This section offers insights into the emotions most commonly experienced by people who stutter to provide an understanding for clinicians to understand why people who stutter feel the way they do. Because each person has a different background, history, and experiences with stuttering, this information should be considered a framework from which to define the individual uniqueness of each person's perspective.

Emotions enhance memory. Thus, memories of events in the past that had not been positive are very strong and consequently, very difficult to change. They are also easily and quickly retrieved.

Fear. The emotion of fear takes several forms -- nervousness, apprehension, anxiety are stem from the family of fear. While situations involving stuttering are almost never 'life-threatening', they are almost always 'ego threatening' or embarrassing. Thus, family members might be understood as: apprehension - anticipating embarrassment; anxiety - in a situation in which embarrassment is highly likely; nervousness - an uneasiness prior to an event or situation in which fear may come into play.

Fear is a very primitive emotion that "embeds" its features in memory. Events that have been threatening in the past, serve to increase anxiety and anticipation in the future, even if they have not gone poorly in the most recent encounter.

Apprehension. This emotion sets the system into high alert; scanning for danger, even finding it where none actually exists. Apprehension thus strengthens emotional displays.

Anger. Anger and frustration are closely related; anger is usually directed outwardly, while frustration is most often directed internally. Anger often stems from feelings of injustice. "Why did this have to happen to me?" The elements of the situation are stacked unfairly against the individual, so that they little opportunity to attain a desired standard. Anger is a powerful emotion in which there is an urge to "lash out", or explode, because the person feels out of resources to do anything about their situation. Muscular tension is heightened throughout the entire body. There may be a strong feeling of helplessness against the elements.

Frustration. Frustration attributes the cause an injustice inwardly; "What is wrong with me that I can't speak fluently like everyone else?" The impending implosion is often accompanied by negative self-talk. Frustration is also characterized by excessive muscular tension and diminished abilities to change thought patterns.

Embarrassment. Everyone has been embarrassed at some time in their life. Embarrassment comes from failing to meet an expected standard, usually without attributing "fault" to the person -- something happened to them that was not expected to be within their control. Embarrassment, as with all emotions, serves to heighten memories of the incident.

Shame. This emotion stems from feeling incapable of performing at a desired level, which is usually attributed to be "normal". For the person who stutters, the desired level is speaking fluently. Even with the best of efforts, fluency is just out of reach. Shame comes from the feelings that something is physically or mental wrong that does not allow the person to speak "normally'. To the person who stutters, this "flaw" appears to be unchangeable; many feel they are destined to a demeaned life, which appears each time they speak.

Shame erodes self-confidence. Fear that the "abnormality" will be exposed creates muscular tension, which in turn, precipitates stuttering. Shame is a strong emotion that usually comes after repeated negative experiences stuttering.

For some, the emotions are so strong that they do not allow themselves to feel their emotions. This self-protection or denial signals that there is a great deal of healing which will need to take place. These patients typically deny having any feelings about their stuttering, while their subtle emotional displays (see below) belie a different picture.

Behavioral signs of emotional involvement in stuttering (emotional displays):

© Rentschler, 2001