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Autisic shutdown or severe social anxiety?

Catlady31

Hello, I'm looking for some insight into shutdowns please.

My daughter is awaiting assessment and I don't know if she is experiencing shutdowns or if it's due to severe social anxiety. Can you differentiate?

To date, we have had two appointments and she has been fine going, doesn't seem stressed or worried at all but as soon as we enter the room she becomes a completely different child, can't speak, can't look at the nurse.  She can't even look at me or answer any questions from the nurse or myself.  Once the appointment has ended and we leave, she is sometimes not talking to me even if I talk to her about something completely different.  This also happens when going to other health appointments and when trying to get her to school as she is struggling to attend.

I have looked at other posts on here about shutdowns but if anyone has any further information on whether this sounds like shutdowns that would be most helpful.

Parents

  • Well now i am very confused. i experience exactly the same after fire alarms and stressful situations and always assumed this was a shutdown but after reading your responses i am suddenly questioning myself.

    I hope you find some answers, let me know if you do

  • in reply to piggy1401

    If your mutism is after stressful events, it is probably a shutdown. This is because it is a response to temporary overwhelm. Whereas with SM, the mutism is caused by severe anticipatory anxiety. I hope this explanation gives you some answers.

     I experienced mutism after fire alarms before and I thought it was a shutdown because my brain couldn’t process all the information and therefore mutism was a perfectly logical way of reducing demands and processing load.

    Maybe you can relate to this?

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  • in reply to piggy1401

    If your mutism is after stressful events, it is probably a shutdown. This is because it is a response to temporary overwhelm. Whereas with SM, the mutism is caused by severe anticipatory anxiety. I hope this explanation gives you some answers.

     I experienced mutism after fire alarms before and I thought it was a shutdown because my brain couldn’t process all the information and therefore mutism was a perfectly logical way of reducing demands and processing load.

    Maybe you can relate to this?

Children
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