DEAR DEIDRE: SINCE I was a child, I have had a stutter.
Now my wife is planning to leave me because I can’t get my words out.
We are both 40 and we’ve been together for eight years.
I work for the postal service so my stammering was never a real issue. I cover a village where I know most of the residents and they are all lovely.
Three years ago, I fell off my bike after hitting a pothole and was admitted to hospital after losing consciousness.
I was allowed home the following day but it sent my anxiety into overdrive. My stutter became so much worse too.
My wife often knows what I’m going to say so she will say it and I’ll nod if she’s right.
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We both thought that my stutter would improve in time but I can’t do the simplest of tasks, such as saying good morning to the guy in the paper shop. It takes me so long to get my words out.
I’m now resigned to giving a thumbs up or a nod. It’s less stressful that way.
Things can get worse if I’m excited.
We were having sex last night and my wife wanted to change positions but I stammered and stuttered and she said I was a complete passion-killer.
This morning she threatened to leave if I don’t sort out my speech.
What can I do?
DEIDRE SAYS: Poor you.
I’d hope she wasn’t serious and simply expressing her frustration clumsily.
Either way, her words were unkind.
The good news is, there is a way out of stammering.
You can learn to combat this through speech therapy. For local help check out the NHS Speech and Language Therapy (nhft.nhs.uk/salt) or alternatively, Stamma (stamma.org, 0808 802 0002) has advice on stuttering and private therapy.
My support pack Living With Anxiety will be able to help you too.
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