One of the worst times for a stutterer is when there is stress. The stuttering is always worse then. It doesn't take much to have stress in your life. The time of year can even do it. When Christmas is near, the stress of shopping if you wish to shop in your hometown can be hard if you have to ask a question of a sales person. Ordering over the internet is so much easier since there is no talking involved. The stress of driving in bad weather in winter can turn a good talking day into a bad talking day in no time. Being in crowds of people, whether in the mall or at a family gathering, can make us unconciously stressed.
Anything we can do to minimize stress will help us have less stuttering. The trick is how to do it! Each person is different and will have to find out what causes them stress as well as what helps relieve it.
Some find that getting more rest helps, so try getting to bed a little earlier. Some say that concentrating on something as simple as their breathing helps them keep from thinking about the situation they are in and helps them stay relaxed. This could be detrimental at a party if someone is talking to you as you may miss the conversation for concentrating on relaxing. Perhaps, do several minutes of relaxation techniques before you enter a gathering would help, then excuse yourself to the restroom to do some more if you need to during the party.
The most important thing is to remember that you will stutter more when you are trying NOT to stutter! Just let the stuttering happen and stutter right on through what you are saying. To make others at ease, say something like "I'm having a bad stuttering day today, but it will get better." Let other people know how they can help you through your stuttering moments. If you make your friends and new acquaintances part of your help, and if you teach they about stuttering, most likely you will find that you will have a better relationship with them and will stutter less.
