Stuck In Mute [short film about selective mutism] 

Least helpful group therapist ever

The Amount Of Things, Even Friends Have Said To Me “OMG yOu cAn tAlK” “yOu sPeAk????” My Friend Just Last Week: “Will You Ever Speak To Me Again...? Like One Word..? I Heard You Once And It Was Like a Mumble. Please Just One Word..” It Makes Me Feel So Bad

Saying “just talk” to someone with sm is like saying “just walk” to someone in a wheelchair

My friend has this, and I don’t think people realize how hard it is for them. It took her about four years to talk to me when I first started to try and talk to her, but I’m glad I persisted. She still has trouble communicating her feelings and opinions, and if she’d doesn’t have what she’s going to say planned to teachers or shop keepers, etc., she gets very uncomfortable. I know people find her rude or ignorant, but so little people know about these anxiety disorders and they can’t bare to be patient because it doesn’t suit them.

"Just say something" Aight mate, it aint that easy Edit 2 years later: I've managed to get over it and speak normally again, I still have issues and phases where I can't get a word out (mostly stressful situations or arguments) but it has gotten WAY, WAY better. If you're someone struggling with this, trust me, it does get better. Don't give up.

Can we have an actual TV series with these two as the main characters

I had teachers ridicule me thinking I was being defiant but I literally could not speak due to the extreme anxiety of speaking in uncomfortable environments. Other kids had a lot of fun at my expense. Boys would scream in my ears louder and louder and joke that maybe I was deaf. I was always being tested for deafness. I was always being pressured to speak and when I couldn’t I’d be treated like I was a lost cause. I have gradually outgrown this...but not 100%. And even though I can speak with people now, I am hiding panic as I do it. Sometimes I’m fine and sometimes I’m not. It’s strange.

So many people have bullied me because of my SM. Like, people at school would say "Hi" because they knew I wouldn't say anything back. And then they'd say shit like "Don't you know that you have to respond when someone says hi?" And after that someone else says "She doesn't know how to talk". So annoying!

I have selective mutism but I only talk when I feel the most comfortable. For example, at school i can’t talk because I don’t feel comfortable and have an anxiety attack. If I’m alone with someone and I feel comfortable then I will sprout a few words out. At home I do the same thing. I feel comfortable with my mom, but not my stepdad.

I'm an adult who "still" has a lot of trouble speaking. Thanks so much for this video, it's beautifully made and looks totally professional. The actors and actresses were phenomenal. I hope this gets a lot more attention and the love it deserves.

I used to love talking to new people. Making friends. But now it just hurts knowing I'll never be the same and that I can't speak to my own family as much as I used too.

this made me cry, i’m just realising I have this and it’s so hard no one understands me

I only just found by means of this video what selective mutism is, so I can't even pretend to understand it. However, those of you who are selectively mute, you are so brave. I cannot even imagine how difficult it must be, so all I can do is say (and honestly mean) that you all are incredible, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

I'd always have classmates at school talking to me as if I was about five. "Can you say this? Try saying this! Repeat after me!" It was so frustrating. And the teachers were no help either; picking on me in class to answer questions I didn't put my hand up for, and getting me to go to other classes to deliver messages to teachers, because they thought it might "help me out of my shell". 😡 In year 11, I had an English teacher who, after I said "here" when he called my name in the register, proceeded to make fun of my voice for the next ten minutes in front of the whole class. He made fun of one of my biggest insecurities and destroyed my confidence just for a few cheap laughs. It's been about ten years since I've left school now, and I'm glad that selective mutism is getting more awareness now.

