Sue Ann,

Thanks for the note. My first reaction when I read about the option
of using antidepressants for my son as part of the treatment for SM
along with CBT and Art Therapy, my instant reaction was I will never
medicate him. Funny though the things that you yourself forget about
when you were younger. I was on Prozac for about a year for severe
depression in my early 20's. I recognized it as the "Beast" when I
read about it a magazine. I thought it was normal until then. I
look back and know now that it was always there.

In the literature I read, there are warnings that if the SM child is
left untreated/undiagnosed, they may grow up to experience severe
depression, addictions to use as coping strategies for their anxiety
and even suicidal tendancies. I am a mother, pure and simple, and I
wanted to keep my baby safe. I wanted to keep him from becoming
falling into the place I was so I made the decision that I would try
everything including the medication.

Yesterday after our doctor's appointment, his meds were increased to
2 ml/day. My hope is that with the meds alleviating some of his
sense of anxiety, he can experience what he was afraid to participate
in before. He will continue his therapy with his counsellors and we
will be putting together an evolving work plan for him. If he can
learn the skills to cope, the skills to interact and participate, we
will have won.

People who knew me 20 years ago describe me as shy and withdrawn.
Those who have known me for that past ten or so, say I am assertive,
blunt and friendly. It did not change who I am, I still feel the
tightening inside my chest, the reluctance to enter the store and
sometimes I don't pick up the phone when I don't recognize the
number. Otherwise, I take a deep breath, stand up straight and just
do it. I do it for my children. My son will be free from his
anxiety one day. We just have to work to get there.


--- In selectivemutismsupportgroup2@yahoogroups.com, stewsweetie@a...
wrote:
> Autumn,
> I can see how frustrated you must be over this. I remember one
of the
> first articles I read off the internet about selective mutism
suggested that
> children are this way because of an over-domineering mother and
lots of other
> nasty things about mother's being the cause of this disorder. It
scared me to
> death ! I was so glad to find better information on the subject.
Maybe your
> Dr. read something like what I read at first.
> I also have a question for you. I'm sort of new to the group
and I read
> about the prozac alternative. Exactly what does the prozac do to
help the
> children with selective mutism ? I'm a little leary of medicating
my daughter
> with an anti-depressant. I'm glad it seems to working for your
son, though.
>
> SueAnne
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]