What happens when I speak in these certain situations and how to reprogram my brain?

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Hello,

I am not sure if this is the correct forum for these question but I have a feeling. At least this seems to be a place with a lot of smart people, which always is a great start.

 

I want to start off by saying that I have been a stutterer for the most of my life (I am 18) and now it is significantly bad. I noticed that the whole last year was totally stutter-free but this year, it has turned bad once again. The stuttering does not differ when talking to strangers, family, doing presentations at Uni or talking in general - I stutter equally in each situation. However, I do not stutter at all when I am alone or talking to my pets. In fact, I have a youtube channel where I upload videos containing several analysis of different scientific topics(devised by me), in which I do not read directly from any paper but I have all the information stored in my head. I do not stutter in any of these videos and I am talking A LOT so it is really weird to my that I can talk to myself and talk to my pet, and record videos where I theoretically know that it will be heard by others, all without stuttering. But when I am surrounded by people (it does not matter who it is), I stutter. So why does my brain reject to let the words come out/let me exhale fully with the given combination of vibration and position of my tongue etc.. Note: I do BLOCKS as my type of stuttering and not repetitions etc. like some people. I have noticed that when I am alone, my brain focuses at what I am looking at or the actual content of what I am currently saying but when I am surrounded by someone, my brain, in some way, focuses on every single word that I am saying. Sometimes, I even see the words as letters before saying them(if I actually manage to get the word out after a potential block). Anyway, I could explain a lot of my further observations but I do not think that would be beneficial.

So my questions are:

• Why can I speak loudly to myself without any problems and why can I record yt videos containing long analysis of different scientific topics, where I even know that somebody will listen and "judge" it?
• Why does my brain act very different when I am together with any human being?
• How can I reprogram my brain to do the same thing that it does when I am alone or talking to my pet, when I am together with one or more human beings? I do not have a lack of confidence when talking to other people. Of course, I am scared of stuttering whenever I start talking to somebody, no matter how much I try to convince myself about that if I can speak when being alone, and that I actually have taught some people about different topics on my youtube channel, I can do just perfect now.

Thank you so much! It would really mean more than just a lot if you would answer or at least share your thoughts!

 

 

 

[StringJunky]

Have you tried talking to yourself via a large mirror? That might help you home in on your self-consciousness by seeing yourself and may help find a strategy to alleviate it in social situations.

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Have you tried talking to yourself via a large mirror? That might help you home in on your self-consciousness by seeing yourself and may help find a strategy to alleviate it in social situations.

Thank you for the quick reply. Yes I have and I have tried to force these blocks and observe it happening and then tried talking without stuttering with the goal to search for differences, but without any luck, sadly.

I gone through a lot of observation in general though but simply cannot really seem to adopt the things that happens when I am alone etc. to when I am together with a human being...but again, without luck.

Edited March 3, 2017 by NameAlreadyTaken

[StringJunky]

Thank you for the quick reply. Yes I have and I have tried to force these blocks and observe it happening and then tried talking without stuttering with the goal to search for differences, but without any luck, sadly.

I gone through a lot of observation in general though but simply cannot really seem to adopt the things that happens when I am alone etc. to when I am together with a human being...but again, without luck.

Are you the only one in your family/relatives with it?

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Yep. It does not have anything to do with the genetics/it is not hereditary. Instead, this is all something that happens in my mind, so it it psychical. This also makes it more interesting I guess.

[mistermack]

When you are talking on your own, you're not communicating. So your brain doesn't have to subconsciously decide how to put the thoughts in a way that the other person can understand. You already understand it.

So there is a whole mental process that is not happening when you talk to yourself, or a mirror or a dog.

 

My suggestion is to find someone who has the time, and practice talking total gibberish at them, to train yourself not to care what the other person is thinking, or how they receive what you are saying. If you can talk gibberish without caring, then you might be able to keep some of that non-caring attitude when you talk normally.

 

I don't stutter, but I do play the odd musical instrument. If I care about always playing the right note, I can't maintain the rhythm. But if I practice playing any old rubbish, but just caring about keeping a steady beat, then eventually, the right notes come, to the steady beat.

 

So that's basically something to try. Talk right through it, using gibberish, and train your brain to "keep the beat" rather than worry about the right words.

 

And it's not my fault, if you end up talking total gibberish !

