Stuttering Myths

Is stuttering caused by low self-esteem?

No. See next question.

Is stuttering caused by lack of self-confidence?

Nope. Having a stutter can cause you to fear stuttering in front of strangers, a classroom, etc. but it’s got nothing to do with lack of self-esteem or self-confidence.

Is stuttering an indication of low intelligence?

Absolutely not. It just takes us a little longer to order a beer than people who don’t stutter.

Now read this.

Is stuttering caused by not breathing properly?

Not at all.

Stuttering is just a muscle thing, right?

Wrong! Well, there are a few exceptions but the great majority of stutterers stutter not from any physical reasons.

So what causes stuttering?

We still don’t know exactly. One reason could be (and there seems to be lots of evidence of this) high levels of dopamine produced in the brain. This is one of the feel-good chemicals in the brain. It causes something like the brain working faster than the mouth. For me, I stutter when I get really excited!

Is a person who stutters doomed to a life of loneliness and low-paying jobs?

Not at all. There are many stutterers who have fulfilling careers as lawyers, salespeople, teachers, firefighters, even politicians (Biden, for example). Whether or not you stutter or have the world’s most perfect speech, everything in life takes hard work.

As with non-stutterers, there are many stutterers in relationships and marriages.

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