I Am a Stutterer, so I Stutter. This Is My Way to Talk
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About the presenter: Ray Tong, the founder of the Chinese Encyclopedia of Stuttering website (www.okoci.com)< graduated from West China University of Medical Science and has worked trying to popularize knowledge of stuttering since 2004. He has translated lots of useful material from the Stuttering Foundation of America into Simplified Cinese, including Self-Therapy for the Stutterer by Malcolm Fraser. In 2008, he began providing an affordable stuttering therapy service through the Internet, by e-course and VOIP conferencing. |
I am a stutterer, so I stutter. This is my way to talk.
by Ray Tong
from China
In the beginning, my stuttering was mild. I was not afraid of talking, I often told of stories for other children and I was a very good story-talker until I was 12.
When I got into junior high school, my stuttering became worse. I began to be afraid of talking and to feel nervous and shame about my stuttering. The worst time was English lessons. I always stuttered in the class and I remember how the laughing of my classmates broke my heart.
When I got into senior high school, my stuttering became worse and worse and I felt more and more suffering. I began to seek a way to get out of this miserable life, but I found nothing.
Stuttering is a sly devil. He always comes and goes. He gave me a little hope sometimes, and then took it away, leaving only deeper frustration. When I got into college, my stuttering became stable. I could talk fluently and feel very good sometimes (such as talking to my girlfriend), and stuttered badly sometimes (such as when the day was very cold).
Thanks to the development of the PC and the internet, I began to look for the right and up-to-date information about stuttering from the world wide web after I could read English well. Special gratitude goes to Jane Fraser and the Stuttering Foundation of America who let me know the most important rule: don't avoid stuttering. Accept the fact that you are a stutterer.
It makes me more peaceful and mentally healthier, so I stutter less. Although I still stutter badly sometimes, and feel nervous, I can tell myself 'That's OK! I am a stutterer, so I stutter. This is my way to talk.'
The funny thing is that when I think stuttering is OK, I don't stutter.
This is the story about my stuttering. I hope it can give you some help.
SUBMITTED: August 1, 2009
