Does anyone have selective mutism moments?

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It says strictly that selective mutism can't be diagnosed with autism. However, I've heard of cases where some people who are autistic usually have sm moments. So, I wanted to know if this is a possibility that people aren't aware of. Like, basically... you realize that as much as you want to do so, you can't seem to communicate to others... especially when you are able to communicate; if that makes any sense? What I mean is... the words in your head won't reach your mouth as much as you try to speak.

Does anyone struggle with this? What would you call it?

im not sure if it is, but i generally find myself unable to talk around people im not familiar with, you know like strangers or people who inconsistently pop up in my life. but i think its just anxiety really, i can't think of what to say i just have no idea what im supposed to say, worry about saying something stupid or hurtful if i do finally think of something to say. hell i get it with just replying to threads or posts that address me directly

When i was a kid, there were situations where i wanted to say things, but my brain prevented me to, like when a grown up accused me of something, i know i was innocent, but i couldn't get the courage to speak for myself. Or look them in the eye.

Took some crap because of that.

greetings all,

i get what you are saying. i am usually able to talk and carry on a conversation if i am interested. when it becomes more like a lecture from the other party, i shut down. also, if someone is giving advise, asked for or not, i shut down as well. if someone is insensitive or is full of judgement, the same result. i have all the things i want to say on the tip of my tongue, however i resist in saying anything. part of me is hurt and afraid, the other part is, i can get angry and say hurtful things to shove the others away so i don't get hurt anymore.

in my thoughts, my brain prevents me to speak up due to self perseverance. the first thing i do is become silent, then my brain starts racing wondering what i did wrong and then the other party thinks i am ignoring them! it is more that i am trying to process....

with peace,

JanusOne

When im going through a sensory overload and shutdown, talking becomes more difficult, like i can still move my mouth but forming sentences becomes EXTREMELY hard and half the time people cant understand what im trying to say and then i get frustrated and CHOOSE not to speak unless necessary.

If I'm being yelled at/ lectured by my parents, I go mute even if in my mind I'm having a complete conversation back. The most recent example of this was the first car accident with my first car I bought. I ended up going silent and started to tear up and all I could get out was "Just go" to my mom, as she was leaving for work and she didn't want me and my dad to fight when she was gone.

In my head, I was thinking of all my replies to my parents but I couldn't get them out at all. If I'm feeling like my point isn't being heard or validated (like at the doctor's office) then I just nod my head, mumble a yes or no/ don't really say anything else and kinda shut down, and leave. Those are my experiences with it anyways. Unless you count me not saying anything for several hours after I come home from work (and say hi/ small talk with family) cause I'm just drained and tired.

I've read that too, e.g. "Although autistic people may also be selectively mute, they display other behaviors—hand flapping, repetitive behaviors, social isolation even among family members, not always answering to name, for example —that set them apart from a child with selective mutism. Some autistic people may be selectively mute due to anxiety in social situations that they do not fully understand"..................

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective ... escription
I guess that means that although the psychs won't give an ASDer a diagnosis of selective mutism, that doesn't mean we never show behaviour very close to it. Personally I don't see why they insist on making any distinction at all between an ASDer and a non-ASDer who displays selective mutism. And I've seen a diagnostic report that gives a diagnosis of ASD and of GAD "with associated selective mutism." I sometimes wonder if the psychs quite know what they're doing....

Sorry about the split posting, it was the only way to get round the Crapcha Monster.

At school I was very quiet to begin with, but then I'd have days where I would hardly even respond verbally to my friend and when I came home I wouldn't talk to family. If I did say something it apparently came out extremely quiet because people told me to speak up a lot. I tried but to me it took a fair bit of effort and felt as though I was yelling even though people said I was still speaking quietly.

I hadn't had a day like this in a while (I think that's because I've practically been a hermit the last few years) but, this weekend I was around a lot of people multiple days in a row (not fun for me XP) and on Tuesday even if I wanted to say something, I either didn't speak or the person I was speaking to said, "What?" a lot. (Sorry about the run-on sentence XP) I sometimes talk to myself and I couldn't even bring myself to do that much, even if I was alone.

Also, when I was younger, if I was upset I wouldn't talk, just shrug my shoulders at any questions asked. This drove my dad nuts, but I didn't want people to think I was trying to ignore them, so I gave the only response I could.

So, I do not know if its selective mutism or just my brain being its strange self.

I had a very long selective mutism moment throughout primary school.
I still go mute when I am under any kind of stress, which is about 90% of the time.
When I do speak I can have trouble with stuttering, getting words jumbled and forming sentences.
When I'm at home with people I know well, I can usually speak ok.

It feels like my brain is not correctly aligned with my mouth.

I go mute when there's any background noise. I hate raising my voice, and I don't see any point talking if it's getting drowned out. I won't even raise my voice to be heard in the next room. I also won't talk if the other person doesn't seem to be listening - again, there's no point. And if somebody asks me a question and expects me to make a choice, if it doesn't make sense or it seems too complex a decision to make just like that, and I feel like I've been put on the spot, I just don't know what to say so I'll often just shrug. Also, if I'm in the presence of loud people, I'll go mute - again, I refuse to raise my voice and be as domineering as they are - to me, loud people are usually brash and aggressive, and I want nothing to do with that kind of thing. I might raise my voice somewhat if I get angry enough, but not otherwise.

* listens to the question, "Does anyone have selective mutism moments?" *

* simply looks at you silently and grins ... *

lmao, like we can't possibly fully understand ourselves or our anxieties

I am usually selectively mute, but when I find someone who wants to listen to what I have to say, I can talk for hours. Normally, I barely say anything at all.

Yeah, this is me. Also, I've had seizures, and when I get in this apparent "selective mute" episode, I, sometimes, feel like I'm going to seize, faint, or puke. Also, I feel like someone is inside me screaming "Let me out"----pounding on my head, and saying "I gotta get outta here----lemme out"; but, nothin' comes-out except gibberish----or, like what I've heard people who are drunk, or having a stroke, sound like.

I know what I wanna say----it's all in my head----but, it just doesn't come-out----like what Raleigh said, like things aren't all aligned.