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Hmm thank you so much. I agree on that it is something about my subconscious mind. However, I have tried to practice talking to one of my friends and I tried as much as I could to to not think about all these things but all the time, I ended up doing so in some way and therefore also had trouble saying some of the words because I have those blocks and therefore could also not exhale optimally all the time. Anyway, thank you soo much for your suggestion and thoughts about the actual issue It is really appreciated!

 

Note: It is nice to get some words on what is happening in my brain.

Edited March 4, 2017 by NameAlreadyTaken

[dimreepr]

http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Stuttering

 

 

 

There are no instant miracle cures for stuttering. Therapy, electronic devices, and even drugs can't help make it an overnight process. Those who stutter, however, can fight the condition on their own, as well as make significant progress toward fluency by seeing a speech therapist. If you're serious about putting stuttering behind you and beginning your new, more-fluent, life, read these tips and techniques.

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Stuttering

 

 

Please, it is not stuttering like that(hard to explain) and one of my teachers have actually been the same kind of "stutterer" but is not have any trouble talking fluently now. He tells me that it simply was an automatic transition where he just forgot about the problems over time.

And of course I have read that, actually I have read multiple books about stuttering to see it from multiple perspectives but all without an actual success(which is why I have tried to more directly explain my scenario and want to find out if I could adapt the good with the bad). I also think that it would be disrespectful to your time if I haven't done all the research myself before using your time

 

 

Note: I cannot post anymore at this time(I am a brand new member) and hence cannot reply any comments to my question atm. I will definitely do it as soon as possible.

Edited March 4, 2017 by NameAlreadyTaken

[dimreepr]

Please, it is not stuttering like that(hard to explain) and one of my teachers have actually been the same kind of "stutterer" but is not have any trouble talking fluently now. He tells me that it simply was an automatic transition where he just forgot about the problems over time.

And of course I have read that, actually I have read multiple books about stuttering to see it from multiple perspectives but all without an actual success(which is why I have tried to more directly explain my scenario and want to find out if I could adapt the good with the bad). I also think that it would be disrespectful to your time if I haven't done all the research myself before using your time

 

 

• Why can I speak loudly to myself without any problems and why can I record yt videos containing long analysis of different scientific topics, where I even know that somebody will listen and "judge" it?
• Why does my brain act very different when I am together with any human being?
• How can I reprogram my brain to do the same thing that it does when I am alone or talking to my pet, when I am together with one or more human beings? I do not have a lack of confidence when talking to other people. Of course, I am scared of stuttering whenever I start talking to somebody, no matter how much I try to convince myself about that if I can speak when being alone, and that I actually have taught some people about different topics on my youtube channel, I can do just perfect now

 

 

 

Nevertheless, it still seems to be the same/similar condition (social anxiety) and the techniques, or at least some, described in the link should help with your life as well as your condition; alternatively, like your teacher, you could wait for it to go away .

 

Good luck whatever you decide .

[mistermack]

One other thing that occurs to me, is that when you talk to a human, as opposed to a dog, or a mirror, there is an EXPECTATION of the next word, by the other party. A dog, or mirror, or video camera, isn't "waiting" for the next word whereas a human is.

 

As in the case of "would you like me to ppp" there is in the back of the mind the knowledge that the other party is waiting for the p word, and when it doesn't come out smoothly, the mental block jumps in and prevents the very thing that you are trying to do.

 

So it could be that you need to find some way of removing that unspoken mutual expectation of the next word arriving on cue.

Maybe by subtly altering the rhythm of how you speak, so that the words come out in a less predictable flow, you might break that mutual expectation of the next word coming on time.

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Thanks. Your describtion sounds very true! I get your point and I really appreciate your analyse but I cannot see this approach can alter my mind to not think of this expectation of the next word by the other party when I am together with somebody.

#appreciated

[mistermack]

Yes, I was thinking that it could be a hard nut to crack, when I wrote that post.

I've read comments by people who stutter in the past, that they can sing without stuttering at all. Even to large audiences.

Maybe that's because you know that the audience already KNOW what the next word is, so they aren't waiting for you to say it, in the same way.

I can't think of anything to try, other than deliberately break up your flow of words, to disrupt the other person's expectation of exactly when the next word is coming. Like, adding a tiny pause, or dragging out the odd word, just to alter the natural flow.

 

I don't suggest that with very great confidence, but I suppose it's worth a try.

I would do a google search for people who have found their own method, and try them out, to see if there is one that works for you.

And I wish you success.

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Great, thank you. I will definitely try to take advantage of that knew knowledge