What are common challenges with masking & its costs?

Exhaustion after social situations Losing sense of your authentic self Feeling like nobody knows the real you Difficulty knowing which behaviours are genuine and which are performed

What can I try to help with masking & its costs?

Identify one safe person or place where you can practise being more authentically yourself. Start small: let one natural behaviour through (a stim, a direct comment, declining eye contact) and see how it feels. At the end of each day, write down one moment where you masked and what you would have done naturally instead. Over time, this helps you distinguish between your authentic self and your performed self. If unmasking feels scary, try it online first — many neurodivergent communities are spaces where you can be yourself without social consequences. Experiencing acceptance of your real self is powerful. Create a "masking budget" — decide which situations genuinely require some masking (a job interview, perhaps) and which do not (with friends, at home). Stop spending energy on masking in situations where it is not necessary.

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Overlaps & Change20 of 22

Masking & Its Costs

The hidden cost of social camouflaging

1 min read

Masking is when you hide your natural brain responses to fit in — it works in the short term but costs a lot of energy.

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