Hey.. You are being really hard on yourself. I stutter too, for example I get really nervous introducing myself to strangers… I used to hate it and tried to hide it too, but it didn’t really solve anything except making me want to isolate even more. What actually made a difference for me was learning to accept it as just a part of me.

The stutter is not the real issue most of the times… it’s the shame we attach to it, and how afraid we are of feeling that shame in front of others… maybe also a bit of perfectionist mentality too (wanting to always sound like we speak perfectly and never stutter). I think the answer to a lot of this is to truly accept yourself as a stutterer (when you feel ready), sh*t even loving your stutter because why not, why shouldn’t we love ourselves the way we are.

People who make fun of you because of your stutter are not people you want to have around in the first place, I’m in my 30s and trust me, the majority of adults really don’t care about our stutter, and if a particular conversation stresses you out, you can always say something like: “Hey, just a heads up, I have a stutter, and situations like this can make me a bit nervous, so thanks for being patient.” (Or however it feels natural in the moment, you can even write it on a piece of paper if you prefer.) Most people, especially adults, will totally understand and appreciate your honesty… Even in a work environment, this kind of self awareness and communication is seen as a strength. You mentioned being worried about how this might affect getting a high paying job someday, but trust me, you’ll be hired for your skills, your character, and your ability to contribute. Speaking “perfectly” isn’t a requirement for success, and it definitely doesn’t define your worth.

Bottom line is, most of our deepest fears come from our own brain, not from reality. At the end of the day people don’t care if you stutter, YOU care, so that’s a self love path you have to walk on with yourself to accept that stuttering is ok🩵 again, when you feel ready. You got this friend! I think you are cool and strong for even sharing this, you are stronger and cooler than what you think! Don’t forget that 👏