Forum

I am a stutterer–ever since I can remember–and also a recovering alcoholic, since my first taste of alcohol.  I got sober at age 44 and God willing will be celebrating 15 years of  continuous sobriety on March 21st.  I have always wondered but never really looked into whether there are stutterers out there who have also struggled with addictions or alcoholism?  I see so many commonalities between the two–self esteem and self worth issues, trouble with trust and until I got sober, forming healthy and strong relationships, psych issues and challenges such perfectionism, feeling like I didn't belong for years, isolation, shame.  Since getting sober and developing a new design for living based on the 12 steps of AA, I have done a lot of work on “me” and realize that the path to personal peace, serenity and happiness is an “inside job.”  And, just like the fact that I will always be an alcoholic–I plan on being a recovering, sober one–I will always be a stutterer.  I have found that these two aspects of my life are so hard wired in my being. I think it's also interesting that I have been able to accept being an alcoholic, but I still struggle with accepting being a stutterer.

I would love to connect with any stutterers who have had these experiences.  Thanks very much, Peggy