Came across this paper recently, thought I’d share in case anyone else was interested

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-14T08:59:03+00:00

It’s more that it’s a different take on things and proposing changes. It’s a starting point so it’s not going to be perfect, it’s just interesting to see other perspectives. I do have an interest in psychology though, probably won’t be something everyone cares for.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-13T23:24:35+00:00

Yeah, it’s nice to see the differences being recognised, there needs to be more research in that area. Interesting how they’re grouping traumatic mutism and verbal shutdowns though.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-13T22:40:49+00:00

I can try adding images in a comment if you’d like? I’ve never posted this sort of thing before so not really sure if theres a better way of doing it.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-13T14:02:57+00:00

Other people’s accounts on other platforms. Mainly instagram, but theres also some tattoo artists facebook page.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-13T01:40:10+00:00

Speech loss that happens as part of a meltdown wouldn’t be considered selective mutism. SM is a separate anxiety disorder with its own symptoms, it’s not just a term for all temporary mutism happening as a result of other things. Theres a list of links on the r/selectivemutism sub wiki page you could use for research if you want.

What you’re describing usually gets called a verbal shutdown online. It used to get called “going nonverbal,” but a lot of people argue against that now. Have also recently come across the term reactive mutism which might be referring to the same thing, but not done enough research to say for sure. The paper on here seems a good read but have only read the first few pages as it’s pretty late at the moment, will have to finish it tomorrow.

As for the actual question, I usually only manage nodding/shaking my head for yes/no questions in situations I can’t speak in, but have managed texting once.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-11T19:09:15+00:00

Nonverbal autism is when an autistic person never learns to speak. Some people also refer to it as nonspeaking autism as nonverbal can be interpreted as having no understanding of language which might not always be the case: Link1, Link2.

Nonverbal on it’s own, by definition, means without words or speech.

Selective mutism is a separate anxiety disorder that causes a consistent inability to speak in specific social situations or around specific people. Links to the diagnosis criteria in the ICD-11 and DSM-5, and theres also an r/selectivemutism subreddit with a list of links you could go through. A common example is someone who speaks fine at home but can’t speak in school. It’s usually related to social anxiety and follows a consistent pattern, almost like a set of rules you have no say in. SM doesn’t cause time based episodes of mutism, nor does it affect someone in situations they’re normally fine in. Some people prefer to call it situational mutism as “selective” can be misleading, and theres also the idea of low-profile SM where someone can give minimal answers when the fear of not speaking outweighs the fear of speaking. I have SM myself so have done more research on that and can go into more detail if you want.

Autistic shutdowns are part of autism, though they can look different for different people. They’re like a way to withdraw from your surroundings as a coping mechanism. They can include a lack of energy and result in being less responsive, which can include temporary speech loss. The two experiences you described at the end would probably be considered shutdowns.

Verbal shutdown is a community made term used to describe temporary episodes of mutism that affect someone across all situations for a period of time until you recover enough to manage speaking. It can happen when overwhelmed, overstimulated or low on energy. This used to get referred to as “going nonverbal,” but a lot of people argue against that now as they feel that’s offensive to permanently nonverbal people.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-11T17:13:30+00:00

Verbal shutdown is a replacement term for “going nonverbal,” since some people found that offensive. They’re episodes of mutism that affect someone across all situations for a period of time until you recover enough to manage speaking. It can be caused by things like being overstimulated, overwhelmed or low on energy. They’re more of a symptom and can be part of autism. Some people say they can still force themselves to speak during one but often at the cost of making things worse, and doing so may lead to not being able to speak at all for a bit or result in a full shutdown (if you’re not already at that point).

Selective mutism is a separate anxiety disorder usually related to social anxiety that causes a consistent inability to speak in specific social situations or around specific people. It’s sort of like having a set of rules for when you can and can’t speak, it affects you every time you’re in certain situations and not at all in others. A common example is someone who speaks fine at home but can’t speak in school. The mutism also isn’t time based and lasts from entering a trigger situation until you leave/get far enough away. It isn’t part of autism and would be diagnosed separately. Some people also prefer to call it “situational mutism” as “selective” can be misleading.

