Never realized I did this before seeing this poll. But after a few episodes since, I now realize I do this and am struggling with it now. It's like my brain is overloaded with too much stuff and can't articulate everything in a coherent fashion.

Sometimes, when I am faced with a stressful event and if it at all reminds me of how I felt during a period of trauma, I feel a surge of pain fill me and it is so much, that I can not speak any words.
Once, that happened during my quarterly review at work.
It was not the bast timing, but thankfully, my boss tried to work with me. At one point I became very still and lost my feeling as the stress hit me, and as I felt pain fill my heart, my head and arms fell limp on her desk. I 'came to' soon after, having no recollection of how I got to that strange posture. After seeing her sad expression, I was eventually able to know what happened. There have been several times at work, when suddenly I am taken cpative my a memory which pulls me in and takes over my emotions. All of a sudden, I am
bracing myself and feeling pain (like intense sadness)filling me, and someone will ask me if I'm alright. At first, it's as if I cannot hear them or comprehend. I only see their mouths moving. Then I hear their words, but I cannot speak. It takes a few minutes before I can speak, so I just force myself to nod my head.

I have days where I don't speak unless asked a direct question. Even then, my answers are brief. It's usually because I am overwhelmed by symptoms. they are not always the same symptoms, just overwhelming. It's definitely related to being triggered though.

I was the opposite for a while, refusing to answer a direct question. Whenever my ex-boss asked a direct question, it was usually a set-up to tear me down.

I have days when I'm more quiet than others, but I have never gone completely mute, no.

Very interesting observation. I cannot drink alcohol because I 'tilt' and go insane, and because I am roaming around the countryside writing stories and kind of wandering, I don't have a medical doctor nearby who can bail me out of a nutward, which is probably what will happen next. Last time I drank alcohol was Sep 07 and it wound up as a night (early morning to afternoon) spent in the drunk tank. No charges. This time I drank was a week ago and I was shooting my mouth off and threatening to kill everyone because, guess what, and even I did not know this, BUT I AM THE DEVIL, apparently, if I was quoted correctly, AND I AM GOING TO KILL YOU ALL, at the bar I was attending. Believe it or not, they felt they had TWO options, ONE give me a ride home and let me die in my own vomit, or TWO call and ambulance, which, in this principality, would have meant my first ever stay in a psychiatric ward (mandatory, observation, max. 30 day). So I got lucky this week, and avoided the most dire consequences of NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK UNLESS I AM HAMMERED

I have a tendency to become withdrawn, isolate, and quiet. Mostly, I just don't have anything to say. I am usually less tolerant and patient with others at those times, which is the best time to keep my mouth shut!

It is normal for me not to speak. I usually am able to smile, but not say much. When really stressed, my mouth gets really dry and my tongue feels thick and I just can't form words.

I'm going to hold of on poll right now because while I have had episodes of muteness, I don't know what it is due to.

The first time it happened was the night I was first raped. Afterward I tried to talk, but just couldn't. But, I don't know if I was a case of shock, stress, fear, not being able to find the right words I wanted to say, or just silence because of the physical pain I was in.

Over the course of that year, (while I was experiencing a plethera of trauma), I chose not to speak as much as I used to. I had always been a very vocal person, but that all ended (at least for a while). I could talk, and if I was asked a question, I would respond. I don't know if this was due to stress, PTSD, depression, or what.

Finally, when talking about the trauma in detail I often go mute. Again, could be stress, or it could be not being able to find the right words to express myself...I don't know.

nic

I'm surprised that, given how many of us find it difficult to speak and relate it to our being traumatized, that there is not more said on it in "the literature." When I read about PTSD, I don't see this mentioned. Has anyone else seen referrals to muteness or difficulty speaking in their reading?

I've often dreamed of obtaining a job by pretending to be a mute so I wouldn't have to talk to people.

Always thought it would be an easy way to stay safe.