Ever since i was 4 years old, i had a rare anxiety disorder called 'selective mutism'. Selective Mutism is where i can't speak in social situations. I find it very hard to talk to someone. My heart would race when someone speaks to me. My mom took notice of it. She had to bring me to a specialist. I don't really remember much of this. Then i was diagnosed, my day-care teachers would tease me. Making me scared and lonely. As soon as i got in elementary.. UGH! it was terrible. I remember Kindergarten. There was this mean girl who had a friend with her, they would pick on me and making the other kids pick on me, they would hurt me, pull my hair, call me bad names, harassing me, the teacher just ignored. I was bullied since head-start. I'm now in highschool, and boy.. shit has gotten worse. Everyone. Like. Literally everyone bullies me now, i can't handle this. I feel like I'm full of rage and can't get it out. I'm scared of losing control of myself so i simply took deep breaths. Walking in school. People staring at me.. like I'm a weirdo, i try to hold my tears, i didn't have any friends, my mom supported me, my dad also supports me as well. I hope things will get better for me cuz i don't wanna fall into deep depression. This is my actual story. If you're going through the same thing what I'm going through. Please. You're not alone, I'm always with you. I love you! 💌

Every time I speak I mess up. I can’t do this I can’t talk anymore.

I thought I was the only person in the world who didn’t want to speak just because I was afraid. It looks like I’m not alone! People often ask me these things: Do you talk at all? Do you talk at home? Do you talk to your parents? I’m gonna catch you talking one day! (This makes me even more uncomfortable) Did you just talk? Why don’t you talk?

I had it from 5 to 16, during the time I was in public school. My parents were too stubborn to believe the teachers about my problem, so I was never diagnosed... I convinced my parents to homeschool me by the time I got to high school and my daily fears were finally at peace. Although, I was isolated in my house during my high school years and that's when family-issues arose. I had no job, no car, and no friends, so I was pretty much trapped in my hole. I had a mental breakdown soon afterwards from all the emotions I had bottled up inside. My anxiety levels were to the point of insanity and I suffered hallucinations, had irregular sleeping patterns, and felt emptyness inside. I literally felt dead inside during that time; it's the worst and scariest feeling you could ever experience. I overcame all those issues on my own overtime and I manged to get a job, a car, and progressed from mutisim to basic social anxiety. I can talk to people awkwardly when spoken too, but it's still scary for me to start a conversation. When I was a kid, I really didn't believe I would get this far in life, as if I would die before I became an adult. That's pretty sad, isn't it?

I've had SM all my life and over the years it's gotten worse. I'm 12 and it's never been as horrible as it is now. The only people I can speak around are my mom and my childhood friends. I can barely talk to my dad. My mom is trying so hard to help me and I see she's getting frustrated. No one at school talks to me and everyone hates me because I don't talk. I often get things like "can you talk?" And "are you deaf?" And it's so, so exasperating. I hate all my classes and I just want to be done with school. But most of all I just want to get better. One time at school I said one thing to a girl I was working with and everyone stared at me in shock and she took it more casually, and just complimented my voice. That's how people should treat people with this disorder. We're not objects. We're human beings, no matter how quiet we may be.

I have selective mutism. It sucks because people assume I’m being rude but I just have nothing to say, and when I do, I don’t say it because I’m afraid to sound stupid or mess up on what I’m saying. I need someone. I need help, but I do not know who to go. I don’t know how to stop my behaviour.

The girl with the headphones is really pretty in my opinion.

I had selective mutism from 3 to 14, it got kind of better but I'm 18 now and slipping back into just this inability to speak.

I recently wrote a song about growing up with SM and shared it publically. It was the first time in all my life I had ever willingly shown myself using my voice to the world. And in the video, I shared this short film - Stuck in Mute. I shared this film because this was the first time I had ever seen someone like me portrayed anywhere in media. Finally, there was an *adult* struggling with SM. And not someone who was magically able to speak after being forced to enough or after finding a friend. No, this was someone who genuinely struggled with anxiety, who seemed lonely and isolated from the world, who genuinely wasn't able to communicate. As someone who has lived all my life in complete social isolation, unable to talk to or communicate with almost anyone, this is the closest portrayal to SM I have ever seen. I wish I had seen this film when I was younger. It would have given me hope. Hope that I had never had because I had never seen or heard of known of anyone like myself. I absolutely loved this film. I loved the little touches that were added. I loved the relationship between Robin and Gavin. I loved how Robin didn't need to talk to be able to help Gavin and form a friendship with him. I loved that there was an adult with SM. I loved that there was finally a portrayal of SM in the media that I felt reflected our own experiences. Thank you so much for making this film. It absolutely deserves to be seen.