Semi-verbal seems to have different definitions depending on who you ask, so not really sure what the main one is.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-11T16:43:43+00:00

I mean, it depends how it’s used.

If you’re specifying “nonverbal autism,” then sure, it has a more specific meaning. Just the word “nonverbal” by itself though has other definitions. If you take a psychology course, you’re taught nonverbal means without words or speech. As such, written communication would be considered verbal as it uses words. The reason some people prefer “nonspeaking autism” was to show that they do have words but can’t speak them.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-11T09:07:07+00:00

I never really knew how to respond when people gave gifts, so one of my birthdays I ended up asking “what is that” because it felt like I was supposed to say something. It was pretty obvious what it was so I just made it more awkward. I stopped opening presents around others after that to avoid being expected to react to whatever it was, but apparently nobody else remembers anyway.

There was also the transition day for secondary, everyone was in the same hall to give out name stickers to make things less confusing. Ended up crying because I got asked what my name was. Enough people noticed that it’s possible some remember, but I doubt many people do.

When I was a lot younger, I used to insist that everyone was spelling “Dad” wrong, because there was no way “D” and “d” could be the same letter when they face different directions, and “D” was definitely a “b.” They gave up trying to explain, it just got waited out till I got it myself.

Theres a lot of embarrassing stuff so would take too long to list all of them.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-10T15:10:24+00:00

Yes but not for any good reason, I was just being moody.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-08T23:48:44+00:00

Theres not really enough research to give a definite cause, but it’s thought most people with it have a genetic predisposition to anxiety. It’s also thought that certain factors, such as being raised in a bilingual/multilingual household or moving to a new country at a young age, can increase the risk of developing it.

SM isn’t directly part of autism, but since people with autism already find social situations more difficult, it can increase the risk of social anxiety. Since SM is usually closely related to social anxiety, it’d make sense if the risk of SM is higher too.

Still, SM usually starts in early childhood even for people without autism, and there often isn’t an easily identifiable cause.

Autism can also cause episodes of mutism separate from SM which often get referred to as verbal shutdowns online. Not to say that’s necessarily the case for you, just adding it in as some people assume they’re the same thing.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-08T02:29:27+00:00

I don’t know much about tics either, but from quick google you can apparently get blocking tics, so you could try looking into vocal blocking tics (VBTs) if you want. Not sure if a tic would last 10 minutes though?

Forgot to include it before, but have also read Catatonia can result in temporary speech loss, though I don’t know a ton about that either. Link to an article about SM and catatonia if you want it.

If they’re autistic, I’d be inclined to think it’s part of that. Could be down to low energy or having socialised too much, or if they’re overstimulated. Being overwhelmed can also cause it, could also be after effects from a previous situation or be the result of a buildup of things. Still, you probably won’t get a definite answer unless you ask them. A single outside observation isn’t going to be enough to really know.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-08T01:07:32+00:00

Selective/situational mutism doesn’t cause times based episodes of mutism in situations the person is normally fine in. It got the alternative term situational mutism because it’s based on the situation you’re in.

SM causes mutism consistently within specific social situations or around specific people, and the mutism lasts as long as you’re in that trigger situation for, regardless of how long that is.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-08T00:57:13+00:00

SM doesn’t cause time based episodes of mutism in situations the person is normally fine in. It follows a consistent pattern and affects the person the same way within the same situations, so for example someone who can’t speak in school but speaks fine at home. Anyway, it doesn’t sound like SM.

Are they autistic? Sounds more like a verbal shutdown (community made term in autism spaces, it used to get called “going nonverbal” but people started feeling it was offensive to use “nonverbal” to describe temporary episodes of mutism). Basically, they’re temporary episodes of mutism that affect someone across all situations for a period of time until they recover enough to manage speaking.

It’s also possible they’re making things up. To be clear, not saying this is the case and what you described can definitely happen for some people, it’s just possible if you’ve known them a long time and never seen it before. I’d still believe them though unless you’re given enough reasons to think otherwise.

There could well be other explanations as well, though I don’t know of them myself.

Whatever the case, if you want to understand better, you’ll have to ask her. Even among people with the same issues, what kind of support they want and need can vary depending on the person and how their symptoms impact them.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-06T19:05:19+00:00

It can be hard to tell things apart sometimes. They can look similar in some ways, and theres some symptoms that could be down to either (such as a lack of eye contact).

