Myth vs Fact
Myth #1: It is helpful to look away from stutterers when they stutter.
Fact: It is actually more helpful to maintain eye contact and not make stutterers feel like they are doing something wrong or unnatural.
Myth #2: Stuttering is caused by anxiety; stutterers would be fluent if they slowed down.
Fact: While slowing down and focusing can possibly improve fluency, stuttering is exacerbated by anxiety, not caused by it. Scientists have not yet determined the exact cause of it, but the general consensus is that there is a genetic and environmental component.
Myth #3: When someone stutters, it's because they don't know what they're going to say.
Fact: Many stutterers, including myself, stutter even when saying familiar words, such as their name. Stuttering can occur with any word and does not necessarily mean a person doesn't know what they want to say.
Myth #4: Stutterers are disfluent in all speaking scenarios.
Fact: Many stutterers may stutter less or speak fluently when singing, whispering, or speaking alone.
Myth #5: Stuttering is rare.
Fact: About 1% of the global population stutters, and many more have temporary disfluencies in childhood.
Myth #6: Stuttering negatively correlates to intelligence.
Fact: Research shows no correlation between stuttering and intelligence.
Myth #7: When someone is stuttering, you should say the word they're trying to say.
Fact: While it may seem helpful, saying the word reinforces the idea that stuttering is abnormal and something to avoid. The best course of action is to do remain patient and allow the stutterer to speak at their own pace.
Myth #8: Stuttering is caused by laziness; if stutterers tried harder they would be fluent.
Fact: While it is true that if a stutterer worked hard in speech therapy they would be more fluent, to say that stuttering is caused by laziness is simply incorrect.
Myth #9: Stuttering is a taboo subject and you should avoid talking about it.
Fact: This depends on the stutterer, but I find that talking about stuttering and telling people that I stutter makes me more fluent and more comfortable. Stuttering should not be treated as taboo; for roughly 80 million people, it is a fact of life.
Myth #10: Stuttering occurs in equal ratios between sexes.
Fact: Stuttering is more common in males, with approximately four male stutterers for every female who stutters.