What crutch should I use the most?

[Anonymous]

I cannot count the number of times I get asked what I think is the best crutch to use. The answer is – there is no “better than the other crutches”. It completely depends on you. There was a time when I did not like to use word linkage and I hardly ever used it, I managed to self-cure using all of the other crutches.

Recently, however, I love using word linkage. I say, whichever crutch you feel helps you the most at the moment, THAT is the crutch that you should use there and then.

Having said that, I LOVE crutch 11, it is my favourite crutch. It forces me to slow down, keep calm, sound eloquent and confident, and feel more in control of my speech and myself. It can be used with most of the other crutches which is also why it is my favourite crutch. The only advice that I can give is to never overuse one or two crutches because your mind will get used to it, and then it might allow you to stutter. Keep surprising Satan Stuttering by alternating between all of the crutches, this way your mind can never get used to a few crutches, and it will never be able to make you stutter again.

Eventually, you will not even need to ask me which crutch to use the most, as your brain will grab for the crutch/es it feels most comfortable using in any given situation. It just takes a whole lot of practice!

Let me know which of the crutches is your favourite and why/why not.

[Javier]

As you said, it depends on the situation. Crutch 4 has always been among my favourite ones, as well as word linkage. Now I’m liking Crutches 9 and 11 (extreme pronunciation and speaking like a king). But on some ocassions, speaking in a softer voice, or dropping the first letter have saved me from stuttering.
It is normal that when we begin using a Crutch we feel awkward, speaking in a strange way. It’s because we’ve never used it before, we’re not used to it, yet. But as you said some time ago, Leah, record yourself using them. You’ll be surprised because you’ll sound fine, even better than you normally speak. Try it!
And of course, the more you use them and practice with them, the better you’ll use them, the easier it will become.
Just like with most things in life, it’s a matter of practice. We can’t expect to master something just by using it a few times.

[Gábor]

My favorite is extreme/dramatic pronunciation because I usually suppress my emotions and feelings (except when I’m angry, I can speak perfectly fluently then :D). I did some recordings when I’m reciting poems and even if I thought I’m overly dramatic, I really wasn’t – also sent some recordings to my trusted friends and they also didn’t feel them forced or too much.

[Javier]

Exactly! I always recommend to exaggerate the Crutches because of that reason. We’re not used to use the Crutches, so in order to use them properly, we need to exaggerate them. For example, if we have to insert a pause of 1 or 2 seconds, we should try to make them last 3-4 seconds. In our heads it will seem like an extremely long pause, but these pauses will actually last 1 or 2 seconds. If we’d aimed for 1 or 2 seconds, the pause would have lasted 0.5 or 1 second. Not enough.
The same happens with the other Crutches.

[Anonymous]

Gabor,

Firstly, you say that your friends said that your speech did not sound “forced”. I would like to point out the irony in this. Even if your fluent speech sounds forced (and by forced, I mean completely unlike you, dramatic, extreme pronunciation etc), is this not ten times better than “forcing” a word (stuttering).

Secondly, I have heard you use the crutches and your speech is BEAUTIFUL! You need to stop being so hard on yourself and start realizing that you are the only person grading yourself so harshly. Who cares if you sound dramatic, as long as you do not stutter! I would much rather have someone forcing fluency than forcing words and thereby stuttering.

I would like to add that I LOVE sounding dramatic, I believe that people are drawn to me because of it. I will keep on repeating the story about my ex-colleague who told me I am “thrilling”. He hardly knew me and would hear me speak for about 2 minutes a day about work, so the ONLY thing that he could have been referring to is my personality and how it shone through even when speaking about work. He had no other insight into my personality but the way I spoke for those 2 minutes a day regarding work.

Now you tell me if you would like people to think of you as “thrilling” or as “the person who cares about what other people think and therefore speaks in a monotone voice”. Take your pick!

[Author]

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