Selective Mutism: Why Is She/He Talking To So and So But Not Me? (Part 2)

An advantage of being an older sufferer of Selective Mutism is that since I understand more about my SM than a younger sufferer would, I can often use a lot of the techniques to help me to overcome SM without anyone else even knowing it. What I mean by this is that I will often …

You May Think That Everyone Who Has Selective Mutism Is Shy – Many Are Actually Extroverts

When many people think of someone who has Selective Mutism, they often think of someone who is very shy, quiet and enjoys spending time alone rather than with people. What if I was to tell you that I have Selective Mutism, I am not in any way shy (and I never have been) and I …

Selective Mutism: The Positive Side

For the majority of the time, Selective Mutism is usually viewed in a negative way, and understandably; it’s not exactly the most pleasant thing in the world to live with. But did you know that although it is often hard to think about because SM is a very terrible thing to live with, there are …

Selective Mutism: Dear 15 Year Old Me

Dear 15 year old me, Where to start, there’s so much I want to tell you. Your Selective Mutism is at its worst right now; you’re worried things are only going to get worse and if anything will ever get better. You try your best to get through each day but it never seems good …

Selective Mutism: Imagine…

Imagine living a life having everyone tell you to man up and get over it! But to you that’s impossible.   Imagine living a life where everyone says that you choose not to do something. But really you want to do it more than anything else in the world, but you just simply can’t.   …

(S)he Has Selective Mutism But Doesn’t Seem Anxious?

A frequently asked question about Selective Mutism is why someone that they know who has Selective Mutism doesn’t seem anxious. They ask because Selective Mutism is supposed to be an extreme anxiety disorder, so why isn’t their body language showing any signs of anxiety? With many people who have Selective Mutism, it is pretty easy …

Selective Mutism: What It REALLY Means When We Talk About Our ‘Rules’

When I first heard about the situations where people with Selective Mutism can and can’t speak being referred to as rules that the person with Selective Mutism had, it was whilst watching a documentary. I wanted to scream at the narrator of the documentary and tell them how wrong they were. I was so angry …

The Challenges People With Selective Mutism Face When Trying To Receive Treatment

TRIGGER WARNING: This blog contains content that may be upsetting to some people.    The hardest ongoing battle that I have had with my Selective Mutism has been trying to receive the correct treatment. From the start, I have dealt with professionals having absolutely no clue what Selective Mutism really is and how to treat …

Selective Mutism: My Treatment and Ongoing Recovery

When it comes to overcoming Selective Mutism, there is no one quick fix. It is not just a case of going to therapy for a few sessions and then you’ll suddenly be able to talk to everyone. Selective Mutism can take years to overcome. I started my treatment at 16, and now at the age …

Selective Mutism: School Refusal

I was a school refuser. It was during a school meeting that I first heard the term, school refusal. At the time, I felt really misunderstood by teachers that this was how my difficulty in going to school due to my Selective Mutism was being described. I thought that they just presumed that I was …