Hello! My name is Konstantin, I am 27 years old. I have been stuttering for as long as I can remember, I got it from my father. I have about the same story as other authors of this site, sometimes it passes, and sometimes you can’t even utter a word. At home, when I read aloud or talk to my family and friends, I almost never stutter, but as soon as I find myself at some event, exam, party, when many strangers are looking at you and expect a beautiful and clear speech, and then it comes - stuttering, if you can call it that, most likely some kind of nervous tension, accompanied by anxiety and fear of speech. Even when you need to approach a salesperson in a store or a stranger to ask something, the same state begins, in which it is impossible to say not only a sentence, a word, but even a syllable.
I tried everything and everywhere, traditional and non-traditional methods, speech therapists, neurologists and other doctors. They recommended reading aloud, memorizing poems and tongue twisters, treated me with medication, but there was no result. Then they said that I had a somatic form of stuttering, which is practically incurable, and will remain with me for life.
It is understandable, the cause of stuttering is hidden deep in the human brain. Three centers located in the cerebral cortex are responsible for our speech: speech, hearing and associative. Broca's center is mainly responsible for speech - (English Broca'sarea; named after the French anthropologist and surgeon P. Broca) - the speech command center, which is located in the posterior lower part of the 3rd frontal gyrus of the left hemisphere (in right-handers), and accordingly in the posterior lower part of the 3rd frontal gyrus of the right hemisphere (in left-handers). These areas provide motor organization of speech. In addition to Broca's center, other areas of the cerebral cortex also participate in the implementation of the motor function of speech: the lower sections of the postcentral region of the left hemisphere, the premotor and prefrontal sections of the cortex. Working with normal activity, they provide correct speech. Persistent and painful overexcitation of the speech center, characteristic of all stutterers, leads to a violation of its activity.
When Broca's center is damaged, a motor aphasia complex occurs (Broca's aphasia, or efferent motor aphasia according to the classification of A. R. Luria) - the inability to pronounce certain speech sounds, syllables or words due to defects in combining individual speech movements into a single speech act. Unnatural movements, facial grimaces or tics are possible, with the help of which the stuttering person tries to overcome the disorder. Stuttering is caused by spasms of the speech apparatus: the tongue, palate, lips or muscles of the larynx. Hence the name "stuttering" - spasms. There are also respiratory spasms, in which breathing is impaired and a feeling of lack of air arises.
Repeated attempts to get rid of stuttering using traditional methods are usually unsuccessful, as I experienced myself.
Once I read an article in the newspaper "Modern technologies for correcting stuttering". It talked about computer programs that help to cope with this disease. I decided to look for such programs and learn about their capabilities on the Internet. I found the Breath Maker program, studied its potential and methods of working with it, but was struck by its exorbitant price. I also found other similar programs that work according to the DAF method. I downloaded several of these programs and began to get acquainted with each one. I immediately paid attention to the axSoft Speech corrector program, I was surprised by its simplicity, reliability and unpretentiousness, you just need to click the program shortcut on the desktop and it is ready to work. There is no need for additional settings and layouts. I bought headphones with a microphone and started practicing. At first I could not understand how all this nonsense with a sound delay in headphones can cure stuttering. Then I began to listen to my voice, tried to hear every word. Speech gradually became smooth, drawn out, the tension decreased and after about forty minutes of practicing with the program, stuttering practically disappeared. Even when he took off his headphones, he spoke slowly, drawn out, without stuttering. It is clear that after an hour or an hour and a half the effect wore off and the stuttering returned, but it was not as strong.
The next day I decided to experiment with the sound delay time. Initially I set the delay as recommended in the program user manual, in the range of 50 - 150 ms. Having worked with axSoft Speech corrector at different delays, I was convinced that the best result is achieved exactly as recommended in the instructions from 50 to 150 ms.
After practicing for a few weeks, I felt the first results. I can't say that the stuttering has completely gone away, I just learned to speak slowly and calmly. Even when I have to speak in public, I try to relax, imagine how I would speak at home with headphones near the computer, and it helps.
I used to stutter when talking on the phone. Now I put on one earphone and simultaneously talk on the phone and hear myself speak. The program helps me speak slowly, confidently, without hesitation.
Sometimes it happens that you have a lot of other things to do and no time to work with the program. In such cases, you can combine two in one. For example, when you need to prepare for an exam, read a book, etc., you can simply turn on the computer, put on headphones and go ahead, study and at the same time practice your speech. Also, axSoft Speech corrector is easily combined with other applications, such as programs for learning foreign languages. The built-in equalizer allows you to adjust the sound that is comfortable for you.
The program will be useful not only for stutterers, it can be used to improve pronunciation, prepare for public speaking and reports.
Of course, stuttering is a disease that is difficult to treat. Approximately 0.75 - 1% of adults and 2.5% of children stutter, and each case is unique in its own way, requiring an individual approach. The main thing is not to give up and not to despair, to look for options, to try different methods of treatment. The axSoft Speech corrector program really helped me. It would be nice if there was a version of the program for a mobile phone or smartphone, so that you could practice anywhere, when you have free time. Scientific and technical progress does not stand still, perhaps it will be so someday, or maybe it already is. So let's be optimistic, continue to practice and develop with axSoft Speech corrector and everything will be OK.