My Selective Mutism Story (aka Situational Mutism)

Well this video was terrifying to make. Talking about my own experience with selective mutism for selective mutism awareness month!
Also sorry for the bad editing, my software is super basic and laggy, so it's very hard to edit nicely!
Also also, i hate my hair in this video, aaaah the frizz!!

[@sarahstarmonie]

Hi as an update to everyone, I filmed this video in October 2020, and in June 2021 I was officially diagnosed with autism and combined type ADHD!

[@anaruchiga]

Aaaaaaaa I started watching the video and I was like “hmmm is she autistic?” Hahahaha I am autistic and also have ADHD. I think my SM “got better” after I started therapy but it still happens.

[@thitiratm3745]

Thanks for the update. I wish you all the best. I will share your vdo to my daughter. I am sure she will feel better after watching it.❤️

[@SpeechwithJenn]

Thanks for sharing. What have been the most helpful things for you in your journey?

[@stopitdumby4994]

🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

[@johnbillings5260]

You didn't have to tell me. The smiling, ponies, love for fairies (seemingly by your alias) were setting off alarms. I'm on my way to a diagnosis and I'm pretty good at spot the autie. 😄

[@coco_dreamer]

I relate to ALL of this and always felt like a broken weirdo my entire life... when I finally found this term and have now accepted its what I have it felt like a huge weight off my shoulders. I still have a VERY long way to go but I know I just need to keep trying. Thanks so much for making this and sharing your experience 💗

[@Abby-ol8ee]

Hi I understand completely what you are going through it is not easy. I have a son that is going through this and we just recently diagnosed him but we did ny diagnose him with sM in the past so we are trying to figure out what to do My advice is don’t give up keep trying

[@coco_dreamer]

@@Abby-ol8ee thank you! And you too I hope your son keeps on trying he'll do great with help and support 😊👍🏻 a diagnosis helps so much!! Wish you and him well 💗

[@brittanyritenour4695]

My teachers said that’s what I had when they were evaluating if I had a learning disability. I was super quiet. I’d only talk to certian people, and it’s a struggle. I still struggle with it

[@ash-boxing8109]

Great video. I could really relate . Selective mutism is really isolating it really made me stand out in school and made it almost impossible to make friends

[@tsjagan1]

I had tears multiple times watching this. My daughter has SM. She and you are both so so brave in my opinion.

[@datgyul]

I'm also in my 30s with SM. In my 20s I was improving socially, I could talk to people and do some things on my own but then I moved to France to be with my partner and it all came back. These last 5.5 years have been very difficult.

[@navifairy6488]

Hi. I am so glad you made this video. My mom always called me shy and I hated it. I have only just learned of this disorder and this is definitely me. I actually really struggled at my last job and eventually lost that job because I couldn't speak in group settings (meetings). My boss couldn't understand and had no empathy. I even asked him to help me with it, but he completely misunderstood and didn't know how or wasn't interested in helping me. It's a struggle for sure.

[@lynncotto371]

Excellent video, thank you so much for sharing 👍 That's one of the gifts of aging, caring less about what others think & more concerned about your own well-being ☺️💓

[@tsuki6215]

seeing this really made me feel recognised, thank you. one thing i always hated growing up was people talking mockingly about me right in front of me - like girl im not deaf i just cant talk

[@mariasimoneespanol]

Thanks for sharing your story girl! You very brave! My daughter has SM and I'm looking at videos like this one to help her🥰 All the best for you ❣️

[@brittanyritenour4695]

Everyone noticed my problem but they didn’t understand it. They’d say I’m too shy, to quiet, lack of initiative, but I don’t have autism tho and there’s plenty who have it who don’t. I can read peoples emotions and social cues , I just don’t know what to do in new environments. Mainly with certian people . I love being around people so it’s confusing because I could see completely open in one setting and withdrawn in a different one

[@brittanyritenour4695]

I can relate so much to this and what happens with selective mute, is they are normal but in new or certian situations, their brain goes into fight or flight mode so they aren’t retrieving information. This happens even when learning new things for me because I also learn slow and never got diagnosed as to why I learn slow but once I understand I’m normal

[@OnSpectrumLife]

Thank you for sharing 😊 my son has also developed SM at 14. He is autistic with ADHD also. It will be a journey for us also.

