Selective Mutism in Adulthood: The Invisible Struggle We Never Talk About
Most people think selective mutism is a childhood disorder — something a shy child eventually “outgrows.” I used to think that too. Until I realised I was living with its echo well into adulthood. Selective mutism doesn’t always vanish. Sometimes it evolves. Sometimes it becomes quieter, harder to recognise, easier to hide — especially when you learn to build a life around speaking as little as possible. As adults, we carry these silences into workplaces, relationships, and moments where our voice matters most. And because there is so little awareness, people assume we’re uninterested, unconfident, passive, or disengaged. They see the silence but never the storm behind it. The Adult Version No One Describes Adult selective mutism doesn’t look like the dramatic freeze-ups we imagine. Often, it’s much subtler: Saying only the bare minimum in meetings even when your mind is overflowing with ideas. Practising sentences in your head but never speaking them out loud. Feeling your...
