Good morning/afternoon/evening, Pianostreet.

[perprocrastinate]

This may not be worth reading, but if you want to, give it a shot. 

So I don't know if anyone else here is, but I'll tell you that I am a stutterer. Stutterers make up about one percent of the world's (the world or America, I forgot) demographics, so they're quite rare. You may have not met one before.

I have a few questions for you fluent people. 

Stuttering can be quite embarrassing, so some stutterers try to hide it in their first conversation with someone. Would you think that it would be better to admit straight off the bat that they stutter, or just let it ride until they do stutter? I can see some problems with the first option- the person would feel "sorry" for the stutterer, and everything from then would possibly be awkward. I've had people treat my stuttering like it was a mental disability, and it was just annoying. The second option also has some problems. I'll bring up an example. A couple weeks ago I was working with someone on an chemistry lab at school, everything was going fine for about twenty minutes, then I slipped really badly on a word. "Could you hand me the sodium hydroxxxxxx-"

She let me attempt to start the sentence over, and it was all cool. But I don't know what she was thinking. It bothered me for the next two hours or so.

Second question. For those of you who have met stutterers, do you feel awkward when talking to them? Sort of like you can't have a proper conversation with them without them tripping on words repeatedly?

And finally (I swear I had more questions, but oh well), again, for those who have met stutterers, do you notice that they sometimes phrase sentences weirdly? Sometimes I substitute words simply because I know I won't be able to say them at a given time. Sometimes I group/block sentence fragments.

I haven't really thought about my speech impediment until recently this year. Then it hit me. Even if it's mild, how is my stuttering going to affect my professional life?

Well, this is the end of my rant/redundant topic. Sssssssssee you llllater.

[faulty_damper]

I've met people who stutter, but they weren't severe.  Just some words are stuttered.

Because I know about stuttering, it doesn't bother me.  I just think, he (more males than females stutter) stutters.  However, I'd rather not have an entire sentence repeated from the beginning.  I'd rather not have someone apologize for something that may or may not occur.  But if it does occur, then a simple explanation would suffice.

To be honest, if I met a severe stutterer, and I didn't know about stuttering, I'd think the person is stupid or mentally retarded in some way.  Why else would they talk that way?  But an explanation would probably elicit empathy.

From the stutterers that I have met, I notice that they talk somewhat slowly, like they are thinking about what they are going to say before they say it.  This slowness makes me think that they aren't being as genuine in their speech.  It would cause me to also think before I speak.

[Bob]

I really wouldn't care.  If that's how your brain is wired up, that's the situation.  Just use it as best you can.

It would be interesting to see if stuttering is still there if you sing or something like that.  I saw something fairly recently about stuttering disappearing when the person was doing something.  I forget what it was though.  If I had it I'd mess with it a little and try to figure it out as much as I could.

[j_menz]

Even if it's mild, how is my stuttering going to affect my professional life?

Depends on what you are planning on doing, really. Some professions will be harder for you than others, and some it won't make much difference at all.  What are you planning?

[lloyd_cdb]

I haven't really thought about my speech impediment until recently this year. Then it hit me. Even if it's mild, how is my stuttering going to affect my professional life?

I have a friend that stutters and works as a financial advisor.  He has to talk to clients all day and inform them of their investments.  He spends the ENTIRE day on the phone.  While he still has issues with the stutter, the PC-ification of the world makes it much easier for people to be patient with anyone that isn't "normal" (whatever the hell normal means, and I really don't mean that as an insult).  So while j_menz said that it's fairly dependent, it's still not going to severely limit your choices.

[perprocrastinate]

Depends on what you are planning on doing, really. Some professions will be harder for you than others, and some it won't make much difference at all.  What are you planning?

Ophthalmology. Apparently I have to talk to these people called 'patients'.

[lloyd_cdb]

Ophthalmology. Apparently I have to talk to these people called 'patients'.

I think people prefer seeing well as opposed to preferring how their doctor talks.

