|
anxiety disorder? medication?
I'm 15/f. I have selective mutism. So it's an anxiety disorder. I've had it since I was little.
And I haven't talked in school for like 9 years. I tried talking this year but the whole "heart beating, my voice cracking, my voice sounding different" didn't help. For some reason I feel like that but half of the time.. I really want to say something but I can't because then I remember "I dont talk to these people". I get weird reactions from people. "OMG, YOU TALKED!" and they scream and stuff...
So do you think there's some sort of medication for me? I really want to start talking. But my anxiety is holding me back. I have the whole summer to deal with this. Because I feel like I'm wasting my life away and I'm having no fun.. and I really want a job too... Help?
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Health & Fitness category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Mental health?
"OMG, YOU TALKED!" i herd that many times when someone thought they herd me say something even tho i never did.
you are lucky compared to me.
i am 19/M i live in new york and i hav the same problem. it started when i was little and i only talked to family then at 10 i stoped to everyone so now i dont say anything to anyone and still dont so the doctor didnt help and no one can it seems. gonna be the tenth year already now thats the worst u ever herd probly but its serious problem. i made it through high school and in classes i would have friends that would always help me especially in the start of every year and even some friends that i didnt even hang out with would still help me left and right all the time so that was how it was since as far back as early middle school.
]
I agree with the advice below, ask for help from a doctor and take medication if necessary just to get you started and then take it from there.
Something you could do in the meantime is to get used to the sound of your voice when you're alone. Talk to yourself in a mirror, speak to animals you meet, recite poetry or sing songs. Do anything and everything you can to use that voice and get to the stage where you are speaking without worrying first. This in turn should relax you, who can stress when they're singing?
You're young enough to be able to turn this around really quickly, so if you start now, you may find you are in a position to look for a job quite soon and by the time you get back to school, talking will be second nature to you.
If you worry about the reaction others may have towards to you speaking, get some stock phrases ready to trot out. eg. yes it's me, I'm talking, can we get back to what we were doing now? or, I didn't want to wear my voice out, and laugh. Just something to let others know that you acknowledge their surprise but you want to move on.
When you have started talking, I think you will amaze yourself and everyone else, people talk so much these days, they have little time to listen. You have spent several years doing the opposite, so the insights you have learnt in your silence will be invaluable to you now. With your sensitivity you could find people come to you for advice.
I hope that helps and the best of luck to you.
]
Hi,
Some people have to live their life in silence because they can't talk..these people wish they were you. There is always hope for all of us as long as we are breathing. I would suggest finding a psychiatrist that you are comfortable with and work on the reasons that you are afraid to talk, therapy may include medications, but should not be the only treatment.
Best Wishes
]
i have the same thing.
i take A.D.D pills
they help
and they get you hiper and in the talking mood.
like i never talked to anyone before in school
i was just like you
then a week later i had a party and ran around naked.
lol.
]
Dear Wasting Your Life,
Maybe you need to try something a little bit different. What if you pretended that you'd never heard of "selective mutism" or "anxiety disorder" and went about living your life like eveybody else? Sure, there would be reactions from folks in the beginning but eventually they'd stop. Why? Because after a while it would be no big deal for you to be talking. Everyone does it, it's normal, which is what you really are underneath it all anyway.
Hey, you never know. Try it. Just make up your mind that this is what you'll do, and do it! I'll bet before you know it, you'll be wondering why you made such a big deal about this after all.
I wish you well,
Earth Mother
]
Hi, there is one medication that springs to mind. It's called "Fluoxitine" and it helps deal with Anxiety. It also helps with depression and people with Aspergers Syndrome and Autism sometimes take it and it helps them. Im not sure if they sell it in your country, but give it a try. Ask your local Docter for some advice too. Hope that helps. Daniel.
]
Hi there,
I wasn't entirely sure what Selective Mutism was, so I read a bit before answering your question.
From what I gather, selective mutism responds very well to cognitive behavioral therapy(which is, from selectivemutism.org) - CBT therapists help children change their thoughts (that’s the cognitive part) and their actions (that’s the behavioral part). CBT therapists recognize that anxious children tend to exaggerate the frightening aspects of certain situations, so they help the children gain a more realistic perspective in order to decrease anxiety. They also know that anxious children avoid situations they fear, or (in the case of selectively mute children) avoid speech in anxiety-provoking situations. Avoidance makes anxiety worse. Therefore, CBT helps the child overcome avoidance by gradually facing what is feared with lots of praise and positive reinforcement for doing so. Parents, teachers, and other adults around the child can be very helpful in this process.
It says medication is not always necessary for treatment, but can definitely be helpful. There are no particular medications that are FDA approved for children with SM, some doctors will prescribe it when it's thought to be safe and effective in particular situations. The best treatment may be therapy, meds, OR both. Depends on how you respond. As far as what kinds, SSRIs(such as Prozac, Zoloft, etc - meds that treat anxiety disorders). It also states that most kids will respond pretty well to low doses of their medication, so there more than likely won't be a need to increase the levels.
Have you had therapy in the past? Approach your parents about the ideas of therapy and medications. One or both could be so helpful for you. You're right, it's time to start living. Sort it out with your parents, I'm sure they're willing to do whatever they can to help you.
]
More Questions: |