Situational Mutism
Inability to speak in specific high-stress situations due to freeze response. Preferred over 'Selective Mutism' which implies choice.
AutismADHDAnxietySocial Communication
Layer 2: Validated
Clinical Recognition
DSM-5 uses 'Selective Mutism.' Progressive practitioners and trauma specialists prefer 'Situational' to reflect mechanism (freeze) not choice.
Community Validation
Strong community preference for 'situational' over 'selective.' Reframes from willful refusal to involuntary response.
Published
17 December 2025 by Team Heumans
Situational Mutism is the inability to speak in specific contexts—usually high-anxiety or overwhelming situations—due to a freeze response. Your throat closes. Your voice disappears. You want desperately to speak but physically cannot. It's not refusal. It's nervous system shutdown.
The DSM calls it "Selective Mutism," implying you're selecting when to speak and when not to. The community and progressive practitioners prefer "Situational" because it accurately reflects the mechanism: specific situations trigger the freeze response, making speech physiologically impossible.