Bruh that therapist. “Just speak” I bet she says to blind people “just see”

I recognise my younger self in that young boy. I didn't speak up until I was 9-10 years old and I got bullied for it. I still go mute sometimes when I am down but I have more control over it now. I am shedding tears because I finally understand that more people have/had this problem and that I was not a 'weirdo'. Thank you for this short film, it truly means a lot to me.

I don’t have SM, but I have ASD and Social Anxiety. Being forced to do things are the worst. I’m usually quiet though. I want to meet a person with SM, even if they won’t talk to me.

This therapist is the most inpatient person I’ve ever met

Home used to be the place where I expressed myself more than outside like at school. Now I find it awkward even around family at nineteen. Like the only place I can speak freely is in my dreams now

My best friend has this and it kills me because it’s hard! Very very hard because u don’t want to make them uncomfortable or nervous it’s not easy to not get mad at them but I’m nice and I absolutely love her to me she is normal as any other girl but so much better! Her smile it makes my day :)

I'm shy and whenever I am in a public place I always put my head down. Even my relatives... cause I have Selective Mutism too..

My father tried to kill me because I couldn’t speak. He was driving fast down a busy highway & looking at me, he steered the car towards the retaining wall. I did not speak but I did grab the steering wheel and keep us on the road. That was when I was 12-15. Now I’m 58 & just a couple of days ago my “best friend” made fun of my inability to speak. It was very cruel & I could say nothing. Therapy would still be welcome, even if very late, since I’ve endured sooooooooooo much trauma I’m reduced to staying in bed, in the dark, by myself. It’s very nice though, compared to the teartment my “friend” has put me through these last couple of years. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

I’ve been struggling with SM my whole life, I’m 15 now. I’ve been diagnosed with severe social anxiety already but only just been told that I have Selective Mutism. This film was so impactful and made me cry ❤️

oh my god, this made me cry so hard. my brother has selective mutism and he gets in trouble for not talking and I just want him to try to open up a bit but its so hard for him and it makes me so sad and this really opened my eyes to other people like him and how unfair it is that they're not given a chance to overcome the anxiety because of the stigma and the high expectations

He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out. He's chokin', how, everybody's jokin' now The clocks run out, times up, over, blaow This is a part of lose yourself from Eminem and this is like how I feel I want to talk but I can’t It just gets stuck in my throat

Plot twist: Mutes are only comfortable talking to other mutes

I have selective mutism also, I only talk to my grandma, mom, and my dad, i want to speak so much, but I just cant, im in 6th grade, 11 years old, everyone makes fun of me but somehow I have a whole lot of friends, I love love love math, for some reason I feel like school is my safe place, ive had perfect attendance for 4 years in a row, on my 5th, p.s I live in georgia

What people say to me: Can you speak Just whisper it in my ear Why can’t you talk Please talk just one word What people say to others about me: She can’t talk Don’t bother trying to get her to speak She won’t I bet you

i just found out what selective mutism is and found this video while searching stuff up about it and HOLY SHIT this video is so good. im a teenager and i think i might have selective mutism. i’m always silent and hardly talk, not even to my family. when i do talk, it’s usually me responding with “yes” or “no”. i noticed that when people ask me questions or try to talk to me i feel stressed and then “freeze”. it feels like my mouth is stuck because there are so many thoughts in my head and i don’t know how to express it into words. i think the worst part about this is that my problem is basically invisible so i feel like people just assume i’m rude and not trying. this video made me feel seen and made me realize i’m not alone. i can relate so much to the girl in the film and it honestly made me tear up. i hope that i can get help soon. thank u for this. also, wishing everyone with sm lots of love! you’re doing great, don’t give up. it may take some time to be comfortable with who you are and to reach for help, but everything will be okay.