[@cowsonzambonis6]

Excellent video- I’m self-identified Autistic, diagnosed ADHD, and I didn’t think I had SM, because if the “selective” part- “situational” makes so much more sense, and I see myself in your experiences. Thanks so much for sharing!!

[@AliceTaylor-re5wj]

I have selective mutism, and a lot of people think it’s just when you can only speak at home, but like id suddenly stop being able to speak if I was in large groups of people or when I started feeling anxiety, and then it would go as quickly as it came

[@lollsie2870]

I have selective mutism too and I’m 21:) and my name is Sarah too

[@Sungod0502]

I grew up selective mute myself and now I go to drama school doing theatre and performance and actually making a 5 minute performance about my experience with it. Honestly I wished people in schools and families knew about it cos it ruined my self esteem for a whole decade.

[@syyyyyyyyy]

I'm 19 yo, I really identify with your story, it's too limiting and frustrating to live this way as it causes you work or academic problems. Here in Colombia ppl are extremely rude, sadly I got bullied and at school they used to beat me and harass me bc I couldn't speak.

[@BipolarCourage]

I had severe mutism as a child in the 70s. Was assumed by adults to be shyness but it was part of social anxiety. Occasionally have been mute as an adult with very stressful situations.

[@brittanyritenour4695]

I can fake it by mirroring people I don’t know. I see all the social cues but I don’t know what to say because I don’t know them.

[@allelalle]

Thank you for your explanation of how it was for you. Did you sometimes feel like you wanted to speak (for example when you were in the class and didn't understand the instructions), but you couldn't? You would repeat in your mind "Come on just ask him/her. Say "I didn't understand". Come one it's just 3 words. Say it now. Say it. You can do it" and still couldn't do it? Is this how you felt? As I felt this way for years. It's like a part of me was paralyzed while my consciousness was not and was observing the paralyzed part blocking me and being stronger.

[@brittanyritenour4695]

That was me in kindergarten!

[@Fay_639]

Little Jerry and the Closet

[@brittanyritenour4695]

That’s me!!!

[@fox93ify]

i am diagnosed with add so far, just found out at age 29. i am trying to find out diffrent types of anxieties but ye sm is there for sure... found out sm about 1h ago, just watching alot of vid about it xD i think that i also have ocd. my question is, do you guys think alot of past social situations, that you dont wanna think about? if you try to stop it then it continues?

[@Yotrek]

I'm autistic (Diagnosed by psychologist and whole genomic sequencing). Identifying the times I went mute was due to extreme stress from social interactions. One women gave me the sex look ( inappropriately). Another women ( I liked) acted on her crush by suddenly kissing me. Another woman sexually assaulted me everyday at a new job (it was about power not interest). In another case I was quite suddenly introduced to a new person I didn't know and was supposed to hold a conversation with them. In multiple cases I was accused of something I didn't do (bullied). Nobody talked to me directly, and I was mute and couldn't speak up for myself. All of these incidents were prior to my diagnosis, which caused me to not frame the incidents in their proper context. This is what leads to chronic depression, anxiety, and suicide. Early diagnosis is so important.

[@sarahluna4163]

So sorry you went through that. I have selective mutism myself , and some people just don’t have manners or any form of decent human respect. I’ve been house bound for years after a couple incidents in public where people kept yelling and swearing at me or banging my head with their bag over again on purpose for no reason..and I couldn’t defend myself nor speak even though I wanted it to stop. God bless you.

