Thanks for answering. I don't know if its the autism cos of masking or more the Selective Mutism cos I had rules like once I'd hadn't spoken in front of a person I could never speak in front of that person or in that specific situation...so I tended to behave a very specific way with specific people or in certain situations.


Sometimes that has left me feeling trapped. Peri seems a good excuse for an acceptable reason to change as so many women (even non-autistic) report feeling very different and like their whole personalities have changed.


It could be an opportunity to drop the mask and behave in a more uniform way over several scenario's and some people haven't seen me in person for so long cos of shielding I would seem like a different person to them anyway...18 months in isolation would change anyone!


Maybe this will give me more confidence?