hiding stuttering

Media executive Georgia Scott is a star on a very public platform. At one time, that would have been unthinkable — Georgia was once silenced by a stammer.

Now, with over 191,000 followers and 3.1 million views, her TikTok channel, @ge0rgiatalks, brings awareness to the struggles felt by many.

Georgia’s story begins around age 5, when she developed a stammer. Her everyday speech was often characterized by repeated sounds, disruptions, or stoppages in speech fluency.

Embarrassed by the way she talked, Georgia fell into a pattern of silence and hiding her stutter. It got so bad that someone simply asking for her name caused major anxiety. Georgia coped by spending years compensating and avoiding painful situations.  

She wouldn’t speak up in class or order food. She even tried to sidestep college. Georgia felt like she couldn’t be her true self, and she envied those who could express themselves. All she wanted was to be like everyone else. 

But things changed at age 17, when Georgia started speech therapy. She gained confidence as she learned techniques to manage her talking skills. She soon decided it was time to help others.

These days, Georgia talks about the highs and lows of living with a stammer. She films herself in social situations, such as ordering food and giving speeches. She talks about her challenges and encourages people to overcome their fears.

All of this takes her well outside her comfort zone, but she’s determined not to let that hold her back. Every time she pushes her limits, her confidence grows. “Struggling is hard, but this is better than avoiding,” Georgia says.

She has one piece of advice for people talking with those who struggle with speech: Let them finish. They long to say the words themselves.

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