[@ashtrik3798]

I’m 28 and I have general anxiety, in the last few years I’ve become mute in social situations and I don’t know why. It’s horrible! I WANT to talk but I can’t 😭

[@Emma7878]

Maybe try talking to a therapist

[@dustyscribe8397]

My situation is very similar to yours. I went to a small school and was very shy until I became homeschooled at age 14. While I was homeschooled I didn't really see other people outside of my family, and by the time I started socializing again at age 17, I had full-on selective mutism. I'm 26 and I still have it. It's gotten progressively worse. I have one friend since childhood who I can speak to, and I am very lucky to have a couple friends who let me stick around them even though I can't talk to them most of the time (I've known them for 8-ish years). Other than that I have not made a friend since I was 14. I suspect that I am also autistic. (I love your Pinkie and Fluttershy!)

[@trh3010]

I was diagnosed when I was 4 but I've never known anyone else with SM. It's really comforting hearing someone talk about so many experiences that I've also had.

[@r.nicogorodetzky3084]

I don’t have autism - my SM came from a lifetime of trauma. (In adulthood, I’m on my way to a healthy life!) It’s frustrating, but it’s getting better. My main concern lately has been my nervous laughter and smiling. My family comments on it in phone calls, which... doesn’t help. At all. But when not talking to them, I do so much better. Which tells me that I’m doing well, and getting better, and in every day it’ll be so much easier. I also have a service dog. That helps a bit, honestly. Her presence, her ability to block people if I get frozen, etc. She’s obviously not FOR SM, but she’s managed to help anyway.

[@fertilizerhappens8359]

Congratulations on your diagnosis. Thank you for sharing. I prefer the term situational mutism as well. I'm a 48 year old mother of two boys. I was not diagnosed with anything as a kid, because I couldn't explain myself to the school therapist. I've done therapy most of the past ten years. Thought I was ADD without H for a while. About the time you made this video, I finally decided to research the media boogeyman Autism. Learned the label situational mutism. (Me, my whole life.) September 2021, I learned about demand avoidance. I still don't have an official diagnosis, but I see myself as a demand avoidant autistic with social anxiety. Now, if only I can remember to have my son help me to make the phone calls to set up an appointment for the neuropsych testing my doctor prescribed for me. 🙂 I love the stuffies in the video. I have the same pink cat and her blue sibling. 💖

[@VisualPanther17]

Suffered from this my whole life. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." Is something I heard all the time growing up.

[@carolinevoncanon8442]

Thank you so much for this video - it has helped me a lot. I have a niece with SM. She was a chatterbox as a baby but by the time she turned 4 or 5 she stopped talking to me and everyone except her parents and brother. I never understood it and tried to get her parents to get her help. They sent her to a therapist once, but since she would not talk to the therapist, they did not send her back (upset me terribly). She was home schooled in high school because of her anxiety, but at 21 she (on her own) applied to college and moved out of her mother's house (father had already passed away). She seems to be doing well and is happier than I have ever seen her. She even has a boyfriend. I do not know if her SM is getting better or if the people around her now are just more understanding and non-judgmental, but things seem to be getting better. Thank you for helping me understand her better.

[@gy9793]

I commend you for having the bravery to speak about your experience! The part where you said that you were so quiet that the teacher would completely miss you made me cry. I remember these things happening to me when I was younger. It made me feel so worthless, like i was different and not as good as everyone else.

[@blogorgonopsid]

Thanks for this vid. I agree that it should be called situational mutism, not selective. I've had this condition my whole life, it was never recognized by my doctors and I was just labeled as shy (term I'm always uncomfortable with as it does not describe my personality at all). I've spent the first 8 years of school not speaking to my schoolmates, though I did communicate with them by for instance writing words or sentences on paper. Only when I was 14 I started speaking to kids in an entire different environment but I still suffered from like throat constriction (couldn't speak loud enough, voice getting too high etc.) I started only relatively recently (I'm 22) recognizing that I don't just have "usual" social anxiety but that my whole life points to this particular anxiety condition. So thanks again for sharing this.

