tara
I, too, have had a stuttering problem since I can remember. It got so bad that I avoided certain situations. I am now 31 and am an educator. I can't say that my stutter is gone, but it is getting better. I found that by throwing myself in situations that I used to avoid has helped with my stutter (e.g., saying my name). The more I avoided my fearful situation, the more tense and stressed I got. So, I transferred to a job where I would have to say my name alot and attend meetings. I find that I am more relaxed and I stutter much less. I went to several treatment groups for my stuttering throughout the years. Most of them focused on relaxing, taking full breaths and starting a word using an easy onset. So, instead of saying "DOG" abruptly, I was taught to say the "D" gently and to prolong the sound a bit, then ease into the rest of the word. Your local hospital should have a stuttering help-group. That's where I went for my help. Good Luck! No one can understand the fear or speaking unless you have a stutter. I call it the disguised 'disorder'.