[chopin2015]

I have never met anyone that stutters. I do not see that it would bother anyone, unless they are impatient or a uncompassionate person. I'm a fairly patient person but there are things I do not forgive no matter what. All people have these things. Mine are: LOUD sounds, trucks, extreme vibrations, doors shutting loud..people yelling, noise...etc. So if you are a yeller, I would wear earplugs around you and avoid talking on the phone. I usually don't trust anyone with my ears though. Anywho..as long as you are kind and respectful of people, good people will respond very well and find your stutter sweet and harmless.

[j_menz]

Ophthalmology. Apparently I have to talk to these people called 'patients'.

Shouldn't be a problem at all.

[starlady]

I know two stutterers and never thought for a minute that they are stupid. They are both in professions that require smarts and education (one is a physicist and the other a rabbi), so one sort of assumes on meeting them that they are probably reasonably bright unless proven otherwise.  You'll get the same "benefit of the doubt" when you are an opthamologist, don't worry.

--s.

[unholeee]

if my friends are participating in illegal vices - they stutter. it doesn't bother me, nor do my housemates who aren't adept at english, when trying to pronounce certain words. The only thing that might irk me is i tend to have a disposition to mimicking other peoples social cues.
I imagine this might be different if in highschool.

[outin]

I meet stutterers every now and then at work. It doesn't bother me (why should it), but of course it is easier if they just tell me first about this instead of trying to hide it, because then I know to wait patiently when they talk. Besides stuttering is usually diminished when they don't have to worry about it. I think one could just as well say "I'm stuttering a bit, so please let me take my time to speak" than say "I don't hear that well, so could you please speak a bit louder".

I think your chosen profession is fine. Anything where your expertice is more important than your ability to talk fast and a lot, even if it's mostly nonsense.

[scherzo123]

I am a stutterer.

I honestly thought I was the only one.

Most recently:

"I heard RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRich...(starts over) I heard Richter play the Well-Tempered Clavier."

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I had a stuttering problem when I was a kid.  So I was put in speech class.

But when I was in home, my dad would get mad at me for stuttering, and threaten to smack me on the head if I kept doing it.

But I turned out juuuuuussssst fine! 

[outin]

But when I was in home, my dad would get mad at me for stuttering, and threaten to smack me on the head if I kept doing it.

You dad certainly deserved a big smack on his head...

[faulty_damper]

I think ppl here are being a bit too PC.  It sounds nice to hear that ppl don't discriminate against stutterers but actual behaviors indicate otherwise.  Why else would stutterers be ashamed and try to hide it if it were not a problem?  This is exactly the same issue as closet homosexuals, only closet homos get beaten up and/or murdered whereas stutterers just get teased.

[outin]

I think ppl here are being a bit too PC.  It sounds nice to hear that ppl don't discriminate against stutterers but actual behaviors indicate otherwise.  Why else would stutterers be ashamed and try to hide it if it were not a problem? 

Or maybe the people here are just more civilized? I have no doubt that anyone with a disability encounters discrimination, but you don't suggest that OP should settle to a career that involves no speaking? In the medical profession any discrimination should be minimal, since there's usually a shortage of competent professionals and the clients would have little chance or desire to discriminate.

BTW. A person can be ashamed of something that no-one else even notices...you should listen to women talk about all the faults in their looks...

[faulty_damper]

Yes, but where did that woman get the idea that she isn't beautiful?  She got it from the media and the way other people act around physically attractive women.  The truth is that women (and men) are discriminated against because of their physical traits.  This is why blacks prefer white skin, because a "light-skinded" black female is more attractive than a "dark-skinded" female because dark skin is "hecka nasty" because of all the discrimination that blacks have faced.

And as far as not speaking, I wouldn't suggest it.  But I do want to point out that even though we say that it's acceptable and that we don't have a problem with it, we do have hidden biases that contradict our stated opinion.