[@montserratlopez7625]

Hi I am 16 years old. I had selective mutism from 6 years to 11 years old. My classmates didn’t even know what my voice sound. I think my case in particular is one of the worst, I really suffer a lot on my one. My parents didn’t really noticed it, because I used to talk in my House. I am from Mexico so no one really care here. I wish It would had been different

[@nomadak723]

Jesus. I'm so glad you're talking about this. I'm 2 1/2 minutes in hearing about your "throat closing up," disconnect between your brain and your speech, and your body becoming very tense, and I've had all of these symptoms for decades.

[@sandramonserrat2816]

Thank you for the information and don't worry you video was very clear, do you have any advice to people without situational mutism to make you feel more comfortable?

[@sandramonserrat2816]

That reminds me, did you still reading Ookiku Furikabute?

[@sarahstarmonie]

Thank you! To people without SM I'd say just be patient and understanding in situations where I can't speak. And I still love Ookiku Furikabute! I relate to Mihashi a lot. But I haven't read it in a long while, I should again!

[@judithchadwick6728]

@@sarahstarmonie thank you for doing this video, having had it myself through my childhood and it still lurking through my later years, you have really expressed the main points of the situations that we struggle with.

[@mplbooks]

Completely speaks to my experience. Thank you for being brave and making this video.

[@nada9869]

It's sad how noone takes selective mutism and social anxiety seriously and think it's just being stubborn or it's your choice and literally how do you survive in school like ur forced into VERY uncomfortable situations because no one understands like school is the worst place ever. I feel like it's much easier outside of school rather than with ppl you see everyday. I wish teachers can make accomadations to ppl with this but of course they dont...UGH. Literally ppl just say it's being shy or you'll get over it but like ITS BEEN YEARS U STILL THINK SHY OR GET OVER IT?!?!??! UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IM SO MAD

[@span]

i relate so much to the not being able to ask what to do in a class room situation. or to say that i don't get it. i used to get this all the time at school didn't really think of it as a symptom before now. i have dropped out of both tafe and uni mostly because of this. Meds also really didn't for me at all. I smile and laugh when I'm anxious or feeling anything at all really! often when people ask me a direct question and I know they won't like the answer i can't say anything at all.

[@galtenoble]

I'm writing a character with selective mutism and its helpful to hear other peoples experiences with the disorder outside of my own. Originally the character was just shy and quiet until I first heard the term 'selective mutism' in my 30s, and realized how aptly it described my experience from puberty into my 20s. It didn't really click with me before then that I *couldn't* talk, and now, knowing about the disorder, I feel I can write my character even better. Unrelated note, but I just watched a documentary that followed a few girls with selective mutism and one of the girls I felt like I knew exactly what she was thinking just from her body language because of how much I saw myself in her. Those silent, awkward smiles that you hope convey to the person how much you enjoy them talking to you because you can't actually speak the words to tell them. At the same time that smile is also a desperate attempt to make them not hate you because you know how much not talking to them frustrates that person.

[@justinfam4729]

I am very sure i have SM but i wont diagnose myself and tell everyone thats why im like this..pretty much when i was a kid i was very shy and as i was getting older it got worst especially Since people start noticing my flaws.. and those flaws were serious conditions that i just got diagnosed as of last year (1 is incurable) and ive been dealing with it for the past 8 years (and also losing hope that someone would care enough to give me the life changing Surgery).. my shyness is not the same as i was when i was a kid bc as of today (my teenage years) i shake alot for no reason, i get very anxious, i Fidget alot(and i cant control it), i cant talk, i stutter alot,ill usually respond by nodding or with hand gestures,i never make eye contact.. sometimes i feel like i was being rude for not responding, i get called out for being shy in school, social situations etc. i dont even know how im always with honors in school when my thoughts and ideas are kept in my head most of the time except if i write them out..i replay alot of situations or situations that didnt happen in my head and cry alot abt it..sometimes i get tired of myself and as long as i can, ill try to keep positive and that There is always hope that things might change..

