07.19.24
Here’s What Masking Is and How to Tell If You’re Doing it Right Now
And what researchers know about the impact so far.
If you’re on mental health TikTok, you’ve probably come across the term masking. Or maybe you’ve heard friends with autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) talk about masking certain traits associated with those conditions.
Because pretending to “appear” “normal” is something most of us have done to fit in at random points in our lives, you might have wondered whether this concept applies to you too (especially if you’ve also thought, Do I have autism?). While most of us subscribe to cultural and social norms (it’s human nature), masking specifically refers to neurodivergent folks covering up their perceived differences.
But there’s a lot more to it than that! Here, we spoke to mental health pros and people with autism about what masking is, how to tell if you’re doing it, and what to do next.
What is masking?
Masking means altering your authentic self or suppressing specific parts of yourself that relate to your autism, says psychologist Greg Wallace, PhD, an associate professor at George Washington University who studies autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan. Though that’s the general idea, the things people change about themselves vary from person to person.
While it’s not a clinical term, masking is a common coping mechanism used by people with autism spectrum disorder and possibly ADHD (according to some research on women with ADHD) to avoid bullying, judgment, discrimination, the loss of opportunities, and even physical danger, according to Dr. Wallace. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), the authors write that, “Many adults with autism spectrum disorder report using compensation strategies and coping mechanisms to mask their difficulties in public.”
For Jules Edwards, a writer and disability advocate with autism, masking looks like making eye contact even when it feels distracting and unnatural. For others, it might entail changing their tone of voice, speech patterns, facial expressions, or body language, says Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. It could even show up as spending more time and effort on a project to make up for some perceived inadequacy, adds Valerie L. Gaus, PhD, a clinical psychologist who works mostly with autistic clients. And it’s not uncommon for autistic people to rehearse convos before being in certain social situations, adds Goldie McQuaid, PhD, a research assistant professor in psychology at George Mason University.
Over the last few years, masking gained wider recognition among mental health pros as advocates in the autistic community spoke up about its impact, says Dr. Wallace. Now, researchers like him are trying to learn more about the phenomenon members of the neurodiverse community have been talking about for (probably) ever, he adds.
Is masking bad?
Like we said, all humans on some level make certain choices to assimilate in society. But when neurodivergent people mask their natural tendencies to fit in with neurotypical people or get through a situation, it requires more effort than it would for someone without autism or ADHD, says Dr. Gaus. For example, the discomfort of trying to present yourself in the best way possible, like, say at a job interview, is extremely different for someone with autism than a neurotypical person, Dr. Gaus explains. “It can be destructive if one person is exerting themselves more than everyone else just so they can participate.”
But sometimes people with neurodevelopmental conditions mask because they just feel more comfortable doing so. “I’m someone who wants to blend in,” Edwards says. “For me, it feels like putting on my game face every day and presenting a version of myself to the world that’s more widely accepted than my true self,” she says. “There’s a misconception that it’s being fake, but that’s not what it is at all.”
Still, it is possible masking can mess with your self-esteem or change the way you view yourself over time, Dr. Gaus says. The idea is that, “as you learn to mask, you may also teach yourself to invalidate your individuality,” she explains. That experience can wear on your confidence.
Masking can also make it harder for folks who might have autism or ADHD to get a diagnosis and support, both of which can be validating and helpful with day-to-day life.
Other than that, there’s a lot we don’t know about the mental health risks of masking because researchers are catching up to decades of anecdotal accounts from autistic people, Dr. Wallace explains. Most studies on masking have been published in the last five to 10 years.
Despite the limited research, Dr. Wallace says early findings show that masking could be associated with feelings of isolation and suicidal ideation, according to a 2019 study in The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. And in a systematic review of research, the authors of a 2018 study concluded that females who masked their autism traits, “experience high levels of subjective stress, anxiety and exhaustion and a need to re-charge or recuperate by withdrawing from any social interaction.”
It’s not clear why masking is associated with these mental health struggles, but there are some theories. Masking can take a lot of mental energy, explains Anita Robertson, LCSW, a therapist who works with ADHD-ers and has ADHD. She adds it can be doubly exhausting for women who often ~perform for society~ in many ways already. Same goes for people of color, who may also feel forced to code switch based on their environment.
Again, it’s hard to say for sure if masking itself causes harm because it doesn’t occur in a vacuum, Dr. McQuaid adds. “There are lots of other things that autistic people experience at elevated rates relative to nonautistic people, like discrimination and trauma, which can also cause negative mental health consequences.”
How to tell if you’re masking
Since masking happens in people with autism (and possibly ADHD), the best indicator is an autism or ADHD diagnosis. But because those neurodevelopmental conditions are often underdiagnosed (sometimes due to masking itself), it’s possible some are out here camouflaging their neurodiverse traits from a young age without realizing it, says Dr. Wallace. That’s especially true for women and girls, who, as the DSM-5-TR points out, may be better at having reciprocal conversations, sharing their interests, and modifying their behavior by situation—even if they have the same “social understanding difficulties” as boys and men with autism.
Other than a diagnosis, the best way to identify masking is paying attention to how you feel at the end of the day and what’s behind it, Dr. Gaus says. Try keeping a log for a few weeks, tracking your daily activities and ranking your energy levels before and after each one. Over time, you might notice some patterns that help you identify your most common masking behaviors.
If you’re still not sure, try journaling on it, talking with a trusted friend, or a neurodiversity-affirming therapist, says Gross. In the end though, “It is such a subjective experience and only you can really know how much you are being strained by it,” adds Dr. Gaus.
Wondermind does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a replacement for medical advice. Always consult a qualified health or mental health professional with any questions or concerns about your mental health.
