I found this thought provoking article about concealing stuttering and wanted to share it with you BeneTalkers.
"Here lies the paradox of concealing stuttering. Many people try to hide stuttering to shield themselves from hostility within their social environment. It is natural to want to protect yourself from discomfort or harm. It’s hard, and maybe even traumatic, to repeatedly expose oneself to microaggressions and discrimination. The problem is that hiding stuttering can have its own deleterious effects on mental health and quality of life."
What do you think? Do you conceal or reveal?
When I was younger I thought I was concealing, I kept track of the people I stuttered in front of. As I got older I reveal because even though you may think you are hiding your stutter, I can assure you people notice. Â Its the ignorant who say "did you forget your name?". Â And unless you plan on spending time with them simply say "no" and walk away.
This is such an interesting discussion. I definitely conceal. Not because I was bullied or received negative treatment from strangers but because I myself found it to be embarrassing. It was/is a genuine subconscious mindset I have that I've been trying to overcome with challenges this past year, particular since January. People don't notice I stutter, and whenever I tell someone they tell me this, some have even said it's the furthest thing from their mind.Â
I usually only reveal when I feel like concealing will yield the worse result in a situation. It's very down low thing for me, but like anything, it's a journey. Hopefully someday, I'll be comfortable to tell anyone and everyone.Â
I did the same thing until I was out of school. I was concealing and honestly it was just too hard to keep up. As soon as I tell someone I stutter I'm showing them the real me. Â The nervousness I felt suddenly wasn't there anymore. I find that being a person who stutters is much easier than trying to put on a act. As soon as you feel comfortable with it the less stress you will feel as you can only hide it for so long. I take a cabinet full of medication to help me with my stutter. If it works it works right.