It breaks my heart every time I have to explain to someone that my 8 year old son suffers from selective mutism and adhd, they just look at him like he doesn't belong😔 people need to educate themselves about mental illness.

I freeze up like that too when people ask me a question. like there's a bunch of things I want to say but there's always something holding me back. it's hurtful when people ask me certain things. like why can't I be normal

2:12 "just talk to someone" Wow you just solved all the problems

I'm feeling really choked up watching this and remembering when I was selectively mute. It really puts you in a box and is actually physically painful sometimes trying to speak but not being able to. These comments are also really supportive as well. It's good to see so many allies, even though some people don't understand much about it but are still willing to help - I wish I had more of that myself when I struggled with this disorder. And to all those people out there who are still struggling, just know that it gets easier, and the first words are always going to be the hardest. The journey to being 'normal' is long and very VERY hard, but don't ever stop trying to fight this disorder and don't let it control you!

I was born whit Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety I you have any of that, you will relate this... (Selective Mutism) "He's/She's just shy!" "Why don't you talk?" "Why do you just talk to your friends/family and not whit us?" "Spend more time whit people!!"

I’m a licensed therapist in California and I have successfully worked with teens and children suffering with this condition. Pathologizing the condition only makes it worse, but in our society we lack the ability to let things be without labels or trying to put people in boxes. Love this video :) I’m there are others here who are able to express themselves about their experiences without judgement or expectations.

My daughter was born with SM. She's 3 yrs old. She is the most sweetest and loving little girl. My daughter has her friends in preschool. She gravitates towards the "busy kids" as the teacher would say. I love to see her at least in a group. Even tho she's doing her own thing but she's still amongst people. I'm so proud of her. She's the bravest person I know.

As a selective mute myself I must say, phones are VERY useful lol. If I wanna tell somebody something I’ll just hop onto my phone and text it to them. It’s great 👍

Things people say to me OMG YOU CAN SPEAK WAIT OMG YOU UNDERSTAND ME c-a-n y-o-u u-n-d-e-r-s-t-a-d m-e Are you deaf Do you have a voice

i love this. i have SM and i dont think people actually understand how hard it actually is. i get comments all the time being like "are you mute" "can u even speak (language)", "you dont speak much, do u?." "can you say _____" "ive never heard you speak" "cats got ur tongue?" "shes just a little shy." like no im not just a little shy. its the feeling of not being able to speak. the anxiety that just rives up my body whenever someone speaks to me or asks me a question. and then im called non-social, ignorant and no manners. i dont control it. my whole life ive grown up with only being able to talk with close family and friends. whenever i wanted to ask for example a teacher smth i always asked my friends if they could do it. and whenever i ask someone if they can for example ask their parents for the wifi pass and the tell me to do it myself.. like no. id rather not have any wifi than literally stare into their parents eyes like a dumb freak cause no words are coming out of my mouth. when i moved and changed schools i was all alone for so long cause i couldnt talk to anyone. "why dont you try making some friends?" i would if i was able to. but after like half a year of going in that school a girl approached me and now im in the best friend group ever. next time you ever see someone whos probably dealing with the same thing be patient. dont rush them. dont tell them to speak. dont say you cant hear them. dont ask them to say something. you can sometimes hand them a paper and a pen for them to write with. but just dont make them feel like theyre not worth anything and theyre just a mistake because their not able to speak as easily as some others can. and dont try making it into something to joke about. cause it certainly isnt.

I only 10 years old it's hard having selective mutism it's hard to do work my parents push me a lot to go to school part of it is my voice pretty high I broke my bone ones at school and didn't tell anyone...

