Autism Masking: The High Cost of 'Fitting In'

What is Masking?

Masking, or camouflaging, is a social strategy used by many autistic individuals to appear neurotypical. It involves consciously mimicking social cues, suppressing stimming (self-stimulatory behaviors), and 'performing' socially acceptable responses during conversations.

While masking can help navigate a neurotypical world, it comes at a staggering cost. Many autistic adults describe it as 'running a complex program in the background' of every interaction—a process that eventually leads to extreme exhaustion known as autistic burnout.

Who Masks Most?

Research shows that women, girls, and non-binary individuals are often highly proficient at masking. This is one reason why autism is frequently diagnosed much later in life for these groups. They may appear to have good social skills, but those skills are often the result of intense observation, imitation, and internal stress rather than intuition.

The Path to Unmasking

Unmasking is the process of identifying these 'performances' and slowly allowing oneself to exist more authentically. This doesn't happen overnight, but identifying your masking behaviors through tools like our masking-specific resources can be a powerful first step toward mental wellness.