anxiety!

[nerrad]

Ok so I have to do a group presentation in art on wednsday or friday, and I am freaking out. It is a powerpoint and everyone in the group has to particiipate. I had to do this before and I told my teacher about my problem and he said it was ok and I could just stand there. I still broke down crying the period before because I was so scared(panic attack). I felt really bad because I let my group down. But those were my friends so they were ok with it. But this time he switched up groups and I am with complete strangers! I am freaking out and I might just tell my group I have an orthadontist appointment on wednsday and not come to school. What do you think I should do? If I could relax I wouldn't have problem. Does anyone have any affecting relaxation techniques to keep me from having a panic attack? And three breaths don't do it for me LOL.

[tb1223]

I think you should consider just talking to the people in your group and patiently explaining your situation. You'll find that it makes life a lot easier if you don't have to hide all the time. If they laugh at you or make fun of you, well, to hell with them.

[blastedice]

this situation is always tough. most people don't understand stuttering and think that it's just someone who has free speech and occasionally stutters. it's nearly impossible to convince someone the devastating impact this has on us, and the amount of stress it puts on our shoulders. i always followed through on presentations and tried my best.

have you ever tried speaking in front of a large group of people? i usually do OK, i have a hard time speaking in front of small groups though...

there are many answers to your question...but also realize that if you run from your problem it will never get better...

courage can bring positive or negative experiences, but if you don't try you'll never get better...

good luck with whatever you choose...

i would follow through with the presentation.

[nerrad]

I do follow through doing some speaking things. Things that aren't big. I figure if I start off small, I'd feel comfortable with other things. Like Friday I did a skit in health and a few weeks before that I read some lines for Romeo and Juliet in reading. But I just freak out when I hear "presentation". I feel like I'm not ready for it.

[blastedice]

I do follow through doing some speaking things. Things that aren't big. I figure if I start off small, I'd feel comfortable with other things. Like Friday I did a skit in health and a few weeks before that I read some lines for Romeo and Juliet in reading. But I just freak out when I hear "presentation". I feel like I'm not ready for it.

as a stutterer i can say that i never feel "ready" for a presentation. i have learned that no matter what stage you are in life...HS, college, work..etc... you will ALWAYS be confronted with these speaking situations. if "we" avoid them, we're just digging ourselves a deeper hole...a pattern will develop and we'll always try to avoid them. we'll forecast into the future and have anxiety and fear over our next "public speaking" situation.

here's a story for inspiration: i had to give a best man's speech at a wedding about a year ago. i was obviously horrified. i didn't have a choice, i had to do it. i did it, and of course i stuttered somewhat, but it was OK. people didn't care. i think we notice our stuttering more than most do. i don't know what how "bad" your problem is, but most can carry normal conversation most of the time and just "block" on certain words.

if you avoid these situations you will just put yourself further back.

don't worry so much about what others think of you.

i recommend starting off your presentation with explaining to the class that you have a stuttering problem. i have never done this but i heard a lot of people have, and it should calm you down a little.

well there are no guarantees you will do a good job, or even a decent job...at least you will have tried.

go for it...

[MLD]

While I recognize the "face your fear" thing has some merit, for a lot of people who have bad stutters, facing your fear does nothing but confirm the fact that you are really bad at speaking in front of groups. I'd say everyone is different, and if you can get through it you probably should, but there's no reason to put yourself through hell.

I've found that most teachers and people are willing to be flexible on these sorts of things and I don't see any problem with taking advantage of this. I definitely think "calling out sick" or something of that sort should be avoided, you should definitely face your problem but I think talking to the people in your group (and your teacher) is facing the problem. There's not always 1 answer to every problem.

One time in college we had a "presentation" assignment for an engineering class where we had to visit a waste water treatment center and tell the class about it. It was hard enough to setup the appointment to visit such a place, and the "5-minute" presentation took me well over 10 minutes to get out (and I doubt I said 5 minutes worth of stuff). I felt good to get through it but I really don't think I gained anything from it. Afterwards the teacher came up to me and said he was proud of me for going through it but I really didn't have to put myself through that if I didn't want to. Needless to say for future projects of that sort I gracefully opted out of them and I think there's nothing wrong w/ that.