They should make a tv series with these two as main characters.

that group therapist clearly doesn't have a clue what selective mutism is or how to help 💀

For me, Selective Mutism comes with the side effect of "I can't move", also that therapist was the worst person in this whole thing

Robin is just like me, I dont talk at all, and i always hide in my own world with my headphones on, that is the only thing keeping me from getting a panicattack.

Its so hard 😭. I went 8+years with this. Constantly exposed and i couldnt do it. I didnt learn much at school. I was not exposed safely to deal with this its too overwhelming. I literally lost my childhood and suffer till today.

I've got it, had it since first day of preschool. This film is kinda corny for my taste but I'm ecstatic to have been able to finally connect with a character on a movie because it never happened before. THANK YOU!!! for posting this awesome video.

Wow this really hits home I keep watching this over and over again and I don't feel so alone!

Preschool - 11th grade (most of 12th too) I've had selective mutism, which has gotten better since I graduated highschool earlier this year, but the one thing I can say to someone who doesn't understand it or who hasn't heard of it is: Be down to earth with people who have selective mutism. Treating them like they're normal people is the best thing you can do to make them comfortable enough around you. My first friends would include me in conversations even if I didn't say anything and my favorite teacher was amazing because he was chill and acted like I was a normal kid too. He didn't care that I felt I couldn't talk and was fine reading what I wrote down to say. :)

I have selective mutism, it's honestly so much harder than it looks. I have gotten better, but I used to be to scared to blink. People need to learn more about this. It's not our fault we don't speak

I have selective mutism, at least im 99% sure i do. I don't talk in school or even with family, I have only ever talked to my parents but they believe I am just shy and they tell me that even if I do have it that it doesn't matter and I should just talk to people and I'm overreacting. I don't know what to do, I don't have any friends in school and I just moved to another state 2 years ago so I don't have any family out here and the little friends i did have are all gone. I am 13, I wish I could speak to people but no matter how hard I try I freeze up and whenever I get a word out I feel like I made everything awkward and never talk to them again since I'm embarrassed and feel like I messed everything up. Because everyone believes I'm just shy they tell me I'm being rude by not answering and I need to stop pretending. I want to get counseling but I'm to scared to tell a counselor about it and my parents don't have enough money for my old counselor that I was already used to. I don't have anyone to talk to except my parents and my siblings don't even know how to speak yet since they are 2 and 6 months. My mom had me at a young age to. She is 29 now, and I have a step dad who is 28. anyways sorry for this essay nobody is probably going to read this anyway.

“Just talk to someone” It isn’t that easy lady. Forcing someone to do something because it’s inconvenient for you isn’t “therapy”. My mom deals with teachers like this all the time at school. She’s a SpEd teacher who specializes in kids with behavioral disorders. Many of her kids are traumatized and live in the foster system. Others have disorders because of genetics or their mothers took drugs while pregnant. Some of the adults understand and try to help, but the administration doesn’t care. My mom has to work late and do the paperwork of several teachers because the schools are too lazy to do their own damn jobs. “Just talk” isn’t an option for these kids. They’ve been put through hell by the foster system, by their families, or by school. All because it inconvenient for the adults to do their jobs.

every time someone ask me question i f....king stressed so much and i can just say yes or no. this selective mutism is so hard when you in a foreign country iiiiiiiiiiiiits stress me a lot

I had this when I was in primary school. It gave me such high anxiety and took absolutely ages to overcome. It wasn't until my mid/late teens I began talking in my own potential. Selective Mutism is a disorder - it's not easy for a sufferer to speak and you can't just make them talk. You have to be patient with them and give them time and gentle encouragement with distractions whether you're a therapist, carer, friend or family member.

Literally every source I found on selective mutism talks about it in the context of children. Thanks for presenting an older group. Gosh that speech therapist is the worst though, I've known one kind of like that

Her beating up the bully and stealing his bike was awesome.

