Selective mutism dependence

Children with selective mutism need support.

But one Japanese selective mutism sufferer said, "People around me do everything instead of me." According to Fujio Araki, M.D., selectively mute children think it's comfortable and advantageous to be mute rather than speak.

[Secondary gain from illness]

If someone suffer from illness or mental disorder but enjoy benefit (receiving kindness or avoiding responsibilities), the benefit is called "(secondary) gain from illness."

According to Araki, when selective mutism motivate people to do something for selectively mute children, children become less anxious and stable in mute. I think that is a gain from illness peculiar to selectively mute children. Araki calls this phenomenon "selective mutism dependence."

For this reason, Araki thinks selectively mute children can't speak as well as don't speak. But I'm a little skeptical about that.

[Motivation to overcome selective mutism]

I guess some selectively mute children lose their motivation to overcome selective mutism. If they remain mute, people around them do everything instead of them. Some people may forgive their mistakes because they are children with special needs. To overcome selective mutism in that situation, they need a strong will power.

* I guess many selectively mute children suffer from lack of understanding, though.

For parents and teachers, it may be difficult to deal with selectively mute children. In order not to lose children's motivation to overcome selective mutism, parents and teachers should be very unkind to to children...? But that may worsen their symptoms.

Of course, I don't believe all selectively mute children are satisfied with gain from illness.

[reference]

Fujio Araki (1979) A classification of mutism originating in childhood.
Japanese Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20(2), 60-78.

Fujio Araki (1979) Some psychopathological observations on mutism originating in childhood. Japanese Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20(5), 290-304.

Do you make an effort to overcome your selective mutism?

When Japanese people with selective mutism or former sufferers gather on the Internet, they sometimes argue about whether they made an effort to overcome selective mutism.

People who think they conquered selective mutism by themselves sometimes blame selective mutism sufferers. They think sufferers can't speak because sufferers don't make enough effort. I don't know what they call "effort" but I suppose they meant to say sufferers can overcome selective mutism by themselves if they try hard to speak or mingle with peers.

If people use selective mutism as an excuse for not speaking, some Japanese people say it's amae with contempt. Not only people who don't understand selective mutism, but former sufferers also do.

I'm also a former sufferer. But I don't think sufferers don't make enough effort. I think it's too much to encourage them to speak. They can't speak rather than don't speak because of anxiety. So, it's inappropriate to label them as amaeteiru with contempt. In addition, if someone force sufferers to utter words, sufferers get more anxious, and their symptoms worsen.

Index of SM in Japan

Famous people who once suffered from selective mutism?

I don't know famous people who once suffered from selective mutism well.

I guess the most famous person is Cho Seung Hui, a South Korean man who committed mass murder at Virginia Tech and suicide in 2007. I have a mixed feeling. Because of the event, a former sufferer of selective mutism became famous and the term "selective mutism" appeared in the media over and over again. But it's mass murder. Massacre.

But in Japan only one newspaper reported the fact that Cho suffered from selective mutism. So, the event didn't raise awareness of selective mutism in Japan.

* * * * * * * * * *

Why don't we know famous people who once suffered from selective mutism?

One possible reason is simply that there are no former selective mutism sufferers who become famous. That means it's extremely difficult for them to become famous.

Another possible reason is that there are many former sufferers who become famous, but it's virtually unknown for some reason.

* * * * * * * * * *

If we know famous people who once suffered from selective mutism, we may be relieved our worries about the disorder or be encouraged.