[Be YOURSELF]

Hey. "JUST DO IT" YOU WILL LEARN A LOT ABOUT YOU STUTTER. if you avoid, you will only fuel the small flame of the stutter. participating reduces reduces this flame. you arr young so that might advice, if you keep avoiding you will regret it in the future. Now I'm thinking if only i had started working on my stammer during school and college days. i would been quite fluent now. trust me you DO NOT WANT TO MAKE THE MISTAKE OF "AVOIDANCE" SO JUST DO IT, DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUS, There is nothing to fear.

[bwelling]

Hey. "JUST DO IT" YOU WILL LEARN A LOT ABOUT YOU STUTTER. if you avoid, you will only fuel the small flame of the stutter. participating reduces reduces this flame. you arr young so that might advice, if you keep avoiding you will regret it in the future. Now I'm thinking if only i had started working on my stammer during school and college days. i would been quite fluent now. trust me you DO NOT WANT TO MAKE THE MISTAKE OF "AVOIDANCE" SO JUST DO IT, DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUS, There is nothing to fear.

Be yourself - amen and amen brother. Nerrad, YOU do NOT have a disability. Do not I repeat - DO NOT - for a moment include yourself with the disabled stutterers and think you're some sort of basket case. "Just do it"

Be strong and don't forget to breathe

bw

[nerrad]

Well I stayed home from school. I feel really bad exspecially because I missed the whole day. And this is my second day in a row missing math and I had to do a make up test. I have to do a little project in Health and we have a choice to present it. I think I am going to present mine tomorrow. I am afraid I will never get better so I am going to try and atleast do somethings. But I must say I am really ashamed of myself.

[bwelling]

Well I stayed home from school. I feel really bad exspecially because I missed the whole day. And this is my second day in a row missing math and I had to do a make up test. I have to do a little project in Health and we have a choice to present it. I think I am going to present mine tomorrow. I am afraid I will never get better so I am going to try and atleast do somethings. But I must say I am really ashamed of myself.

nerrad - thoughts to think about

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.--Chinese proverb

When there is a start to be made, don't step over! Start where you are.--Edgar Cayce

Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.--Martin Luther King Jr.

be strong and don't forget to breathe.

bw

[Hans]

Nerrad, be kind to your self. Making this experience a big bad thing in your mind provides the fuel for the fear next time. You have a choice on how you view this experience. You choose what you will remember. So, look back and smile.

[nerrad]

Today I presented my project in health along with another skit. And later on I come to find out... NO ONE DID THEIR POWERPOINT YESTERDAY... I was so devistated. I cut school for no reason. I think this is a sign I that I need to do it. But I am panicing all over again! My speech therapist said I should have just told my group I stutter(she doesnt know they didn't present).

[peapod]

here's what i have found useful ...

for each point you want to make, have a concise heading in powerpoint.

if you feel tense when presenting, by pointing to each heading as you read it out, the fact that people can read the point for themselves takes the pressure off you, so in fact the primary action is them reading it, and you say the words after their eyes have already taken it in.

if all you do is read out a set of bullet points, it will be rather strange but at least you won't be stammering in front of everyone.

as you feel a bit more comfortable, you can read out a heading, then turn to the audience and expand upon it, as a fluent person would.

to construct your presentation in such a way that what you want to say can be written as a set of headings and/or bullet points [it will be strange but just about plausible], you have to use your brain harder than your colleagues, but we've been using our brains to compensate for our stammer for years, right?

alternatively, if you are thinking of 'running away', i would say, you don't have to face up to every fear all the time, i think that would/could cause incredible distress and actual damage when things go badly; but, make sure you face up to some of the challenges, and have the long term aim to face up to more and more of them so that eventually most of your life is fear-free.