This is a great film and it shows selective mutism really well, as someone with selective mutism it hit a bit to close to home and now I'm crying... Well I was diagnosed when I was 4 and now I'm 14, officially 10 years and it's getting worse at the minute.. I know it should get better if I try but I'm trying and nothing's happening and it's stressful honestly I can't cope. My friends try to help me but they don't get it, they don't understand. I'm ok just stressed and struggling ig

I sort of admire mute people. I wish I could just not talk to people. My main problem is that people would probably get weirded out if I stopped talking though.

My husband has Aspergers and selective mutism. The therapist in this film was awful granted but I couldn’t help sympathising a tiny bit.. it’s frustrating and anxiety inducing all round. I’m ashamed to say that in the past I’ve often been that person begging and berating my partner to just speak- ‘it isn’t hard!!!’ I know that’s a stupid ignorant thing to say now. Working as a learning support assistant later in our relationship taught me so much- mainly in empathy and patience and when I had a student who also had selective mutism I would feel so angry on her behalf when students and tutors would get frustrated or fed up with her. Earning the trust and confidence of someone with selective mutism is massive but it takes so much patience and gentleness. More than most are willing to give.

Bravery doesnt come from having no fear and doing something, bravery is when you have fear, and you do it anyways. Take your time. And realize, that you all are brave. Whether words come out or not, you're battling fear. It takes bravery to do that, and dont let anyone tell you otherwise. They dont know your struggle, and they have no right to comment. You are brave. Bless you all.

I used to laugh at this kid because they *seemed* to be such a rebel and ignore the teacher. I feel guilty because if they had selective mutism then that probably made them feel worse. I have public speaking anxiety quite bad but it's getting better and have done lot's of research about these mental conditions as it's upsetting and also extremely fascinating.

i dont know but that song make me cry.. and i had selective mutism too.

i've had selective mutism for 10 years, i have 16 y/o now and i really started talking 4 years ago. i only heard about sm a few months ago. i didn't know it had a name. sm brought me anxiety and depression ruining my childhood and adolescence. i'm trying to go on, but i still can't forget how people made me feel for 10 years. forgetting 10 years is a really big thing, it'll take time, but i hope i'll be fine one day.

What a fantastic counselor/therapist...not. But wow...very well done. Made me cry. All forms of being stuck in your head are horrible, but this must one of the worst kind...

"just say something!" god why didn't i think about that

*relates so hard it hurts*

Next person that tries to force me to speak, i'm snatching their soul right out their shirt. Let me be different -_- SM isnt easy to live with.

Seeing this makes me want to keep fighting my selective mutism, so I can have better days

I didn't know there was a movie about it. I really like it and can totally relate to it.

i’m someone who has psychogenic mutism (i stopped talking because of really bad trauma). here are some things people say to me and the answers i give in my head: -wAIT YOU CAN TALK (yes i can talk. shocker right?) -so, like, we’re you born like this? (no but it would make it a lot easier to explain to people) -i saw you talking to [my guidance counselors name] the other day so you probably aren’t really mute (mutism isn’t always a medical issue. i chose to stop talking because i have such severe trauma. and that was only a check in and he knows about my mutism) -but boys can’t be mute (well i guess i’m just a damn ghost then) -what does your family think of you? (they know that it’s a thing and they still love me for who i am. speaking or not) -why don’t you just talk to me? (because i’m not willing to) -that’s going to lower your participation and oral presentation grade (yes i’m aware) -so did you do it for attention (no i did it because i couldn’t handle speaking anymore. i just didn’t fucking want to anymore) -why did you stop? (woah there buddy, now we’re getting a little too personal) -but i loved your voice (well that’s great for you) -do you talk to anyone? (not you, that’s for sure) -do your teachers know? (they’ll find out eventually) -just talk. it’s not that hard (see, that’s where you’re wrong)

The worst feeling in the world is when you finally do say something to someone else and they go OMG YOU TALK?!!?! WOW HOLY CRAP THATS CRAZY EVERYONE LOOK THEY TALKED!!!! This legit happened to me a week ago

My wife has SM. It was hard at the beginning of our relationship but over time it got better. Through the years she has gotten better in talking to a few selective people.

