Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as a worry or fear that can be mild or severe. Everyone can feel anxious in situations such as giving presentations, an oral exam or going for an interview. These anxious feelings are normal. Anxiety is not always ‘bad’. It can make us feel uncomfortable but it is also a really important function - we should feel anxious when we have an exam coming up as anxiety motivates us to study. Anxiety motivates us to prepare and take action. It is sometimes confused with excitement. Anxiety becomes difficult when it stops allowing you to do the things you enjoy in life and affects you everyday.
In the past, stuttering was thought to be due to psychological factors such as anxiety. We now know the cause of stuttering is not due to anxiety. Rather, it is regarded as having a neurological cause - differences have been found in areas of the brain involved in talking for those who stutter compared with those who do not stutter. In addition, stuttering has a genetic or hereditary component and tends to run in families.
Do I stutter because I am an anxious? Am I anxious because I stutter?
Research has shown us that pre-school children who stutter show no difference in shyness or anxiety compared with pre-school children who do not stutter. People who stutter are no different to people who do not stutter in terms of their personalities. However, research has shown that as a group people who stutter present with higher levels of anxiety and are more likely to present with social anxiety disorder compared with people who do not stutter. The age at which anxiety symptoms begin to appear is not yet clear, however some studies have suggested that higher anxiety is shown in stuttering children from the age of 7 years and increases over time.
Indeed, it is not surprising that stuttering is associated with increased levels of anxiety. The experience of stuttering is often difficult and people who stutter describe having a variety of negative emotional reactions to their talking including feelings of embarrassment and shame. They can also experience negative reactions to their stuttering from others. We know that children who stutter are more likely to be bullied and to be viewed negatively by their peers and adults describe stigma and discrimination both socially and in their place of work. The anxiety demonstrated by people who stutter is regarded as being the result of living with stuttering and is not the cause of stuttering. You don’t stutter because you are an anxious person.
How does anxiety or nervousness impact stuttering?
Although people vary, we know that when someone is feeling anxious or nervous, they tend to stutter more. You might be feeling anxious about stuttering in front of others or concerned about how your listener will react, or what they will think if they hear you stutter. When we feel anxious or nervous, it is usually because we are expecting the worst to happen. You might be saying things to yourself like “I won’t be able to say my name” or “They’ll think there’s something wrong with me” This may lead you to tense your muscles, may distract you from focusing on what you want to say as you try hard either to be fluent or to hide your stuttering. This can all lead to more stuttering. You may feel like you have suddenly started stammering. It is important to remember that while you may stutter more when you are feeling anxious or nervous, these feelings are not the cause of stuttering.
How can Speech and Language Therapy help with Stuttering?
We know that learning more about your stuttering and what influences it can reduce your anxiety about it. Speech and Language Therapy can be effective in reducing the impact that stuttering is having on your day to day life. You can develop your confidence to communicate, learn how to respond differently to your thoughts and feelings about stuttering and to learn strategies to make talking easier and more comfortable.
Stuttering does not have to hold you back.
We are Clinical Specialists in Stuttering and are very happy provide you with more information regarding our reasonably priced fees via email.