What Not to Do When in a Conversation With Someone Who Stutters

I've become somewhat proficient at observing facial expressions and body movements during a conversation. I can read faces, and I don't even need to play a game of poker to do so. All I need to do is let a stutter slip from between my lips and I can see the full reveal before the last word is even spoken. Living with a stutter means I have to be even more conscious of the world around me. I have to know the ebbs and flow of a conversation and understand how a conversation works and how it's supposed to sound. Sometimes, I feel like I've turned into a maestro -- able to observe and at times conduct the sounds around me. The words are the instruments that create melodies and harmonies that balance one another until the curtain is drawn and the conversation ends. Growing up, I never really used to tune into the body movements of those around me. But after a while, I noticed a certain trend happening where whenever I stuttered, someone would shift uncomfortably or look away. I'm not oblivious to these occurrences. If anything, I'm even more painfully aware of this happening even when I'm struggling to get the word out. I've seen every physical manifestation of irritation appear in front of me -- from people rolling their eyes and tapping their feet, to crossing their arms and looking off in the distance, to exhaling loudly or just starting a new conversation right over what I was trying to say. I remember acquaintances and people I didn't know laugh or mimic what I had fai...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news