[outin]

But I do want to point out that even though we say that it's acceptable and that we don't have a problem with it, we do have hidden biases that contradict our stated opinion.

Of course we have hidden biases, everyone does. Being civilized means you do not act on them or speak them out (except when you want to analyze them outside the actual situation).

[faulty_damper]

The point I'm making is that we do act upon those biases.  We can't always suppress them.  We know we shouldn't be sexist and yet women are still discriminated against.  We know we shouldn't be racist and yet anyone who isn't white or white-looking in America is discriminated against.  We shouldn't discriminate against the mentally retarded and yet we use words like "stupid, "retarded, "dumb-a55, etc." to insult one another.  There are many other ways in which we shouldn't think or do something yet we act upon them anyway.

[outin]

The point I'm making is that we do act upon those biases.  We can't always suppress them. 

Well, that is a skill that one has to learn when one works as a public servant. Otherwise one would be in trouble a lot. So I would say I very seldom act upon or speak out my biases, not even in my free time. But you are right, many people do, no doubt about it...

[fleetfingers]

Stuttering can be quite embarrassing, so some stutterers try to hide it in their first conversation with someone. Would you think that it would be better to admit straight off the bat that they stutter, or just let it ride until they do stutter? I can see some problems with the first option- the person would feel "sorry" for the stutterer, and everything from then would possibly be awkward. I've had people treat my stuttering like it was a mental disability, and it was just annoying. The second option also has some problems. I'll bring up an example. A couple weeks ago I was working with someone on an chemistry lab at school, everything was going fine for about twenty minutes, then I slipped really badly on a word. "Could you hand me the sodium hydroxxxxxx-"

It sounds like maybe your stutter is pretty mild? Or you hide it well? I don't think an occassional stutter bothers anyone, and you could even say when it happens, "Sorry, I sometimes stutter." Saying that, rather than labeling yourself as a "stutterer" (even if it's accurate) might make a difference in how people perceive you. If you don't want to be seen as having a disability, you can hide it for the most part, and then admit that you occasionally struggle with words.

As far as your future professional life, I don't see how it would bother anyone if their ophthalmologist had a stutter. I had a doctor with a lisp, and it didn't make him seem dumb because everything that he said was very professional and smart. It caught me off guard at first, but I quickly got over it. I don't think you'll need to tell patients that you stutter - they'll either notice or they won't, and most likely they'll be nice about it - but maybe open up to your coworkers. People appreciate knowing how to respond. You could tell them not to finish your sentences or words, and other preferences you have.

I'm wondering how you will handle situations like your interviews for med school. I wonder if you should introduce yourself and ask them to excuse your mild stutter? Something to think about, and maybe ask someone who has experience doing interviews what they would prefer.

[faulty_damper]

Stutterers should wear earplugs.  This way, they won't hear themselves talk.  If they can't hear themselves talk, they can't self-monitor.  If they can't self-monitor, they won't stutter. 

This is what I've read about stuttering.  They stutter because they are constantly correcting what they hear.  It's kind of like practicing the piano where you start and stop when there is a minute mistake.

[outin]

I'm wondering how you will handle situations like your interviews for med school. I wonder if you should introduce yourself and ask them to excuse your mild stutter? Something to think about, and maybe ask someone who has experience doing interviews what they would prefer.

I would expect it to be against the law in most countries to dicriminate against someone with a disability when applying to a school. So it really should not be a problem.
Here they don't usually have interviews for the universities, mostly just written tests.

[fleetfingers]

Here they don't usually have interviews for the universities, mostly just written tests.

For medical school? Where do you live?

To clarify, I didn't suggest anything about a stutter keeping him from getting accepted (which could be argued). I was only thinking about the nature of his original question which was about whether to hide it or reveal it. And, if he applies to medical schools, there will be interviews, which seems to me a different situation entirely than relating to patients day-to-day. Just something to consider, that's all.

[outin]

For medical school? Where do you live?

Finland