Read on Twitter
#SelectiveMutism is a severe anxiety disorder.
Anxiety triggered by certain settings/people makes people involuntarily unable to speak while they can speak fine when not anxious.
Being non-speaking for OTHER reasons than anxiety is not Selective Mutism. https://autistictic.com/2018/10/05/selective-mutism/
Anxiety triggered by certain settings/people makes people involuntarily unable to speak while they can speak fine when not anxious.
Being non-speaking for OTHER reasons than anxiety is not Selective Mutism. https://autistictic.com/2018/10/05/selective-mutism/
Some people ONLY have Selective Mutism which makes them non-speaking - others have Selective Mutism AND one or several other conditions that make them non-speaking.
Example:
I am intermittently non-speaking due to Selective Mutism, autism, and migraines.
They‘re all different!
Example:
I am intermittently non-speaking due to Selective Mutism, autism, and migraines.
They‘re all different!
When I am non-speaking due to Selective Mutism, I am scared.
It‘s that fear that freezes me, freezes my body while my mind keeps working. It‘s a horrible experience, distressing as fear is.
I can‘t speak, often I can barely move at all.
Usually the fear extends to AAC too.
It‘s that fear that freezes me, freezes my body while my mind keeps working. It‘s a horrible experience, distressing as fear is.
I can‘t speak, often I can barely move at all.
Usually the fear extends to AAC too.
When I am non-speaking due to my autism, it‘s usually because of overload and/or speech processing issues.
I can’t turn my thoughts into words anymore, can‘t make them make sense, can‘t get my speech mechanism to work, can‘t make words come out...but this is NOT caused by fear.
I can’t turn my thoughts into words anymore, can‘t make them make sense, can‘t get my speech mechanism to work, can‘t make words come out...but this is NOT caused by fear.
When I am non-speaking due to an acute migraine attack, it‘s loss of cognitive function combined with loss of motor function necessary to speak.
Half my body goes numb, I can‘t think straight, don‘t have enough motor control to speak.
Half my body goes numb, I can‘t think straight, don‘t have enough motor control to speak.
These are three very different causes for being non-speaking.
And because it‘s three different causes, there‘s also three different approaches to how to help me.
Different things work, don‘t work, are helpful or harmful - all depending on what exactly causes me to lose speech.
And because it‘s three different causes, there‘s also three different approaches to how to help me.
Different things work, don‘t work, are helpful or harmful - all depending on what exactly causes me to lose speech.
For example:
During an acute Selective Mutism episode, ANY interacting with me only makes it worse because social interaction is part of what triggers the anxiety.
During a migraine, however, interacting with me calms me, and offering me communication alternatives helps me.
During an acute Selective Mutism episode, ANY interacting with me only makes it worse because social interaction is part of what triggers the anxiety.
During a migraine, however, interacting with me calms me, and offering me communication alternatives helps me.
During an autistic overload, subjecting me to more stuff to process (sensory stimuli, information, etc.) is bad because it adds to my processing load - not because it causes anxiety.
What I need most then is sensory accommodations and to lessen the processing load.
What I need most then is sensory accommodations and to lessen the processing load.
Anxiety medication can help with Selective Mutism because it lessens the base anxiety.
Giving me anxiety medication for my autistic sensory and information processing overloads is utterly useless though.
And anxiety meds can actually make my migraine neurological issues worse.
Giving me anxiety medication for my autistic sensory and information processing overloads is utterly useless though.
And anxiety meds can actually make my migraine neurological issues worse.
All my different non-speaking experiences definitely share some traits and struggles.
Of course they do, because they all cause me to be unable to speak!
But then there are also some issues very specific to the reason for why I am non-speaking. And that is important too!
Of course they do, because they all cause me to be unable to speak!
But then there are also some issues very specific to the reason for why I am non-speaking. And that is important too!
My dominant experience with
- Selective Mutism is people thinking I do it on purpose, mistreating me.
- non-speaking autistic episodes is people thinking I‘m stupid, denying me autonomy & agency.
- migraine non-speaking episodes is people taking it seriously, wanting to help.
- Selective Mutism is people thinking I do it on purpose, mistreating me.
- non-speaking autistic episodes is people thinking I‘m stupid, denying me autonomy & agency.
- migraine non-speaking episodes is people taking it seriously, wanting to help.
When you have speech issues I strongly advise you to find out what exactly causes them.
Understanding the cause will give you the best chance to find the right treatments, supports, and accommodations for you.
It will also help you with self-advocacy and educating other people.
Understanding the cause will give you the best chance to find the right treatments, supports, and accommodations for you.
It will also help you with self-advocacy and educating other people.
