Why do I go mute when I'm anxious?
Selective mutism may begin as a coping mechanism for anxiety and other distress, but experts have yet to identify a clear cause. Factors that may play a part include: having another anxiety condition, like separation anxiety or social anxiety. experiencing physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.
What does being mute feel like?
Besides lack of speech, other common behaviors and characteristics displayed by selectively mute people, according to Elisa Shipon-Blum's findings, include: Shyness, social anxiety, fear of social embarrassment or social isolation and withdrawal. Difficulty maintaining eye contact.
What causes a person to be mute?
Mutism can be a tricky diagnosis to make. Sometimes the culprit is purely physical: damage to the brain and/or speech muscles can leave a person mute. Sometimes the culprit appears to be emotional or mental. Other times, you'll run into some combination of the two.
Why does trauma make people mute?
Mutism is a way for the child to avoid the anxious feeling of being in that social situation. In contrast, traumatic mutism occurs when a child develops mutism in all situations because of a trauma experienced, like when the child was physically abused or witnessed an accident.