I have selective mutism and when people ask me questions I try to say it but I feel so scared as if something is blocking my way. When my classmates talk about my favorite stuff I just feel like im talking to them in my mind. I was so sad that I realized about what will happen to my future self. I also made my own story I wrote to share with my class because I wanted to be normal. Until now I'm crying 😰😥😥😭 cause I just tried to run away from my problems When I just said my first word everyone kept asking me to do it again even my teacher. I couldn't go home until I said goodbye so it was 3hours until I started crying and ran home. I'm still so scared I dont want that to happen to me. One day I had to perform on the stage and I was so shocked that they did not even inform me so that I would talk. So when I went on the stage was just frozen, my body couldn't move. And after that I felt like an idiot and it made me not want to talk and recite the talking parts so much more.

I love watching short movies. I have watched a ton, but this one is special. Loved it♥️

I had selective mutism up until the age of maybe 10/11. My mum tried to get me into speech therapy to try to get me to talk but because of the long wait she came up with a sticker chart. So I'd have to say a certain amount of words or speak to someone different or just say hello to the teacher that day and I'd get a sticker on the chart. When the chart was full my mum treated me to a toy I'd wanted for ages and by the time I got into speech therapy I didn't actually need it and it took quite a while to get me to talk to people. I remember refusing to speak up in class when taking the register so I would go up to the teacher and whisper in her ear, I'd do that to my friends too if I couldn't speak to a teacher and they'd talk for me. I wouldn't even talk to family really either, sometimes I'd write on a piece of paper or a letter. Everyone was surprisingly supportive from what I can remember

A truly meaningful short film. Superb work Shane!

In the first school month,people asked me why I don't talk. Now,in the second school year, nobody talks to me anymore.☺

I know this may be weird but I'm writing a fictional novel about someone who is Selective Mute and I never even knew this existed until a few days ago when I did some research about people who are mute, (long story the idea came to my head after having Laryngitis and I had no choice but to not talk for a week) so then this idea came in my head to write about someone who doesn't speak but only when they feel comfortable, they don't have any sort of anxiety but rather it very much explains in the book the whole reason etc. I'm glad to read your comments and I wish you all the best on your journey to work on it 😊. Stay safe

Also I didn't get diagnosed with SM until I was fifteen years old, so growing up I always thought something was wrong with me. No one understood that I just couldn't talk. Even some therapists I went to said that I was just quiet and would speak when I wanted to. It was honestly so nice to learn that there's actually a name for what I have and I'm not the only one

Thank you for making this movie.

I am Brazilian, and in my country there are almost no studies on Selective Mutism. There are no comments. At the school where I attended Elementary and High School, I suffered several times because the teachers pressured my family to demand that I speak. As the teachers knew that I could express myself at home, they believed that I did not act this way out of laziness. I never had difficulties in my studies, I always achieved good grades and it is easy to understand content, but I could not speak or answer calls. Some teachers lowered my grades because they thought I didn't deserve the same marks as other students. During this period, my maternal family was also putting pressure on my family and I was always the target of prejudiced comments by them. My mother doesn't understand my condition nor does she know what I have. I was never officially diagnosed, I believe I have Mutism because I research to understand myself better. Today, I can only talk at home, with my father. He's the only person who understands me, but he doesn't know how to deal with my issue externally, how to explain it to other people. Nobody understands that it is possible for someone to be able to speak at home, but not be able to speak anywhere else. I'm studying Pedagogy EAD and now I have to do a video class, but I already communicated in writing that I can't. The teacher asked me to explain why, but I couldn't describe it.

