Hello!
Speech-Language Pathologist here.
I'm not sure of you age, and if you have other concomitant conditions, but stuttering usually runs in families. The 3 things that usually determine if a person will continue to stutter into adulthood are: family history, male, over 5 years of age.
Stuttering many times begins during big life changes, and it can worsen during times of high stress or other life changes. Examples: some kids begin stuttering when they begin school and demands are placed upon them, or when a new sibling is born, or moving homes- things like that. Stuttering can also increase when more changes or stress be brought on such as: starting a new school, or high school, or beginning a new job, or dating a new partner. Think changes in the way things used to be.
This happens because as you have more demands placed upon you, the less capacity your brain has to worry about fluent speech.
Another reason for stuttering could be neurogenic stuttering, meaning changes in the brain, such as mini stroke, seizures, or other neurological events.
A good place to start is a speech-language clinic. They can evaluate you if you want to begin fluency therapy, and refer you out if they think it would be something a neurologist needs to look into.
To find a clinic:
1. You can call your insurance to ask about plans and which clinics would be covered
2. You can visit your primary doctor for a referral to a clinic (probably the easiest option and where I would start).
3. If there is a University near you with a speech language clinic, they are usually at reduced rates.
4. A quick google search in your area can find places you can chat with those clinics
If you have any other questions, please let me know!
Rhea
It's my understanding that studdering is actually closely related to anxiety. Do you notice it to be worse in certain situations?