A New Brunswick teen is speaking out about her battle with selective mutism, a severe anxiety disorder that affects seven in every 1,000 people.
Lauren Whiteway is a quintessential high school student, but her teenage years have been anything but typical.
“I was diagnosed when I was 14-years-old and entering high school and it really affected me to the point where I couldn't speak at all at school and I would be mute for the whole eight hours of school,” says Whiteway.
Whiteway was diagnosed with selective mutism, a severe anxiety disorder that can render those living with it unable to speak in certain social situations.
“I think in Grade 7 I started to get a lot more shy and withdrawn and once I entered high school, and there were a lot more people, I started to get even more shy and then I couldn't talk at all in Grade 10,” says Whiteway.
It wasn't until Whiteway was diagnosed that she heard about the disorder.
“It's actually a paralysis of the vocal cords and that's how it presents itself, so the sufferer can't speak at all,” says Whiteway.
In her senior year, Whiteway decided to change from public school to a private school to help her deal with the disorder.
“Things really started to change when I went to Rothesay Netherwood School,” says Whiteway. “I was able to talk again and I started to make friends and I felt a lot happier.”
Whiteway says her diagnosis and understanding why she struggled to interact has given her a voice and she wants to speak out about her journey.
She's since started a blog and YouTube channel which has reached people around the world.
“My goal in speaking out is for others to understand the condition better, because a lot of people with selective mutism deal with misunderstanding, which makes people think that they're rude or just shy or being defiant,” says Whiteway. “So in speaking out, I want people to understand that it's an actual condition.”
After high school, Whiteway plans to go to university and hopes to become a psychologist.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ashley Blackford