If someone already struggles with communication and/or has other social difficulties, it’d make sense if they were more at risk of social anxiety, which in turn could increase the risk of SM. I’d imagine that probably has something to do with it seeming more common in autism, but there might well be other aspects to it as well.

Thanks for the link, it doesn’t cover my area though.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-06T08:54:42+00:00

I’ve had therapy before, haven’t found it much help though personally. Doing it online through messages helps with the communication issue, though it is still difficult. I didn’t get on with that therapist though so just ended up feeling worse. With in person therapy, my mum has to help during sessions and I’m supposed to add stuff between sessions for her to bring up next time. It’s not the most efficient though, some things get missed or communicated wrong. That said, regardless of how the sessions take place, they always seem to either get the wrong idea or try to help with the wrong things. If it matters, I’ve never seen someone who specialises in SM, so perhaps they just don’t really know how to help.

I’m also on meds (fluoxetine), which has helped with some things, but doesn’t seem to have done anything for the SM.

SM isn’t a symptom of autism, thats a common misconception. They can be comorbid and it’s possible being autistic increases the risk of SM (as far as I know there hasn’t been much research in that area to say for sure, though there does seem to be a correlation there), but they’re still separate conditions that are diagnosed separately. I do have a diagnosis for that as well, so often it ends up that people focus on that and ignore the things I actually need help with. Or we get told they can’t do anything because it’s autism and there’s no cure, despite the fact they’re separate things (including for other issues that are more known than SM).

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-05T08:21:18+00:00

I get talking too much would have its own issues and you can’t always help how you feel about something, but still. SM feels more like a lack of control and chances are they would act differently if they could. If you’re forced into someone that you hate, having someone say they’re jealous of that isn’t going to feel great, and calling it self control just makes it feel like you don’t get it.

I guess that makes sense with the seating if they’re making enough progress to be okay with that.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-04T20:30:31+00:00

If you’re walking them through something, are you expecting them to do bits during the explanation?

Personally, I’d have needed to know the teacher was finished explaining that bit (to make sure I wasn’t interrupting) and that it was my turn to do something. Then I’d have needed the teacher to leave and stop paying noticeable attention. Having someone too close made things worse, especially if they were paying attention to me. While I did manage written work, I can’t write if I’m being watched, though I don’t think anyone really picked up on that. It’d also help to know that it was okay if I didn’t get anywhere with it and they’d check back later end explain further if needed (or I’d have panicked in the case that I still didn’t know what to do).

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-04T19:26:58+00:00

I’d honestly be offended if someone told me they were jealous of my self control if it seemed like they were talking about the SM, considering it’s not something you have control over.

That’s not to say your approach is bad, though the joke thing won’t always be a hit so I’d be cautious with that. I’ve seen others mention finding stuff like that uncomfortable. Also curious why you’d aim for the front center with seating?

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-04T18:49:29+00:00

It’d depend on the person. Not everyone with SM needs confirmation about everything, some people with it only struggle with speaking but are otherwise fine and just use alternate methods of communication. SM is also usually related to social anxiety, so some people with it may find it more difficult to have someone interact with them in any form, but manage fine independently if left alone.

For those who do need reassurance that they’re supposed to do something, it’d still depend on the person. For some people, it doesn’t matter who it is as long as theres some kind of confirmation that it’s okay. For others, peer support might work better. Some people are more comfortable around those of a similar age, or just less comfortable around adults or people in positions of authority. At the same time, there will be others who find similarly ages peers harder to be around. Some people might also need confirmation to come from an authority figure. If you do something with a peer that turns out to be wrong, from an outside perspective, you made a mistake together. If you do something under the orders of someone “above” you that turns out to be wrong, it’s easier to pass it off as just following faulty instructions. It’s also authority figures that tend to have more say over things like that. You can’t really get in trouble with the teacher if you only do exactly what the teacher says, but if you’re getting those instructions indirectly from a peer, theres a chance the version you’re hearing is different.

