There are many types of disablity. Would people class stuttering as a disability?
I think most people would probably say no, however I disagree. People who stutter have to struggle their way through life at times.
I am somebody who had a stutter for eighteen years. I am going to now explain one of the situations that I found difficult and how my mind or what I would call my demons would be saying to me.
This is when trying to meet and approach people of the opposite sex.
Lets say I am in a bar and I see a woman/girl who catches my eye. I think to myself, who don't you go and talk to her and make a move etc?
My demons are always talking to me, and are basically saying
"She won't want to know you.
You have a stutter and when you start talking she will hear it.
Do you really think she will want to date somebody who has a stutter?
Even if she is interested, you then have to possibly meet her friends and family.
How will they find you and treat you, when they realise you have a stutter?"
These demons would make me think twice and more often than not I would not even bother going over and talking to the person. I would therefore let the demons win.
This is one example of thousands where the stutter handicaps your ability to live a normal life. This is why I believe stuttering is a disability.
Stephen Hill
Stephen Hill runs a speech centre in Birmingham called The How To Stop Stammering Centre. He has a website at http://www.stutter-stuttering.com.
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