Exhale all of the air from your lungs, then inhale deeply until your lungs are totally full. Do this 3 or 4 times a day to help you breathe better. Exhale until your lungs are empty, then take 5 quick gasps of air to fill your lungs. Gasping engages your diaphragm, so it will help you learn to breathe more deeply. Do big “ha ha ha” laughs to help you inhale and exhale deeply. Press your lips together and laugh through your nose to help you control your breath. Lie down, place a book over your abdomen, and relax. Then, breathe in deeply so that the book rises. When you exhale, the book should fall.
Try not to worry about speaking too slowly. It may feel like you’re talking really slowly, but you’re probably speaking at a normal speed.
Try not to hunch forward, even when you’re sitting down. It’s okay to lean, but keep your back straight so that you can breathe easily.
Do this exercise every day while you’re working to improve your speech. This can relax the muscles around your mouth and jaw so you can communicate more clearly.
Sing every day to help yourself improve. If you turn the music up loud, people won’t be able to hear you sing. Joining a choir can be a big help because it will get you in the practice of singing.
Try recording yourself reading so you can listen to how you sound. Additionally, this will help you see your progress as you continue the exercise.
For instance, the word “done” has 1 syllable, while the word “aha” has two syllables (ah-ha). If you’re unsure about a word’s syllables, look up the word online or in a dictionary. This will show you the breakdown of the syllables.
If you trip over a word, don’t worry about it. Just start the phrase over and try again.
If you can, film yourself giving your speech so you can evaluate yourself and make improvements. Ask someone who is honest but kind to listen to your speech and tell you how you can improve.
If people do notice when you make a mistake, they’ll usually be very supportive of you. Try to remember that most people are rooting for you, so there’s no need to worry.
Visualize yourself being successful. Count your breaths. Imagine your happy place. Smell a scent that relaxes you. Rub a soft texture to help you feel comforted. Do some light stretching before you speak.
In some cases, you might want them to tell you when they’re having trouble understanding you. You may even have them give you a non-verbal signal, like touching their ear or their lips. However, sometimes you might just want them to let you finish your thought or restate a word that tripped you up. Tell them, “Don’t pronounce words for me,” or “Don’t try to guess what I’m trying to say. I’ll repeat myself if I need to. ”
Your doctor can refer you to a speech therapist or you can look for one online. If you’re still in school, you may be able to attend speech therapy there. In some cases, it’ll even be free.
If you can’t find a support group, you could try talking to people in online forums.