I like this video ive been diagnosed with Selective mutism myself a few years back im 34 years old now even though I'm getting a little bit better i still struggle in crowds & new people this video helps understand im not alone coz having Selective mutism people can judge you for something you can't help I think they should be more awareness on Adults with selective mutism its not a child aniexty Adults can get it too

I love this. I've seen a lot of misrepresentation of selective mutism, but this shows how it really is perfectly. Makes me happy to see that some people understand

I'm 16 and still in school. I never spoke my entire way through primary but never got help because I was just "shy" or that I would grow out of it. For the first five years of academy I had a guidance / support teacher that always just got mad at me, she took away my notebook which is my main form of communication and told me to grow up, stop being immature and that I wouldn't make it anywhere in life if I dont talk. (even locked me in a room and said she would only let me out when I calmly ask her in a loud voice) I have two people I speak to outside of direct family and when I got to academy I really tried to start over and fix myself but the small amounts I managed to speak made my physically Ill, now people expect me to speak because they know that i can. Well I just got a new guidance teacher and I've avoided him for weeks but he confronted me and I diddnt speak and now tomorrow I have to go up with one of my two friends and "discuss" it because it's in his words "not normal" and he said I "chose not to speak to him" And I'm genuinely freaking out because I dont chose but I have no reason as to why I dont speak because everybody always brushed it off and even my own parents brushed it off and think I've grown out of it and they have no clue I use a notebook because the only place I go with them is food shopping and even then i wear headphones so i dont need to talk and I've never explained or even attempted to explain this to anyone before because i haven't needed to and I really dont know what to do. Also the person whose coming with me, they dont even understand it because I've never explained it to them, they know I use the notebook and that I get really anxious talking but I know they have the complete wrong ideas about why and how much I can actually do and if they answer anything which they will I dont want them to day things that arnt right and I am actually panicking like crazy. Sorry for the really annoying long comment, hell I'm not even diagnosed with SM just binge watching because I relate and it makes me feel better but the comment section is a place I tend to rant because I cant actually complain about it so sorry

I used to have selective mutism but then I was diagnosed with a very rare type of autism. Eventually I was to focused on my autism and the doctors had to get me to talk. Unfortunately I know exactly how these people feel.

My little sister has had SM since Pre-k. She’s in fifth grade now and next year, she’s going to middle school and I’m really worried for her because people in middle school become a whole lot meaner than elementary. One time, some idiot anonymously told the school that my sister was being “bullied” and she was going to bring a gun to school. That was the day I realized how serious my sisters problem was. I always thought that “oh this is probably just a phase she’ll talk at some point” but now I realize this isn’t so easy. She won’t talk to anyone, she would always watch all the other kids on the playground play and laugh and she would sit there.. alone. I feel like crying right that I’m typing this. I hate how people talk to my sister. One time on the bus some kid was asking her questions like “Are you death?” “can you say at least one word” “talk” and I couldn’t take it anymore so I told “Yes she can talk, she just doesn’t want to, and she’s not stupid, just because she doesn’t talk doesn’t mean she doesn’t know what 2 x 4 is okay?” And then when I wasn’t looking he stuck his middle finger at her and asked “do you know what this means?”. The only reason I knew this was because my sister told me. I’m crying so bad because I care about my sister so bad and I don’t want anyone to hurt her. And I hate that I’m not always going to be there for her if I leave. At home, she’s one of the most caring and funniest and coolest person I know. I hope one day she can speak up and learn how to defend herself ❤️

I’ve struggled going in and out of selective mutism and it’s difficult because there are days when I can talk and days where it feels like someone is choking me it I try and speak. Nobody thinks it’s true and it’s making me doubt it.

This is amazing, makes me feel less alone!❤

This is a very nice video:) seems very well done! I’m currently working on a character who’s going to be mute or selectively mute and decided to watch this video and read through the comments. It gives me a better understanding of mutism, so thank you for making the video:)

I have ASD, and I have social anxiety. It’s really hard in certain situations, and most times I can’t talk, and people have forced me to. Only now I’ve started to speak more and speak in public settings, and it wasn’t when I was forced to do something that I could do it. Hopefully I’ll find more young adults like me.

This was such a beautiful and well made film!

hi i am writing about essay about selective and i just want to say thank you for creating this video this helps me so much on my essay