Selective Mutism?

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After poking around online, I've realized that I quite possibly have selective mutism. When I'm experiencing any strong emotion, am too nervous, stressed, or overloaded, it becomes increasingly difficult, and even impossible, for me to speak, no matter how hard I try. This, of course, is a huge problem in my everyday life and in trying to find a job I can perform. Does anyone else have any experience with this sort of thing? Any tips for trying to manage it?

I have that too, but it doesn’t usually happen too often in my case. It is hard when people think I am being rude because I am not talking to them, when in reality I just can’t speak. It usually happens after sensory overload for me. Have you tried any alternative methods of communication?

Sometimes it's a situational thing, for me. Stress makes it difficult to function.

Sometimes, with some people, I feel like my mind goes blank. I might really like that person, and really want to say something, and even have a bunch of things planned that I wanted to talk about, and just go blank when I actually have a chance to talk with them. And I'm not sure why that happens with some people and not with others.
Other times, I have a tendency to just run right over people with long monologues. And it's really difficult to keep that tame, and give the other person room to talk. And there's rarely an overlap, if I always go blank with this person, it's really rare to go off on a monologue with them. And if it's a person with whom I tend to get talkative, I rarely go blank with them.
And I really can't pinpoint what it is that brings those things out in me, why I can't stop talking with some people and I can't start with others.
Although I think that some of the best interaction that I've had has been with people who tend to make me mute. I don't run them over, so I may not be able to initiate anything, or even be able to respond sometimes, but with some effort I can answer questions, respond to prompts, give them room to speak and provide me with something to say, something to ask.
Sometimes I just can't get past short answers though. One sentence, maybe only one word. Even if I really, really want to talk to them. Sometimes it gets easier over time. If I see someone regularly for months, I may do a bit better (although I may not, either). I think that a lot of people just don't want to put in that much time, though. And sometimes my lack of response seems to be taken as agreement, when I may really not agree.
It even happens with writing. Sometimes I'll write letters, I may not deliver them, but I'll write down stuff I want to say it want to ask. And if it's to a person that makes me talkative I might write twenty pages. And if it's to a person that makes me mute I might not get one page.
I've had a bit of luck just explaining that I'm affected like that. Offering an apology for either running them over or being unable to respond. Letting them know that I really don't want it to be like that, and I'm working on not being that way, but it's difficult. They seem to appreciate it, and try to work with me a little bit. At least not take it personally then.

I removed a sentence from this statement. I felt like it might have come off as offensive. maybe it really wasn't. Maybe no one noticed.
If anyone did, and was offended. I apologise. I didn't mean to say what I said exactly the way that I said it.
And if this comment seems irrelevant, just disregard it.
Thanks.

I used to have selective mutism, however I don't believe that I can give you any advice on how to handle it.

My issues with mutism were caused by a few things, mainly my mixture of a stammer and a stutter, which made things difficult in terms of communication. No one, except for my sister, could understand a word of what I was saying.

As time went on, I began to speak less and less, to the point where I didn't say anything at school anymore. Nor did I write anything, my confidence in communicating with others was non existent, and I also partly lacked a desire to do so.

That's when I was sent to speech therapy, and I no longer have a stutter, or a stammer. After the therapy, I was confident enough to talk at school.

However, I still had issues with selective hearing, and didn't always understand when I was meant to reply to someone, because I wasn't used to doing so. With time I learnt fairly quickly though.

There are a few reasons as to why someone may develop selective mutism, and for me those reasons were mainly because I didn't feel like talking with my speech issues. Once my speech issues were fixed, I was fine.

Although, even today I have moments of nervousness, such as speaking to unapproachable looking cashiers, attractive strangers, and occasionally other classmates. One time I used a vending machine, just to avoid talking to a cashier in a shop nearby.

Here is a poll I found on another forum: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.autism ... 8/%3famp=1

Here is a blog I found on the topic: http://autistictic.com/2015/06/05/nonverbal-autism/

Here is another personal account:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.autism ... 5/%3famp=1

Here is a Reddit link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit ... _come_out/

I hope these help ! I can look for more, if you want.

I have a great deal of trouble with this phenomenon called selective mutism. I believe it to be a very strong trait of ASD because it exhibits an inability to handle an excess of emotion sort of like how a fluid of some kind gets jammed and can't make it out of a container because it's trying to come out too fast.

I've become emotionally overwhelmed on many occasions and it causes me to clam right up specifically when trying to talk intimately with a girl. Sometimes I can't speak at all. All that emotion about the harshness of my life creates this massive balloon inside my head that I can't seem to get out coherently.

_________________
*** High Functioning Autism - Asperger's Syndrome ***

ADHD, OCD, and PTSD.

Keep calm and stim away.

^^^I like that one dragonsanddemons. It does really explain it well, and I wish more people knew that selective mutism isn’t a choice. Good luck with your parents. I hope it goes well for you!

I read that article recently as well, and liked it. Was trying to explain to this lady I met why it's so hard fore to talk to her, and part of why I'm visibly uncomfortable around her sometimes.
The only thing I can say about keeping calm when I'm stressed and overloaded, and it's not terribly useful. I go through the same process to keep myself from getting angry and fighting. De-escalating myself. Sometimes being pressed in a conversation or an argument that I'm having a hard time handling really brings out the same thing in me. A massive adrenaline wave and something like blood lust. Because I just can't
.. explain myself, or talk even. And I'm not into fighting. I don't do it. Haven't been in a physical altercation in at least 14 years. But the reaction is the same.
It hasn't helped me actually be able to speak but it has kept me from getting out of hand.
I haven't had the explanation of an asd before, though. I didn't know, so I couldn't explain, or convince anyone how difficult things are for me sometimes. Just being able to say that has helped a little bit so far. Although I haven't had to deal with an argument or a confrontation yet.

I describe it as trying to read from a blank sheet of paper- there just aren't the words there. Other times it's like trying to read from a wordsearch puzzle- I know the words are there but they are mixed up with too many thoughts and I pick out the right ones.

I sometimes notice it happens when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Or trying to tell someone about a specific problem I have. But I don't get that so often these days. I also notice it in social situations, but that's not so much a stress thing, I think- so I'm not sure if that counts as non-verbal or just communication difficulties, I don't know what to say or can't get a word in between other people speaking. I remember going out with 2 female friends once and they just kept talking and I got more and more upset because I felt like they weren't letting me speak and then I just felt like I couldn't say anything at all. So I think that one started as communication difficulties, but ended up non-verbal because of feeling overwhelmed.