Grown women who are Autistic have explained to me what it feels like. We may feel pressure from others to pretend to be someone we’re not, so we create a version of ourselves that people are more likely to accept. âPutting on My Best Normalâ: Social Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions. Maybe it’s personal safety. Some people are of the belief that Autism can be grown out, or that with the right support and interventions, Autism can be cured or lessened. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. The motivation for masking was found to be foremost the desire to fit in and create connections with others (6, 2). Many children with autism have sensory issues relating to clothing … Although masking has predominantly been described in relation to autistic women and girls, studies have reported that masking is not a gender-specific phenomenon(5). Masking is not a beneficial behavior in the long run and scientists now echo what autistic advocates have been saying for decades: that it should not be encouraged for people diagnosed with ASC, as masking poses a serious threat to mental health, wellbeing and development of identity. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3342-7. The motivations for masking autistic traits are largely socially motivated - including avoiding negative social consequences like bullying, as well as increasing connections with others, success at work, and success in relationships. Masking itself consists of a combination of camouflaging and compensation techniques where a person works to control impulses, act âneurotypicalâ, rehearse answers to questions or conversations, and mimic others. … The Genetics of Autism, Autism Research Centre. Symptoms can include disorganization, inattentiveness and isolation, decreased stress threshold, chronic fatigue, crying and suicidal remarks. Masking among men with Autism Spectrum Disorder is a coping strategy in the face of societal misunderstanding. Masking may be common in places where there’s little support for neurodiversity, or where people on the autism spectrum are under direct threat. “We suggest that the overall impact of compensation and masking really depends on the individual, ... J Autism Dev Disord. A … Autism masking involves spotting those symptoms and working desperately to hide them. It is being so tired you can’t move, you can’t think, so tired you can sleep for days, so tired there is nothing left. This diagnostic imbalance likely has a variety of causes. Over the years, the reported ratio of those who have received an autism diagnosis is 1 woman or girl to every 4-5 boys or men* (3). This can result in … All rights reserved. Try these twelve tips to help ease mealtime stress for you and your autistic child. It is often motivated by a sense of alienation and threat, and frequently represents an attempt to avoid ostracism and attacksâ (2019). In short, masking involves suppressing certain parts of oneself and performing other behaviors. The term autism or autism spectrum disorders (ASD) refers to lifelong behavioural difficulties associated with a wide range of problems (hence the … There’s been some debate about why girls and women may mask autistic traits more than boys and men do. Camouflaging or using social imitation strategies includes imitations like âmaking eye contact during conversation, using learned phrases or pre-prepared jokes in conversation, mimicking otherâs social behaviour, imitating facial expressions or gestures, and learning and following social scriptsâ (1). Behavior that deviates from these norms is met with negative consequences. •Students who mask are often misdiagnosed because they have camouflaged their symptoms. What is masking? This may include anxiety, depression, exhaustion, a loss of identity, and suicidal thoughts. Disliking uncomfortable clothes. This behavior is not always intentional which can lead to confusion about a person’s identity. Here’s a list of resources to help: The CDC reports that there is no cure for autism yet, and many in the autism community contend that neurodiversity itself doesn’t need to be cured. Some research suggests that autistic girls and women may be more inclined to develop friendships than autistic boys and men. Additionally, studies indicate that females are more likely than males to receive a misdiagnosis of other mental health conditions, such as personality disorders or eating disorders. Masking is when we mimic habits, body language, and language of non-autistic people in order to fit in. But while camouflaging may have certain benefits, it’s important to note that there are significant costs. It gets us through our days. But sometimes a diagnosis isn’t made…, PDD-NOS was formerly a mild form of autism. Hi, my name is Loren Snow and I’m autistic, ADHD, and have OCD. Masking is appearing as normal as the next person, whatever normal may be. More studies and research on masking are so needed in order to better understand the long-term impacts on the wellbeing of individuals who mask and how we can create societies that allow people to be their authentic selves (2). We just get better at hiding it. It is a reaction to the fact that our society has very ingrained notions of what is preferable and expected behavior. How it looks will vary from person to person, but masking can include behaviors like these: People may mask autism for a variety of reasons, such as: Although masking can look different from person to person, one study has described a basic three-stage model of the process: motivation, masking, and consequences. These masking or compensation strategies are often very exhausting and come at a cost. Autism Masking and Mental Health in Women with Autism Why anxiety, depression, and suicidality can be linked to autistic camouflaging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists some of these differences as: Finding a mental health professional with the training and experience to meet your individual needs can sometimes be a challenge. We’ll go over all the different…, High-functioning autism isn’t a medical term, but many people still use it. Understanding the reasons, contexts and costs of camouflaging for autistic adults. Hull, L., Lai, M.-C., Baron-Cohen, S., Allison, C., Smith, P., Petrides, K., & Mandy, W. (2020). Under-diagnosed or misrecognized autism in women. Masking autism may sometimes help protect autistic people from being “outed” or harassed at school or work. Autistic women and girls may, as mentioned, be better at âcamouflagingâ or âmaskingâ their symptoms, while displaying subtler characteristic behavioral presentation than men and boys (1). Autobiographical observations and interviews with women, who have been diagnosed later in life indicate many women who have compensated and spent their whole lives feeling different until their children receive a diagnosis that they recognize themselves in (2). Recent research suggests that women on the autistic spectrum have a higher likelihood of subtler behavioral presentation than their male counterparts. Here are some of the effects of regular masking: If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, help is always available. Whatever the motivation, an autistic person may feel they must hide differences or change the way they naturally act — often because their living or working environment doesn’t tolerate, support, or respect neurodiversity. Hand flapping, avoiding eye contact, and experiencing meltdowns due to routine changes are all common parts of life with autism. One important benefit to identifying autism early is that it gives families a chance to learn about their child’s needs and to create an environment in which their child can feel accepted and supported. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions, as well as one of the most treatable. Regardless of intentionality, masking can also lead to serious health consequences, so it’s important to understand the behavior and its effects on people who regularly camouflage their neurodiversity. We’ll explain what it usually means and how it’s different from and…, Autism is usually detected by the time children age 3 or 4 and common signs begin to piece together a puzzle. Last medically reviewed on March 10, 2021, Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurological conditions that affect a person’s ability to communicate with others. You can also call or visit your nearest emergency room or psychiatric care center to speak with a mental health professional. While masking symptoms of autism can help teens integrate socially and feel like they’re living a “normal life,” a later diagnosis can lead to other mental health issues and difficulty receiving the help they need. But when a person has autism, anxiety symptoms can be hard to see. Another sign of social masking is the visible display of observation. When we are alone, we are free to stim, self-soothe, avoid all human contact, and be ourselves. forcing or faking eye contact during conversations, imitating smiles and other facial expressions, developing a repertoire of rehearsed responses to questions, pushing through intense sensory discomfort including loud noises, making friends and other social connections, fitting in or feeling a sense of belonging, learn social cues from various forms of media, observe social interactions between people around them, monitor their own facial expressions and body language, adjust their tone of voice to match other people’s vocal patterns, preferring not to have eye contact or physical contact with other people, having difficulty recognizing or talking about emotions, repeating certain physical gestures or movements. In other cases, it focuses on preparing scripts and strategies to compensate for communication differences. 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