Selective Mutism (SM) is a situational anxiety disorder. Those with SM speak fluently in some situations but remain consistently unable to speak in others. Outside of speech, all forms of communication may be inhibited, such as writing, body language, gestures, and facial expressions in some people.

Good Links: DSM, NHS, iSpeak, SMIRA

SM is not very well known, therefore there are many misconceptions about it.

1 - Selective Mutism is NOT a choice.

People with SM are unable to speak in certain situations, or with certain people. They do not refuse to speak. 

2 - People of ANY AGE can have selective mutism. 

SM usually begins during early childhood, most commonly before the age of 5. Many people believe that it only affects children and that they will ‘grow out’ of it. This is not always true. It can still persist into adulthood, especially without treatment. 

3 - Selective Mutism is NOT always due to trauma.

There is no evidence that people with SM are more or less likely to have experienced trauma or mistreatment than people without SM. As stated, SM is an anxiety disorder, not a trauma disorder. Although some people with SM may attribute it to trauma, this is not the case for the vast majority of people with SM.

4 - Selective Mutism is NOT a symptom of, or the same as, autism.

Selective Mutism is classed as an anxiety disorder and can be ‘recovered from’. Whilst autism is classed as a neurodevelopmental disorder, or neurodivergence, which someone will always have.

The two conditions are commonly comorbid. However an important distinction is that SM is mutism that is specifically caused by anxiety, not by autism (or by delayed speech or language impairment). In each case the mutism will have fundamentally different causes, and require different ways to treat and respond to each person. This is an important distinction, as misdiagnosing one as the other can be potentially harmful.

5 - People with Selective Mutism always have ‘lesser’ language abilities.

Selective Mutism (SM) is a situational anxiety disorder. Those with SM speak fluently in some situations but remain consistently unable to speak in others. Outside of speech, all forms of communication may be inhibited, such as writing, body language, gestures, and facial expressions in some people.

Good Links: DSM, NHS, iSpeak, SMIRA

SM is not very well known, therefore there are many misconceptions about it.

1 - Selective Mutism is NOT a choice.

People with SM are unable to speak in certain situations, or with certain people. They do not refuse to speak. 

2 - People of ANY AGE can have selective mutism. 

SM usually begins during early childhood, most commonly before the age of 5. Many people believe that it only affects children and that they will ‘grow out’ of it. This is not always true. It can still persist into adulthood, especially without treatment. 

3 - Selective Mutism is NOT always due to trauma.

There is no evidence that people with SM are more or less likely to have experienced trauma or mistreatment than people without SM. As stated, SM is an anxiety disorder, not a trauma disorder. Although some people with SM may attribute it to trauma, this is not the case for the vast majority of people with SM.

4 - Selective Mutism is NOT a symptom of, or the same as, autism.

Selective Mutism is classed as an anxiety disorder and can be ‘recovered from’. Whilst autism is classed as a neurodevelopmental disorder, or neurodivergence, which someone will always have.

The two conditions are commonly comorbid. However an important distinction is that SM is mutism that is specifically caused by anxiety, not by autism (or by delayed speech or language impairment). In each case the mutism will have fundamentally different causes, and require different ways to treat and respond to each person. This is an important distinction, as misdiagnosing one as the other can be potentially harmful.

5 - People with Selective Mutism always have ‘lesser’ language abilities.

The time has come. The intro and chapter one are up on my Patreon for early access. Please join Patreon at any tier to gain access to the release. Public release will be November 1st.

This chapter has a ton of different routes within it and a lot of different information so I encourage everyone to experiment with their choices.

And as always, thank you for your support and welcome back to the Night Market. :)

🪷✨🪷✨ If you want to support me 🪷 ✨🪷✨ 

but different coloured fur would be neat too!

honestly do what's fun!

piercings on werewolf: hells yes! super cool! imagine a pirate like-werewolf... wouldn't that slap?

also tattoes! werewolf clans, hella cool as well. tribes of werewolf, recogniseable by something else than scent (assuming, I'm a dummy in werewolf trope). And tattoes are so dorpe!

Also hair? long haired-peep with long hair fur, wouldn't that be hilairous (enter slap comedy!) or have werewolf complain about cost to maintain buzzcuts xD

And skinny werewolf? tiny werewolf? and super muscular with no fat ones bodybuilding werewolf? and heavy chested with tiny legs? or Tour-de-France-calf heavy but skiny at the top? and what about chests? do boob size matter to?

but different coloured fur would be neat too!