I’m in my late 20s and am very intelligent. My I.Q. is 140 and I graduated college summa c** laude (with highest honors). However, most people see me as having low intelligence and I don’t know why. I have a mild speech disorder which makes it difficult for me to express my ideas in an organized, coherent manner. Sometimes, I believe, people think I sound “stupid” because it’s difficult for me to express myself. I do not know how to overcome this, but I think my problem extends back to my childhood when everyone in my family would make fun of my speech problem instead of getting me any meaningful help. My mother even refused me free speech therapy my school offered when I was in 3rd and 4th grades because speech therapy was handled in the special education department and she said she would have felt like a failure as a parent if I was sent there.
Today, I’m embarrassed to go on job interviews, meet new people, make presentations, or anything that involves me speaking. I feel like I sound like an idiot. I have always been a good writer and wish that writing is the only way I could express myself. I feel trapped because whenever I try to explain anything acadmeic, I usually get laughed at. Less than a year after graduating college, a new doctor I saw said, and I quote, “She is pleasant and cooperative but appears developmentally impaired.” Maybe my speech problem is why I have a knack of getting out of trouble because people believe I am developmemtally impaired. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could improve? Thanks so much!

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