Do you have some with this symptom in your home? Selective mutism in teens is a issue that can be addressed through counselling at different levels. In this post we discuss some key signs of selective mutism in teens so that necessary steps for its redressal can be taken.
1. Speaking freely at home but anxiety outdoor
One of the signs of selective mutism in teens is that while they speak freely at home, you will see that they are anxious outdoors. When speaking in public they will fumble a lot even if they are confident lot in home.
2. Paralyzed with Fear
Such people get easily paralyzed with fear. They could be confident of one thing at their home but at the same time they get paralyzed with fear if they have to face a similar situation outdoors.
3. Struggle to make eye contact
Another of the signs of selective mutism in teens is that they struggle to make eye contact when in public. They would rather shy away from people and try to remain in an isolated spot.
4. Rely on writing
Non verbal communication is their way of life. You will see that such teens would rather focus on conveying their intent through writing rather than speaking their points out. They are comfortable with writing rather than speaking.
5. Speak through others
Another of the signs of selective mutism in teens is that they speak through others. They would rather nudge others to put forward their points rather than speaking out themselves.
6. Profound shyness
Profound shyness is a trait of teens suffering from mutism. They would remain in their own world, would rather not talk and remain in isolation.
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7. Social isolation
Such teens are often socially isolated. They remain in their own thoughts and do not interact or talk with others too much. They are not comfortable in presence of others and rather remain in isolation when they are outdoor or in any social gathering.
8. Fear of social embarrassment
They also fear social embarrassment a lot. In case they intend to put forth their views on some topic they would not spell it out as they feel that they could speak wrongly and it could impact their image among their friends and family.
9. Avoids Social Situation
You will rarely find such people out in public or in social gatherings like marriage. They tend to avoid visiting functions and marriages as such events involve lot of interaction. They fear that they might have to speak out in public and thus they prefer to avoid such gatherings.
10. Temper Tantrums at Home
You will find that such teens have temper tantrums. While they could even shout at others at home, they would go extremely silent when they have to face people in public.
Selective mutism can be controlled through psychological counseling and such teens can also lead a normal and happy life once they get over the problem of selective mutism.
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