Unmasking Masking: Understanding the Emotional Toll of Camouflaging Autistic Traits
Imagine viewing the world as if it isn’t made for you, you don’t belong here. Well, that is the case for many autistic individuals, they find it hard to connect with other people while they are being themselves, so as a solution to it; they engage in masking - a phenomenon where autistic individuals create a fake image of themselves as non-autistic.
Initially, masking seems like a coping mechanism for many autistic individuals as it gets them to blend among other people. But in reality, masking comes at the price of your emotional energy. It brings in stress, anxiety, and the feeling of disconnection with one’s self.
Why Do Autistic Individuals Mask?
There are many reasons why autistic individuals think it's better to mask a different personality, reality is rather multifaceted, and there’s the need to be socially accepted, to avoid judgment, to make interactions easier, and to create a connection with other individuals.
The Chameleon Effect
The chameleon effect is a phenomenon where people mask another’s entire personality from posture, hand gestures, and expressions to even the way they speak. Autistic Individuals use this technique of masking very often as a part of their routines.
Consequences Of Masking
While masking can offer a sense of belonging and safety in the short term, it also comes at a long-term cost - the emotional toll of masking. The constant efforts to appear as someone that you’re not can be a draining activity for your brain and as a result it affects your overall mental health.
Camouflaging their identity to be non-neurodivergent is a common activity for autistic people, and it brings out a list of consequences.
read more about Embracing Neurodiversity: Celebrating Autistic Strengths and Perspectives
Feelings Of Isolation
Masking creates a sense of disconnection from your self and due to that it’s common to feel isolated within one’s self. The person who masks may think of themself as lonely all the time and has a hard time understanding their own needs and emotions.
Increased Anxiety
Masking brings in the fear of being unmasked in front of others, living with a constant thought of your true self and being exposed to others can be exhausting for your mental health and likewise it increases anxiety.
Depression
Masking for a long time may also make a person feel depressed, the feelings of isolation and disconnectedness from yourself do not come easy for anyone, and it has a long-term impact on your mental health.
Delayed Diagnosis
Masking makes it difficult to assess the individual's autistic traits, the true aspects of their personality are hidden behind what they have masked themselves into. Hence, recognizing the traits of autism in the person becomes comparatively harder.
Autistic Burnout
Autistic burnout is a condition that can affect individuals who have been masking their true selves for a long time. It can cause both physical and emotional exhaustion, leading to social withdrawal and a loss of skills that were previously mastered. It can be a challenging experience, but with proper support and understanding, individuals can work through it and find ways to manage their symptoms.
Recognize The Symptoms Of Masking
For the individuals who aim to create the world as a place of inclusivity for everyone, we must know how to recognize masking when we see it. It is essential to be able to recognize this to offer support to autistic individuals.
Here are some signs that indicate masking:
Social Exhaustion
Lack Of Authenticity
Mirroring Expressions And Gestures
Difficulty With Eye-Contact
Social Exhaustion
After any sort of social gathering, they feel drained or exhausted even if they are successfully interacting with others.
Lack Of Authenticity
Whatever masking speaks or does feel like it is scripted and rehearsed beforehand, their responses are repetitive, and small talks feel unnatural.
Mirroring Expressions And Gestures
Autistic individuals who masks often copy facial expressions and gestures of other people, making it a natural way of communication.
Difficulty With Eye-Contact
Masking also involves struggling to maintain steady eye contact, even in a one-to-one conversation, it is difficult for autistic individuals to keep the flow of conversation while trying to maintain eye contact.
Support For Every Individual
Creating an environment where every autistic individual feels equally accepted and understood is crucial to unmasking their masking journey. We can use the following of these strategies to understand and support the individuals to be more of their true self.
Encourage awareness - help autistic individuals realize when they are masking and make them feel validated and understood.
Build a genuine relationship with every autistic individual based on understanding and bonding rather than sympathy or conformity.
Validate the sensory activities, it is ok to fidget or resist physical touch and let the individuals know you understand them.
Create a non-judgmental environment where autistic folks can freely express themself.
Conclusion
It's so important that we come together to support each other and create a world where everyone feels safe and accepted for who they are. For autistic individuals, it can be especially difficult to feel like you can be yourself without judgment. That's why it's crucial that we work towards a future where the emotional toll of trying to fit in is lifted, and people can feel empowered to embrace their true selves. By supporting each other and raising awareness about the challenges faced by the autistic community, we can create a more fulfilling and accepting world for everyone.
Autism At Larô Therapy
Here at Larô Therapy, we are committed to providing a safe and supportive space for the Autistic community. Our therapists collaborate with them to help them navigate challenges and embrace their unique identities.
If you are interested in learning more about autism or seeking support, please contact us today.