[@justinfam4729]

Basically i am traumatized by what people had said or did to me.. and basically staying away from people is the Safest way to go.

[@annefrancess1224]

This is me. I am same age as on this video i am 32 i still get bullied a lot. I live in blackburn lancs uk. Not a nice place to be when you have these struggles as people can be so rude and ignorant. X

[@nathanariellauridsen6400]

Hey Sarah , thanks so Much for being brave enough to share, I watched this with my 9year old daughter who struggles with sm. We are yet to find the right people to help (we live in NZ) but I’m hoping to find some inspirational by people like yourself to give her hope. So thanks again :)

[@mellowhny]

i want to know does it count if you are able to force yourself to talk? because i don't know if you could say i have it or if i'm just on the edge and very anxious or shy i have had a few moment's where i just couldn't talk tho... or move

[@Ryantanker]

I have some kind of mute disorder, when I get overwhelmed during the day, I can’t speak at night for a few hours, it’s generally painful and tiring to force myself to speak. But it doesn’t fit the selective mutism criteria because it doesn’t last for one month or more and it’s not with certain people it’s just when I get overwhelmed. What could this be?

[@Shuttttupppp]

thank you for posting this, this is exactly the video i was looking for it’s perfect and it’s the only one i could find. good job with your growth it’s good to know it’s not a complete trap

[@shockers111]

Well done Sarah for having the bravery to share your experience in a very relatable way. Its been helpful for me to understand sm better.

[@brittanyritenour4695]

Pretty normal and aware as everyone else but shut down in certian situations especially new ones . I never got truly diagnosed but they felt I did and I didn’t talk in new environments from preschool to 2nd grade. And I started talking. Everything she says I can relate to totalltb

[@brittanyritenour4695]

It takes me a super long time to get to know someone and get used to being myself around someone I don’t know. Even if I see them a lot. To interact with them in other environments can make I don’t know. Me where I can’t contribute in conconversqtsion

[@ioannam605]

Thank you for sharing this video! you are very brave!

[@gy9793]

I had sm, but have since overcome it, although some anxiety still lingers. when I get socially anxious, I still have a tendency stand there like a statue :')

[@BenSkyLakewood]

Amazing this was so helpful, I am very familiar with this. Respond if you can.

[@Prime-rn7yw]

People say it's just being weird but now I have a name for it.

[@idontgiveashtable]

I'm 31 and going to be 32 in a few months and this is the first video I've watched of someone with this experience. I just learned of this term yesterday and this is my entire youth minus having a few friends like you mention. I never had anybody from 4th grade to 12th. I'm doing better now though. Thanks for sharing and I know making this video or any video must be very hard. It's not fair to struggle with such basic things. I wish you the best

[@sailorspills3025]

I also went back to college and studied art too :D if you ever want someone to talk to who understands about it.. let me know

[@gillh5634]

Thank you for such an interesting video.

[@MilekEagle]

As an 21 old male with diagnosed selective mutism and autism i always wanted to do things like post videos, stream, sing or perform. It's been now over 10 years since i couldn't really talk to people. Wasn't better before though, with me being awkard autistic kid since always. Anyways, i relate to pretty much everything here, maybe except being bullied, i wasn't really bullied that much. Also i live in Denmark, which is probably one of the best countries to live in as a diagnosed person. I don't write too much, but hopefully one day when i move out, i gather enough courage to make a talking video and even stream something on twitch. Congrats on making this video, i know it must have been hard, but glad to see a video like that. And finally sorry i'm a little bad at formulating sentences or finding correct words.

[@sailorspills3025]

Thanks ... I had SM too until I was 17 and started college. I’m the same age and from the UK :)

[@ChetJennings]

What caused you to open up and begin speaking?

[@sailorspills3025]

@@ChetJennings being around new people who didn’t know me and didn’t judge, I also found it easier to speak to people who were foreign..

