and realize -- what helped me stop stuttering once and for all !!!

Basically, as I remember it, that (the absolute lowest point in my life; the 'lowest' I could go), was the genesis of my decision to stop stuttering. For I was informed mid-way through my final semester of my senior year in High School -- that I didn't have enough credits to graduate, due to my flunking or dropping-out of so many of my classes during my High School years, due to my stuttering and my embarrassment of the same; [Note: During my High School years (1972-1975), my High School never made a single offer of trying to help me with my stuttering, by sending me to a special ed class, or by having a speech therapist work with me.]

So, I had to enroll in summer classes, whilst all of my classmates where graduating and etc. It was during that summer, whilst I was taking the make-up summer classes so I could get my belated High School diploma... that I finally realized how my severe stuttering was messing-up my entire life, and it was then -- that I decided it was high time that I stopped stuttering.

My 'thoughts of speech change' during that time -- and the knowledge and realities that I used to stop stuttering -- is what will take me a page or two to type out, once I formulate my memories of what I think worked for me. Again, I'll try to do so, a.s.a.p. These next two days are going to be extremely busy, workwise, for me, and then I'll be on a little holiday from this Friday thru next Monday... so I'll probably have to post what I think worked for me -- next week sometime. Sorry for the delay, but I've never written the reasons (why I think I stopped stuttering) down before, and I'm not the swiftest of typers, if you know what I mean. ;)

Best Regards, and thanks again for your reply and warm welcome. :) I'll be getting back with you all, next week.

Zach

P.S. --- I hope it will be helpful to someone. A little preview: It had to do with a psychology class that I took, and the incredibly great teacher who taught the class, during the last semester of my senior year in High School... and a book that I read that following summer when I was taking the make-up credit classes, so I could get my late HS diploma. The book was entitled: 'Biscuts, Fleas, and Pumphandles', but was later published under a new title: 'See You At The Top'; authored by Zig Ziglar. I'm not sure which helped me the most... but I think it was mostly... something that I learned, and took to heart, in that Psycholgy 101 class, the final semester of my senior year in HS -- and again, is what will take me approx. a page or two to type out -- next week. ;)

[warrick]

Hi Zach, thanks for taking the time to share with us and I look forward to future posts on the secrets to your success. Also, its nice to know my previous posts are being read and taken in, even though Im sure they seem a little whacky at times. I truly believe we DO have a choice to stop stuttering, and every day when we fail to take any action at all, that in itself is a choice. When it comes to stuttering, so many people feel like it is something that is out of their control and rely on others to find answers for them, when deep down, they are the ONLY ones who CAN control a stutter and really the only ones who have the power to change it. Once someone accepts that they have this power, that is when their FLUENCY QUEST can truly begin.

Thanks again for taking the time to share with us Zach

[Zach]

Hello all,

Just wanted to extend my apologies for the delay in posting my 'How I Stopped Stuttering' -- follow-up post. I've been extremely busy with work these last few weeks; working 10 hour days and etc., and then gone on the weekends (it's summertime over here in the Pacific Northwest), and just haven't had time to completely type-out the reasons and mostly... the decision I made, that lead to my stuttering ceasing once and for all.

I'm trying to condense it, so it's not too long of a read. I wish that I could somehow include a graphic -- that my high school psychology teacher drew on the blackboard one day -- during my senior year of high school. It was a profound (for me), awakening and realization... that directly lead, I believe, to my decision and subsequent successful effort to stop stuttering!

I was trying to finish my 'How I Stopped Stuttering' post last night, but didn't get very far; I'll just have to keep trying to work on it... a little bit at a time, as time allows. At this point, I'm hoping to get my 'How I Stopped Stuttering' post -- completed and posted by late next week.

Best Regards,
Zach