Aligarh, Dec 28 (IANS): Stammering can be cured at workshops where those afflicted with it can fight the fear of speaking in public, said an expert who has himself overcome the disability.

"After living with a severe stammer for a big portion of my life and actually finding a way in which I can control it is a dream come true," said Sachin Shrivastav of "Trasnsfluence: The Indian Stammering Institute (TISA)" at the Aligarh Muslim University at the inauguration Saturday of a three-day "TISA Communication Workshop" to help people give up stammering.

He said that it is workshops like these which helped him overcome stammering.

"I can assure that if people engage themselves in these workshops, they will gain a way to achieve effortless speech.

"Usually people who stammer stay away from interacting with others to the point that they stop worrying about it. At this point, people who suffer stammering have a fear that wherever they want to go in life, it will take a lot of talking to people. These workshops are designed to help people fight their fear and eventually get rid of stammering," Shrivastav added.

The workshop which is being held in the social sciences faculty was inaugurated by AMU Disability Unit coordinator Abdul Hamid Fazili.

"Stammerers tend to suffer in silence. Fear of ridicule or prejudice leads the majority of those who stammer to keep quiet. In these workshops, stammerers can stand up and be counted, and that's exactly what needs to be done," said Fazili in his address.