Announcing 'Stammering Research' - Stammering Research - UCL
Announcing 'Stammering Research' - Stammering Research - UCL
Announcing 'Stammering Research' - Stammering Research - UCL
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<strong>Stammering</strong> <strong>Research</strong>. Vol. 1.<br />
knows how to establish this in others. She encourages an active management, in which we are helped<br />
to think about our symptoms in a different way and where necessary live with them.<br />
The first and most important thing to do for someone who stammers is to try and ‘cure’ the<br />
unhappiness and instill confidence. Most people who stammer think fluent speech will lead to instant<br />
happiness, but I think this is not often the case. It is easy to get temporary fluency and experience the<br />
euphoria of that. After a while, one discovers problems are still there even though one is talking better.<br />
It is then that the real ‘cure’ shows it has worked. Many people who stammer hang all their problems<br />
on their speech. I see stammering as being a bit like alcoholism - you can stop drinking but still be an<br />
alcoholic, but being one need not stop one from leading a happy life.<br />
Question: Did the good things started at the Apple House continue for you?<br />
Answer: Most definitely. Over the years things have gradually improved. When I attended my first<br />
course I was at rock bottom and felt quite desperate about the future. Life is impossible if you feel you<br />
can’t communicate. I have had wonderful support, which has always been there. Without it I don’t<br />
know what might have happened. I have been able to step forward and develop my talents as well as<br />
cope with my speech. I feel happy about this. I am now confident about solving problems and finding<br />
the support when necessary. If asked if I were cured I’d say ‘Yes’, in spite of the fact that I still<br />
stammer. The stammer no longer dominates my life - at least not any more than being bald does!<br />
Some people feel they can’t live happily without a wig - for myself I don’t care if I’m bald, or if I<br />
stammer.<br />
JOHN<br />
John is in his thirties and married with a teenage daughter. He is good looking, amiable and a<br />
confident communicator. Many actors would give their ‘eye teeth’ to possess his pleasant, resonant<br />
voice, which makes him lovely to listen to. Intelligence, thoughtfulness, humour and a readiness to<br />
share thoughts and feelings mean that John finds it easy to socialize.<br />
He has made a successful career in a large industry and travels extensively, meeting a wide variety<br />
of personnel. Apart from technical expertise, effective communication is the most important facet of<br />
John’s work. He has to continually inform others and negotiate with them, often giving presentations to<br />
large audiences. This role is stressful for anybody, but for John the agony is doubled or even tripled by<br />
having to work hard to control a long-standing stammer. This interview raises issues about the<br />
continual challenge of those who wrestle with putting thoughts into fluent speech.<br />
Question: John, what are your first memories about stammering?<br />
Answer: The first was a school play when I was about seven. One of my classmates said: “Don’t do<br />
what you normally do with your speech, John”. When I asked her what she meant she said I had the<br />
habit of repeating words. I felt deflated. It made me aware I was different from the rest. I became<br />
conscious of the way I was speaking and the fact that this was not acceptable.<br />
When I was between 10 and 11 years my parents sought advice from our Doctor. He said: “Just<br />
leave him alone - he’ll grow out of it”. However, I didn’t - I just got worse. My voice used to go up<br />
and down outside my control. It was weird. I used to repeat words as well as block on certain sounds<br />
such as d, t and p. I could never say ‘chocolate’. When attempting to buy a bar, in the newsagents, I<br />
would end up with something else instead as I was fearful of making a fool of myself and bought what<br />
I could say! It was most frustrating - I ended up all the time with things I didn’t want! That didn’t<br />
make me feel good.<br />
There is no family history of a stammer in my family so everyone was puzzled about my problem.<br />
My parents were anxious to help me and I was enrolled in a drama class. Although I enjoyed the<br />
speaking part I hated dancing around waving ribbons in the air. It made me feel such a prat. I don’t<br />
think I was helped by any of the activities we did. However, it was not until I left school at 16 that I<br />
began to really worry about my speech. Then I became aware of how important communication is in<br />
the workplace and how necessary it is to speak well for job success. This realization rocked my<br />
confidence; although I made a very determined effort not to let my speaking problems interfere with<br />
my life. It didn’t affect me going out with the girls!<br />
Question: Do you see your stammer as an issue for life?<br />
Answer: The answer to that has to be a “Yo” [yes and no]. Initially, I did not see my stammer as<br />
being an important issue in my life. I’m an outgoing character and I was determined it would not hold<br />
me back. However, pressure to succeed at work and pay the mortgage meant I had to be aware of the<br />
impression I was making on people. My speech was not helping to give others a favourable view of<br />
me. A vicious circle started, as the more I worried the more tense I became and my speech just got<br />
worse. I was afraid I couldn’t control what was happening. Life became very difficult. After my first<br />
course at the Apple House the stammer went out of my mind, but 5 months later it returned. There was<br />
a little voice in my head calling me a stammerer, which became more prominent when life got difficult.<br />
Question: John, how do you think about your stammer?<br />
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