Diseases, Conditions & Concerns / Question
Published: November 2, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
hi guys, I'm 15 I have a big stuttering problem. It makes me feel embarrassed and afraid of expressing myself because I don't want people to laugh at me. It's always bad,but when I'm around my mother,it gets worse. How can I make this go away? Or if not, how can I control it? I would really appreciate your help!
Signed: Have A Stuttering Problem - How Can I Control It?
Dear Have A Stuttering Problem - How Can I Control It?,
TeenHealthFX can appreciate the embarrassment you must be feeling about your stuttering problem. Children and teenagers are particularly sensitive to how other people view them and how they feel they fit in with others. That said, many children and teens dealing with various kinds of speech disorders find that they are extremely self-conscious about how they speak. But remember that many children and teens deal with speech disorders – you are not the only one and your stuttering does not take away from how great you are as a person.
FX recommends that you speak to your parents and a staff member at school (such as a teacher, guidance counselor, school social worker, or principal) about your concern so that arrangements can be made for you to meet with a speech pathologist. There may be a speech pathologist available in your school to work with you during your school day, or your parents and some of the staff at school can work together to find a private agency that can provide you with these services. The sooner you can meet with a speech professional to learn to use techniques that will change and compensate this behavior, the better your situation will be.
In addition to meeting with a speech pathologist at your school or at a private agency, consider a speech camp. There are camps available for people with certain speech disorders. These camps are an opportunity to learn skills quickly that will help to decrease the stuttering, as well as to be around other people who stutter and not feel so alone in what you are going through.
If you find that there are any emotional issues that need to be addressed related to your speech – such as feeling of embarrassment or issues of anxiety that it will be worse in front of your mother – you might consider speaking with a mental health professional about your concerns. Again, it is very common and normal for speech problems to create a certain amount of emotional distress in children and teens – so consider briefly meeting with a therapist if that would help. Also, if you think there are any relationship issues between you and your mother that are contributing to your increased stuttering when you are around her, then that would be an issue a therapist could help you with as well – either in individual or family therapy. Stuttering can become more severe in high anxiety situations – either in dealing with certain circumstances or specific people that increase one’s sense of stress and nervousness. A person who is dysfluent will still stutter when relaxed, but anxiety can increase the severity of the stuttering – so consider some kind of therapy if you feel it would help with any anxiety issues or relationships that could, in turn, help decrease the severity of the stuttering.
If you live in northern New Jersey and need help finding a therapist you can call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at 973-247-1400. Outside of this area you can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website for referrals in your area. You can also contact your insurance company to get a list of in-network mental health providers or check with your school social worker or psychologist to get a list of referrals in your area.
For more information about stuttering and available therapies, go to The Stuttering Foundation: Teens.
For more information on camps available for people who stutter, speak to a speech pathologist and check out the following websites:
· Stuttering Foundation of America: Summer Clinics Referral List
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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