I am a stutterer. It's not as bad as it used to be, but it appears every now and then. For some unexplained reason, it kind of just faded away over the years.
Stuttering is a very frustrating experience, especially in my younger years. Reading out loud in class was the worst. Imagine being in class and it's your turn to read, the deafening silence would fill the room as I painfully try to finish a paragraph. Time slowed to a crawl. It felt like I was naked and everyone was staring. I still get nervous reminiscing about those days. Strangely enough, I was never picked on for having this impediment. It's weird because kids are really brutal at that age when someone is different in any way. I came to the conclusion that my artistic talent held the teasing at bay. I could do what other kids in my class couldn't, and that was draw really well. Most people aren't that lucky. Without my artistic ability, I definitely would've gotten teased without a doubt.
To all of my stutterers out there, you're not alone. There are more of us than you realize.
Check out this interesting link: Famous People Who Stutter
Important Note:
If you know a stutterer, be it family, friend or co-worker, here's what you don't do:
Helping to finish what they're trying to say. We know you mean well, we really do, but it just frustrates the person more and the stammer gets worse. Let them finish at their own pace.
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