[@shxwtydntcry]

Very good video 🌌 thank you for spreading awareness on Selective Mutism . Everyone needs to have a voice ♡ I also make videos on mental health and Selective Mutism 💕

[@astrologylover1184]

Thanks for making this. I am autistic and can relate. I find my social anxiety keeps me from dating. I’m pretty terrified of it. I’m curious if you have any advice on how to get a partner? The pressure of talking to someone you like makes anyone nervous so for me it can be paralyzing to have a crush. And I am so self conscious about what they think of me.

[@katesabajo2529]

Very thankful you are telling your story. While I was writing a story I made a mute character in my head and didn't know what that condition was called. After finishing writing i wanted to know more about my character. So hearing your story opend my perspective on mutisme. I hope mutism get more widely known. So people can help en even educate eachother.

[@_no.one.is.always.right_]

I have maladaptive daydreaming. Autistic people tend to be either completely mute or hyper-talkative. Now, I’ve become the hyper-talkative one. My selective mutism just went away on its own. Maybe my maladaptive daydreaming cured it. Psychologists couldn’t diagnose me because they didn’t know what selective mutism was. I figured out on my own and with the help of internet.. that I’m autistic and have selective mutism, but it wasn’t until I was in my 20s.

[@cool_sword]

I'm in my late 20s. I definitely have social anxiety, but I hadn't learned about selective mutism until this week. When you started telling anecdotes I was horrified at first by how strongly identified with all of them except maybe a couple lol. Thanks for posting the video and congratulations on the progress you've made!

[@turalbakhshaliyev]

My daughter is 6, and she has been silent in kindergarten and now in preschool. We always thought with my wife, what we did wrong, and what are our mistakes that she is afraid of communicating with other children? With our relatives, she is very active and playful. But with other kids, she is extremely shy. Yesterday I have realized that probably she has selective mutism. I do not know what to do and how to overcome it. I read so many articles about it last night. I am still not sure if it is curable or not. Even if it is curable, we live in a country where there is no proper experts who can help. Please advise practical tips on how we can help her to overcome it.

[@onceuponatime1.45]

This selective mutism can come to adulthood also, you can treat them with now which will be easy than future, is she taking happily in your home and your family ? , at what places she is not opening her mouth at all ?

[@reniazet6667]

Thank you so much for not deleting this video lol. I can relate with some of your social experiences. It's nice to know I'm not alone ❤

[@mammabear2183]

Thank you for sharing your story. I really appreciate the details of your story. It will help so many other people who struggle with this.

[@benz287hg]

Thanks so much for sharing this was so very helpful .

[@PerryScanlon]

This helped me understand somebody. Thank you.

[@somber087]

This disorder is actually very rare and I feel even more alone around others

[@brittanyritenour4695]

I also developed a quiet bpd because of my past and difficulty learning or socializing with average “Proto type like bubbly extravert personality”. Yes I smile sometimes when I’m nervous and sometimes it triggers me to snap. Pressure makes me shut down and jobs have treated me a certain way and it gets worse

[@Ana-ty8sl]

I currently have neighbors that talk really badly about me… It makes daily life hard 😔 I’m 31 and still have a minimum wage job and no friends, live alone and only have horrible romantic relationships. I have never been diagnosed, I just knew I was able to speak at home (as a child), but not at school or with adults and/or extended family. I wish I had gotten therapy. Now as an adult I don’t know how to go about getting support?

[@kathyadair8552]

I think the best thing for women is a round, or two, of EMDR; to help with any trauma, PTSD, or Complex/ "c-PTSD" - with a "Trauma Therapist"! It'll make you more geared for Therapy.

