Living with an Extreme Speech Stammer | Full Documentary | OMG Stories

Following four extraordinary young people who all live with extreme speech stammers...

When making themselves understood is a struggle and speaking is a nightmare, we see the private battles and public challenges they face as they fight to make their voices heard.

We meet 20 year old Jordan who is trying to overcome his stutter and get his first job. 23 year old Zain as he reflects on a time when he could barely get any words out. 24 year old Namrah who is taking part in research studying the causes of stammering. Lastly we meet 21 year old Ishaq who proves anything is possible as he triumphs over his stammer to take on a pediatric placement as part of his medical studies.

[Chronos]

I have a stutter, mostly a block stutter, and it causes me a lot of challenges. I'm 20 years old, and it was hard to take chances at our university because people laughed when I stuttered. I pray to the Lord that we can all overcome the struggles we face with our speech. I'm from the Philippines.

[indoorgamerz]

i used to stammer a lot but then i got a job at call center where i had to speak all day . That helped me a lot and i am thankful that my bos gave me that job .

[fernemcallister]

I so wish there was good help for people to stop stammering. So many people have different difficulties that are heartbreaking.

[kate]

I am grateful to hear these stories. I learned a lot

[Chitchat]

I too stammer alot especially when words starts with vowels sound. This made and feel me in struggling and frustration to communicate new people in my life. So most people think I'm very reserved person but innermost i want to make new friends

[morriswilburn]

If a person has stuttered since early childhood and still does by his early 20’s, the continued stuttering will probably have caused mental health disorders. Perhaps depression, PTSD, or some type of personality disorder regarding having normal relationships with other people. The medications that are sometimes prescribed for those disorders have been found to decrease the severity of STUTTERING among SOME stutterers.

Another aspect is that effectively treating those mental health disorders may cause the severity of stuttering to decrease. In other words, those medications both directly and indirectly may decrease stuttering. Some of those medications are Buspirone, Zoloft, Paxil and Xanax.

I will also say that no form of speech therapy will be effective unless those mental health problems have been adequately treated.

I learned this "the hard way".

[mediamisfits]

As a kid I remember I had to shuffle across the room to finish a sentence. Christ, I forgot how difficult I had it 😂

Then speaking on the phone in my early 20s gave me crazy anxiety, still does a little now.

Most of my stammer has disappeared but pops it's head up during anxious moments

[lotuspocus]

But what would happen if you would sing?
I know a dutch singer who stutters, but when she sings, its all gone. 🤔

[AnkushPareOfficial]

*my conclusion after watching 2 times*
- Jordan, Zain, Namrah & Ishaq - Everyone has Unique & different types of stuttering issue

*Jordan* : Jaw goes downside & it's a Muscle memory(Pattern) & it repeat automatically when his
1. breathing changes
2. fight & flight response
3. first time experience
4. not comfortable

His jaw issue happen on words like- I, Your, Withdrawn
Common with above word is - it uses mouth opening, It is a vowel & vowel like words(Y, W)
Y & W is a half vowel in HINDI language & I guess same is true for other language

Muscle memory issue : he developed jaw goes downside as a habit where air stuck in vocal but i noticed he spoke well on similar words when
1. he was comfortable
2. using body language for speaking
3. speed was in control

Suggestions:
1. replace jaw downside with other body language like mouth stretch horizontal, neck movement, hand movement or body flow
2. reduce speed of speaking little bit so he can control every word
3. use confident body posture while speaking
4. Practice "Lion roaring" practice

*Zain* : Excitement + speed, trying to finish sentence immediately, breathing & speaking are not in sync, his other issues are

1. his word like - P B T is not a real problem, his real issue is wrong timing of speaking

2. his excitement to start speaking - he should take full time before speaking.
he has this habit from childhood & same is visible while buying bus ticket & over a call.

3. his speed of speaking making breathing uncontrollable - he should manage breathing by taking time & taking pauses

Suggestions:
1. reading practice with pauses after 2/3 word with breathing management
2. make a habit of taking time before speaking, dont start immediately
3. Exhale anxiety/pressure through mouth before speaking
4. control every word while speaking, don't let your speed goes high

*Namrah* : Tongue is not flexible while speaking, developed new speech pattern due to overthinking & other issues like

1. her word hiding & self doubts - it create new pattern of speaking where she avoid such word/situations
ignoring words/situation create a new pattern, your mind start filtering words & react differerntly

2. Speech anxiety & breathing issue - she experience breathing change before blockage

3. her mind has 2 pattern of speaking & it switch as per conditions-
first pattern work when she is comfortable = fluency
second pattern work when she is uncomfortable, trying to hide word, self doubts = stammering

4. she speaks fluent when alone(most of the time), but stammer when someone is watching her or listening to her voice

Suggestions :
1. Practice tongue exercises, read difficult words, focus on tongue rotation, tongue twister for "R"
2. avoid switching pattern when uncomfortable, remove pressure & then trying
3. reduce speed & focus more on facing words, it will help

*Ishaq* : uncontrollable speed, fumbling, managing emotions/telling emotional story is difficult & other issue like

1. sometime speed & breathing is not matching - leads of word repetition

2. his body language, eye brow, face expression are using - which is very good to control but unable to use it in every situation

overall his stammering is very less

Suggestions :
1. reduce speed of speaking
2. use body language more, rather than focusing on speaking


Overall my experience with stammering solution is
1. its a habit of speaking & we develop it(reason can vary from person to person)
2. you speak fluent when comfortable because your breathing is normal, but when breathing change/heart bit fast you stammer
3. Mind imagine fear but keeping yourself in present state will help you
4. Take full control on every word will reduce it in short time
5. focus more on body language, rather than speaking can control stammering immediately

LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS OBSERVATION...

[lotuspocus]

I also feel like the mouth is too slow to process the fast brain.

[windywachs]

Stammer can be improved through meridians therapy. Stammering is not up to the brain activity. It is the body energy that is crucial for stammering.

Feel your chest area, you should have some pain around your chest area. Your back neck, under your head, you should have some pain as well. In some cases, the pain might be very sharp.

They are the physical problems that cause your stammering.