Speaking out on stammering and finding confidence

‘If a stammerer is told to just stop when they are stuck, and inhale and breathe properly, they do not do it as the pause seems like an eternity.’ Photograph: Getty

I would like to say a huge well done to Kimi Chaddah for being brave enough to write about her experiences of becoming more open about her stammer (I used to do anything to avoid talking to people. But now I’ve stopped hiding my stammer, 20 November). I hope her journey to openness will inspire the 1% of adults who stammer to be able to maximise their own potential.

When people ask me if I’ve stammered all my life, my usual response is to say: “Not yet.” Nowadays, when faced with a difficult speaking situation I always introduce my stammer before I introduce myself. It’s a remarkably efficient way to ease away the social anxiety and discomfort for both myself as the speaker and for the listener.