Need advice on how to contact my GP.

Post Reply New Topic

Do you use an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device (AAC)?

Many autistic people who are not verbal use them effectively.

I wonder if NHS would cover such a thing.

One time, I was a "sort-of-a-therapist" for a person who had trouble speaking because of a problem with copper absorption. We used his AAC device quite effectivel.

I'd like help with my anxiety, I'm not so bothered about being mute. But right now I'm mostly concerned about my symptoms of psychosis. I was treated for it a long time ago while I was stuck in a rehabilitation clinic, and it hasn't bothered me again until recently.

My muteness is an anxiety issue. It's called Selective Mutism. I haven't always had it, but I've had it for about 10-12 years and it's gotten worse over time. There's three family members I can mostly talk to, and my girlfriend. I can talk to them as long as no-one else is around and I'm not feeling too anxious or upset.

I'll ask about non-traditional therapy. House calls wouldn't be easy. I'd still be terrified and unable to communicate.
I've briefly tried to receive treatment for the muteness but the overall anxiety always got in the way, and it seemed like treating a symptom instead of the overall problem. And not talking never bothered me anyway.

I couldn't type if I knew they were looking at me. Maybe if they were behind it and couldn't see my hands or arms I could, and if the keys didn't make too much noise. Maybe. Using my phone might be easier because it's a touch-screen keyboard and it's small.


I've not heard of AAC devices. I'm looking on Google but I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

Many of them are devices that look sort of like calculators, but are larger.

You type what you want to say, and the machine "says" it for you in a voice of your choice.

I wonder if it's like agoraphobia when I had it. I knew logically that nothing terrible would happen if I left the house, but I kept having so many panic attacks when I would leave home that I began to associate leaving with panic attacks and I just couldn't bring myself to leave the house. It got worse and worse over time and I couldn't do anything about it because it was a mental thing. Maybe your mutism is like that? You know that logically nothing bad will happen if you speak in front of people but you haven't done it in so long and your anxiety about it is so much that you can't make yourself do it anymore. I wasn't able to leave the house until I got some meds for my anxiety. It was xanax that helped me. I had to take it every day, on schedule for a couple years and I could take an extra one occasionally when I needed it for the panic.

While I didn't really WANT to leave the house because by then it was comfortable and I could get along just fine without leaving, after I was able to leave and do things on my own I saw how severely limited I was because of it. Do you think that may be the case with your mutism? Maybe because you have had it so long and there is so much anxiety associated with it that you may feel that it's hopeless to want it to get better, so you try to think it's not that big a deal? I could be wrong, but I thought maybe it could be like that because things were like that for me.

I'm pretty sure that while the mutism isn't that big a deal to you, whatever therapist you find is going to really want to work on that with you because communication is so important. You could end up in a life or death situation and be unable to tell anyone else what was wrong, or something like that. Maybe if they work on the anxiety with you, it will be easier to work on the mutism. Most will probably see that as a big deal.

I do wish you luck and maybe you can find someone who will start therapy with you online like that so you can get comfortable with them. Do you think you could ever get comfortable enough to actually speak to them over time, or does it not work that way? Also, have you tried antianxiety meds like benzodiazapines?

That sounds about right.

I don't know if I could get comfortable enough to talk. I can't imagine that I would..

I tried some anti-anxiety medication once, a long time ago. I can't remember which one, they were blue if that's any indication. I didn't actually take them very often because I tend to just avoid situations where i'd feel anxious, but when I did take them I can't recall them helping. But it was a while ago so I can't really remember very well.

I might send the email tomorrow. You've been very helpful.

I'm glad I've been helpful! I do hope you keep an open mind about the meds and the possibility of successful treatment for the mutism. After a while when you have been dealing with an anxiety induced problem for so long it almost seems impossible that you would ever be over it, so you don't see any reason to hope or try. I've been there with leaving the house. It seemed an impossible goal at the time but now it's not even anything I think about anymore.

The anxiety meds don't instantly make your symptoms go away, but they do relax you enough to let you attempt to try some things that normally put you on the ceiling. It's not like I could take one and then suddenly go to the store alone, etc or anything. It took time for me to get used to feeling a little relaxed, which was a very new feeling to me again at that time. It was only over time, after I saw that the pills really could stop my panic attacks or at least lessen them when they didn't stop them that I was able to start doing something different.

Things may not help the mutism and the anxiety, or may not help it that much, but hoping that you get some relief isn't a bad thing. I do wish you lots of luck.

Agoraphobic?

You could email and ask if the doctor will make a house call. Some will for elderly patients etc, so why not for someone who can't make it to the office? Might be worth asking..

You don't need a TTY. You can use your smatrphone and dial the number everyone else uses. I found this:
http://ngts.org.uk/?video=true#video
It may be helpful in the future.

I made an appointment by NRS, then used my iPad to communicate with my psychologist. I typed the main issues I wanted to address before I went. He would read them and answer. Once I explained my issues, he said I didn't have to look at him which took a lot of the pressure off. I mostly sat on the floor and he sat at right angles to me.
After a half dozen visits I was mostly speaking my answers.

Oh my goodness! That's really great!

I think I'd still be too scared to use it for the moment, but I think it's a good next step to use this. Thank you!

Have you ever used it for calling a business? I've recently had need of something like this when dealing with customer service.. But I wonder, would they take it seriously hearing a robot voice?

EDIT: Oh wait a minute.. relay assistant. Is there a real person talking for me?

Yes, there's typically a real person. My deaf friends use TTY Relay service to call businesses sometimes & I've received a call or two over the years. It's a real person reading what you type, then typing what you say in response back to the deaf/typing person.

How often does it work for you? I just tried calling them to make a 'TextNumber' twice and they said they didn't have any assistants available.

I've never used it, only seen my deaf friends use it and have received a couple of calls over the years. I don't know what the service availability is like.

I've used it many times to call businesses. It is a real live person who speaks for you, not a robot. You can also have them text back to you instead of speaking if that freaks you out.

I make my calls via the Internet. I log on to the NRS and enter the number. You wait a little while and a relay officer will answer via text. At the end they type GA which means go ahead and it's your turn to text. You type GA at the end of what you want to say also. At the end of the conversation you type SK which means stop keying. Most calls made this way are successful, but occasionally they will disconnect. Sometimes you need to try a few times before you get a RO.
This is how it's done here. Of course, I don't know about the UK.

I sent the email on Friday and got a reply today. They said they've forwarded the message to the doctor for her to decide what to do, but it isn't standard for them to carry out email consultations. This doesn't look promising.

Oh. Maybe if your doctor won't conduct email consultations, she may know of other methods to get you some help. Don't give up.