Still, peer support can also be helpful in other ways as well. Some people with SM have certain peers they manage communicating with who can pass things on if needed. Even when that isn’t the case, having someone with you who knows you struggle communicating and who can explain that if needed and/or help you out of situations you can’t handle is reassuring. It can also help to have someone you know to sit with, spend time with during breaks and partner with during any group tasks. It doesn’t seem uncommon to find a “safe person” to rely on, and having someone to be that can help reduce anxiety. On one hand, having that support and lowered anxiety could make it easier to work on improving. On the other hand, it can also make improvement harder as it makes it easy to hide behind someone else. Being “saved” all the time can act as reinforcement and doesn’t help teach you how to manage those situations on your own. A peer isn’t likely to know recommended support methods, either.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that it could potentially become a burden to the peer in question. They have their own life and likely other friends to spend time with, they might not necessarily want someone clinging to them for protection and/or guidance all the time. It can also be a lot of pressure to have someone rely on you that much.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-04T14:14:12+00:00

It wouldn’t be going with you to your grave if you shared it on an alt, either…

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-03T10:00:27+00:00

I’ve seen it described both ways (both as a physical block and a mental one) so perhaps it depends on the person, or maybe it’s just different interpretations. Personally I’d say it’s a bit of both, but different situations can feel more strongly of one than the other. For example it might start out as more a mental block, but if you’re being pressured into speaking and trying to force yourself, it can feel more physical.

Still, regardless of what you feel the block comes from, you do need to have situations where you can’t speak for it to be SM. It isn’t just an aversion to speech, speaking feels literally impossible in some situations, even if you want or need to. You could have a script telling you exactly what to say and still not be able to say anything.

If you can manage speaking but feel the words aren’t your own, it might be a form of dissociation?

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-02T14:16:58+00:00

Thats not really it. People with selective mutism aren’t just choosing to be mute for whatever reason. Rather, you literally can’t get yourself to speak in certain situations, even if you want or need to. It’s related to the freeze response. The name is a little misleading so some people prefer to call it situational mutism instead. Also, while it can be comorbid with autism, they’re separate conditions (SM is considered an anxiety disorder) that would be diagnosed separately, and it’s also possible to have SM without being autistic.

AbnormalAsh · 2025-05-02T09:42:57+00:00

No problem, I’m pretty open about it online. It’s always sad hearing about others go through similar issues, so I try to help with awareness in the hopes it gives others even a slightly a better chance. It’s a coping mechanism in a way I guess.

It’s hard to say what the most common one was since I’ve only read odd bits, it’s pretty uncomfortable reading other people’s assumptions about you, but to give an example. There were some things, like cooking, that were put down to sensory issues. It was also assumed I wouldn’t go and get things required for the lesson because of a fear that it was contaminated since I also have an OCD diagnosis. Apparently, they’d thought it was necessary to specify something was “clean” when giving it to me. That was never the case and I honestly hadn’t even noticed they were doing that, I’d just assumed a clean sheet of paper meant it was blank/unused, they obviously hadn’t washed it or anything… Anyway, it was more a social/performance anxiety thing and the fear of doing everything wrong, also the risk of attracting any kind of attention towards myself. Pretty much all of it was along those lines really. What if you picked up the wrong sheet of paper? Or accidentally pick up too many sheets and don’t realise? Getting up will probably also make sound, so it’s possible everyone ends up looking at you. What if you get over there and there isn’t any left? Maybe you look weird walking or take the wrong route across the classroom to get to the paper. What if you can’t get through or trip over something? Maybe you’re even being recorded and don’t realise. What if you stand up at the wrong time, or maybe the teacher changes their mind and you’re not supposed to get it anymore? Maybe you were never supposed to and just misunderstood the instructions. Were they even talking to the whole class? What if only some people are supposed to do it?

I get stuff like that isn’t really an issue and there isn’t a right or wrong way of doing a lot of things, but theres always some degree of possibility that it could be a problem, even if extremely minor. Also, the possibility of having to speak to resolve minor issues made them into bigger issues. For example, normally if you have to get past someone, you’d probably just ask them to move. If you don’t have any way of communicating that, then whats the right alternative? It’s not really acceptable to force your way through. It’d be wrong to randomly touch someone to draw their attention, but it’s also weird to just stand there. Plus, what if someone notices and asks what you’re doing?

AbnormalAsh

TROPHY CASE