[@christinewilliams3024]

Thank you for your video.I have a 21 yr old grandson. He managed to complete his A levels but after leaving school his social anxiety got much worse. He hardly speaks at all. Never goes out without family members I have learned to relax in his silence. Awaiting diagnosis. I am trying to learn as much as possible. He starts CBT talking therapy at the end of April. Again thank you

[@warrenellem535]

I also had Mutism from the age of 4 until the age of 10 we'll seemingly around that time I was studied at private school so there's not much I have gonna say, I have never been bullying in school at once and I am extremely shy to my classmates when it comes in communication as in close friends. Well I realized that time when I'm 10 I start to develop to talk to my classmates because I've had been cope up with it. I realized that I need to talk because this would have a lot of angry teacher for the next school level. Now I stop that time not to shy and be positive in that way. Until now I am generally talkative now to my classmates with would have a greatly impact to myself.

[@StrikkeOlga]

Wow, you are so brave💪🙌 I’m working with a small child that show signs of having sm. your video gave me a lot of usefull tips and information. Thank you🙏😊

[@logothaironsides2942]

Me too. Im over 60 and still have it. I need to go down making videos to help it I think. I think triggers are different for different people. I dont know about you but my mother was very eccentric and extroverted and would put us on the spot and wait for the performance and then pick it all to pieces so that is likely what did it for me. I find it very hard to talk in front of females , especially adults.

[@chellenchristophe5541]

Can totally relate to what you're saying even though I was not actually diagnosed. But I feel like it's what İ have. The thing is i love acting since İ'm in high school and now i understand why. I was able to be that self which actually speaks out even if it was mostly on stage. But now that İ'm trying to be serious about acting and meeting New people(which iş really important in that Field), I'm feeling stuck. I'm missing a lot of opportunities 'cause İ can't open my mouth and make full sentences around à group of people. The only times they hear me say complete sentences iş when İ'm on stage. It's really frustrating.

[@cerascott3270]

this condition js so difficult to deal with

[@robertblack671]

Wondferful video that helped me ( a 76 yr old male living in Scotland) better understand severe social anxiety and hopefully helps me respond in a more helpful way with those who suffer severe social anxiety. Best wishes, Robert My partner's son was diagnosed with autism in his 40s.

[@intrinsically_m3]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Your experience sounds so close to mine. I also just started looking this up like an hour ago when i finally got out of a social situation i went mute in for the billionth time. It's so isolating and yes, it sucks so much when people take it personally. Ill prob keep looking into this, thank you for putting words to something I've felt so alone in for so long 🙏

[@TN-ny1yg]

Sister Sophia Maria Im Educable Mentally Challenged 29 Christan Woman form Lucedale Church of.God! And also sick in the Middle! But Jesus Christ help me!

[@gerardoalejandres1377]

I also have selective mutism

[@paulinaa-b3958]

Polskie Towarzystwo Mutyzmu Wybiórczego would like to add subtitels in polish. Could You enable such option for us?

[@sarahstarmonie]

I'm so sorry KZbin removed the Community Subtitles feature in 2020, so it's no longer possible.:( If you are able to send me a script I could try adding them myself though!

[@erikpalmer3198]

My girlfriend of twenty three years has selective mutism and has never spoke to me. She talks to family including mine but not me she also talks to strangers and on the phone. She has refused professional help since a teenager. I'm completely in love with her and fall even more so by the day. She is beautiful inside and out and I feel like I'm failing her because she doesn't talk to me. I would really appreciate any input you could offer.

[@jansenc5476]

13:15 . :) my teacher did, my psychology teacher did. Not being judgement, but i think there's something off in the first place when i get teached by her. Idk though, maybe that's just my assumption.

[@thitiratm3745]

Thanks for sharing this with us. You are brave and I can totally relate to your experience. My daughter may have SM and I wish I (or her teachers) knew this term, SM, earlier. She has been having all the symptoms since she knew how to talk, this year she is turning 13. I am glad we found out anyway though it’s considered late. I also totally agree with you that it should be called “Situational Mutism”.

