[ Contents | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Chris Roach
Date: 10/21/01
Time: 10:19:07 PM
Remote Name: 64.12.102.181
Crystal, I'm going to share a very interesting response to your good question. Before I'd discovered the world of self-support and acceptance (in my case, through the National Stuttering Association), the way I would respond when the panic set in would be to find some way to "flee." I had so many "tricks" which would enable me to actually get out of a speaking situation, alter it, and respond in a way in which I could at least sound fluent, though not perhaps respond responsibly to the communication demand. In other words, panic set in ALL the time and I was forced to keep enhancing my repertoire of techniques to avoid the humiliation and shame I felt would occur if I did speak. Had we not been limited in this forum, I could have shared dozens and dozens of situations, many very embarrassing and many very odd, explaining how I "fled" when I was panicked.
Now, let's move to current time. Over the last few years, after understanding the importance of self-acceptance and after experiencing the support of hundreds of wonderful and beautiful individuals throughout the stuttering community, can you believe that I have not ONCE experienced a situation of panic over an approaching or anticipated speaking situation!! That doesn't mean I don't feel anxious or somewhat conflicted in certain business situations when I know that reality DOES cause possible economic harm to myself and other business partners if my stuttering IS severe, however, the panic has vanished!!
So, with a long answer, when I used to panic <a lot and all the time>, I, as do most covert stutterers, find a "trick" to use to flee the situation or at least mitigate the sting of the situation in case you can't completely avoid it. Now that I don't panic as I did, I don't fear many speaking situations at all. Incredible remedy -- honesty and openness. I'd recommend it to everyone.
Thanks again for a great question and thanks for participating in this important forum.
Chris