About six weeks ago, my family and I adopted a retired greyhound named Finn. Ever since he "ran" into my life, he has been more helpful than I ever could have imagined. Originally adopted as a way to help my brother, who also has selective mutism, and me cope better with our anxiety, he has done way more than that. Only a month and a half after adopting him, he has taught me so much about anxiety, has been there for me through thick and thin, and has ultimately reduced my own anxiety significantly. The minute we met Finn, we knew he was a special dog. I can remember going to pick him up along with other families who were picking up their dogs, and while all of the other dogs eagerly approached and met their new owners, Finn hid in the back of his kennel and shook like a leaf. This is when we realized that, like my brother and I, FINN HAS A FEAR OF PEOPLE! This fear became more and more evident the more we got to know him. Much like people with social anxiety, he would avoid contact with others as much as possible. When going on a walk, he would pull me into street instead of walking beside someone. When we were in public, he would shake uncontrollably. When someone tried to pet him, he would pull away in an attempt to get as far away as possible. For a good two weeks, Finn hid in the back of his kennel and completely avoided us, only coming out to use the washroom. Having Finn has really enabled me to relate to someone going through the same struggles as me. Once Finn started to trust us and feel comfortable, we had the pleasure of watching his awesome personality shine, but it really took a lot of patience, empathy and understanding, not only from us, but from Finn as well. Finn at therapy
7 Comments
wanda
5/31/2015 07:09:12 am
Lauren I am so so proud of you and your awesome attitude. Finn has truly been a blessing. You met our therapy dog she certainly helped both Tay and Rob after the fire
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Deb Levasseur
6/1/2015 02:23:02 am
Excellent job Lauren. I admittedly did not know much about this and this has really helped to educate me! Keep up the great progress and excellent writing! I am really glad Finn is helping and fitting in so well. There is something so special about these dogs....hard to put into words but you nailed it!
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Jill Quiring
6/4/2015 03:05:23 am
Lauren, it sounds like Finn has been a wonderful addition to your family! I'm really enjoying reading about your journey!
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Gillian Budrow
6/10/2015 10:47:42 pm
Lauren, thank you so much for sharing your story! I had never heard of selective mutism until I met you and reading your blog is helping me to better understand this type of anxiety. You are doing great things by sharing your story so that more people can understand and learn about SM. I can't wait to read more of your posts! :)
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JP Richard
6/10/2015 11:34:02 pm
Lauren, you've figured out some things about life that some of us will need a lifetime. I admire your courage.
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Anabel
8/26/2015 04:51:01 am
What an amazing story! Thanks so much for sharing.
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CategoriesAll About MeMy name is Lauren and I am 20 years old. I have an anxiety disorder called selective mutism that limits my ability to speak outside of my home. I believe that this disorder has touched me for a reason, and my life mission is to bring much needed awareness to this heartbreaking disorder. Welcome to my journey. Archives
January 2018
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