[@kimihiacassidy5422]

I wish I could give you a big hug. I experienced most of what you went through. My 1st and 2nd year of primary (5&6 years old) I never spoke at school and it was frustrating because I wanted to engage but I just couldn’t. I remember my teachers actually crying when I first spoke. I feel like the severity for me eased off only because I have a huge extended family but even they took getting used to. Till this day I still struggle in certain situations at work and out in public. That anxiety has never completely gone away. It’s been a long and trying road. I wouldn’t ever say I’m grateful to hear of your experience since this is so incredibly difficult to live with but my heart did soften with understanding and compassion for a fellow soldier. I wish you nothing but the best you beautiful spirit.

[@staceykennedy3289]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️👍🏽🙂. I started making my own channel on my adult autism life. Learning about others things like SM really can make it possible that I have that too, with other Co-occurring things. OCD and depression are in my lap too.

[@MichaelaJungheim]

I suspect I'm audhd and sometimes I really wish I could just not have to talk to people.

[@edmondb2899]

Thank you for making this video and offering people a really useful opportunity to learn more about selective mutism - and point well made regarding the name. I thought your "tips for others" were especially helpful. Best wishes. 🙏🏻

[@arianaponytail]

ciurious question, can you type message on your phone or write on paper when your mute?

[@antiahall6353]

Thank you for sharing your selective mutism, my son is 24,he has selective mutism from birth, he also has autism, Tourette's, sensory processing disorder, anxiety disorder, mental health and depression but he talks at home,he found it difficult to talk at school and college. Thanks Anita

[@skyyee7856]

i’m 16 in june and i have been mute since i was 3 and i just can’t figure out how i can talk to certain people it’s so difficult

[@ottolandin]

I understand😐

[@jeanturnbull5]

She is very brave and eleguant and speaks beautifully.

[@sarahfellows3074]

I had this and can get it in certain situations.

[@rebsxx7871]

Great video! Thanks for sharing your story

[@FatGuyinaLittleWoods]

Very interesting video. I’ve only recently heard of selective mutism, despite not being able to speak in school or other social situations from age 15-18. I’m 41 now. This was before social media and nobody seemed to really know what was wrong with me. I’m glad more people have access to the informative content like this. The first step to treatment is identifying what you have in the first place

[@andrewgarcia6951]

🎠🦄😻

[@cherrytree7481]

I have selective mutism and also I’m autistic. I’m in my 20s and I live an extremely isolated life. I don’t have any friends and I haven’t interacted with anyone but my immediate family for several years, since I graduated high school actually. I’ve never been able to date for the same issues I have. Idk what to do, I feel like I’m letting my life just pass without truly living because being unable to speak makes me be unable to do basically anything, since everything in life requires some level of socializing. I’m in therapy but it’s just talk therapy and so far hasn’t helped. Do you or anyone here in the comments have any advice? How to get better when nothing seems to work?

[@herobrain]

It is very difficult to make any advice here, but if you have not tried that yet, you may consider online gaming. Not for the gaming itself, but because you can have a lot of throwaway interactions with people with no consequences. That might be a good practice ground, because if you mess up, you can just disconnect and then join someone else. You can first interact with people via a text chat and later on try a voice contact. The crucial difference between a game chat and a normal random chat is that in a game chat you have something specific to talk about: the in-game situation that you are experiencing with the other players. In a standard casual chat it may be difficult to find a topic to talk about, so the conversation may stall, but having an activity together with others gives you a firm topic, which the group of people actually wants to talk about. And of course, it doesn't have to be gaming, but anything where people need to chat in order to coordinate their effort. I really hope you will find something that will help you.

[@dancingheart6224]

You could try an assistive speech app if you prefer text-to-speech instead of speaking with your voice. You could mention it in therapy. Especially as someone with diagnosed autism, you have the right to choose whether you want to use a speech device or speak orally in therapy. Also, you could try learning sign language and meet people in that community so there's no pressure to speak. I'm studying about autism and communication in university, and it's common to have difficulty speaking with autism. This is why some autistic individuals use assistive devices or apps for speech.