The average age in which a human being develops a stutter is 2 to 6. Circa 5% of children stutter worldwide and for the majority, it will disappear within a few years. But for some, it becomes chronic. Worldwide, around 80 million adults stutter – that's 1% of the whole population.

A study that was published this year in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, called "The effect of stuttering on symptoms of depression and social anxiety in adolescents" concludes that "the symptoms of depression and social anxiety disorders increase with the severity of stuttering in adolescent patients (1)."

Stuttering is no life-threatening impediment and in itself, it doesn't do harm at all. However, humans are highly social beings and not being able to communicate effectively, or even at all, can take a big toll on a person's mental health.

That's me as well. Hi, I'm Anton, a 24-year-old stutterer from Germany. I've developed my stutter when I was young as well and throughout my teenage years, I became more and more aware of it and it started to become a bigger burden with every day passing. I don't hold a grudge against anyone, we were all just kids and didn't know what we were doing, but I can't lie and say I wasn't bullied. I was an easy target of course. Gradually, my social anxiety evolved into a full blown depression and a total lack of confidence and self-belief. In my eyes, I was worthless, a nobody. My life has never come to a full still stand, but this wound has yet to be healed.

Or rather… I have yet to heal myself. Ultimately, the responsibility is mine and mine only. And only I can truly help myself. A gradual confrontation of our trauma-based fears is the only way to heal ourselves.

But like every mental health issue, that is unfortunately easier said than done and support from family, friends, co-workers, classmates, or even strangers can totally turn a person's life around.

There are so many people who have shown it is possible to turn your life around as a stutterer and do whatever you want in life. Samuel L. Jackson. Bruce Willis. Emily Blunt. Marilyn Monroe. James Earl Jones. Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean). Ed Sheeran. And of course King George VI (The King's Speech). But having people around you who are there for you and support you is key!

There is hope for everyone. We have the strength and the ability, and we all deserve to reach our full potential. Our stutter is not just a stepping stone in our path, but a mountain. A mountain that has been put in our path in order for us to climb it. And with every step we take, we get stronger. It is our job to reach the top to see the light and realise the fruit of our labour.

I've had glimpses of the "other side", a life without social anxiety and I genuinely believe that every stutterer can live like that. But it takes a lot of time, a lot of energy, and most importantly, a lot of support and understanding by the people around us.

I originally planned this project as a means to find myself again and my purpose in this world, but I quickly realised that I could potentially help others as well – stutterers, that are going through the same as me, and even children who could be spared years or even decades of suffering. That's why I'm so grateful for STAMMA, who are helping me to reach as many people as I possibly can.

STAMMA is the British Stammering Association and they do a fantastic job in raising awareness about stuttering and raising money to fund research and support those who stutter.

To raise awareness about stuttering and the toll it takes on mental health, I will cross the whole of Great Britain on foot. This is what ONE MORE STEP is about. No matter how hard life gets, concentrate on taking the very next step and if you do that consistently, you WILL reach the finish line.

I will start the walk on 30 September 2023 in John O'Groats in the north of Scotland and if everything goes to plan, will take about two months to complete the 1950+ kilometre route by reaching Land's End in the south of England.

For every penny you may be able to donate to STAMMA, we would be forever grateful!

Let's do this together!

Join STAMMA on stamma.org

1 – https://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/3288-3293.pdf