“Outgrowing” Selective Mutism

Selective Mutism doesn’t suddenly expire and disappear the second you become an adult. I mean I wish it did, but it doesn’t. A lot of doctors and just professionals in general, said I would outgrow it- which obviously hasn’t happened and is the reason I’m still in this situation, after like 10/11 years of being diagnosed?

It genuinely isn’t hard to understand the basics of what selective mutism is. It’s just ignorance majority of the time when people don’t understand, unless its the first time you’ve came across it which is understandable. But even then, especially when you’re a professional, it isn’t hard to research it, before or afterwards (beforehand would be appreciated- especially if you already know the name before meeting anyone with it). Literally all mental health problems and majority of physical health problems, it isn’t going to just disappear one day without actual help, so why would SM be any different?

Overcoming SM is possible, and if a child overcomes it early enough, there won’t be any psychological effects. Although overcoming SM later on can still be successful and overcome it completely, there’s less of chance of not having any psychological effects from having SM. So even, if one day, I do overcome SM, I somehow will still be affected by it. It’s going to impact me for all my life, whether I do overcome SM or not.

There needs to be awareness of selective mutism- a lot of it. People with SM shouldn’t have to live with the trauma that SM can, and does cause to them. There’s so, so much ignorance from people- and it isn’t just professionals. its everyone- teachers, doctors, mental health professionals, people in my year, social workers etc.

1 in 150 children.

1 in 1000 teenagers.

1 in 2400 young adults.

Maybe not for me, but for them- Break the silence. Educate yourself and others around you. Stop being ignorant.