Tag: masking

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A white mask on a white background. A pale hand with red fingernails makes its way up to the mask, placing the pointer finger over the mask’s lips, as if to say “shhh”.

Fawning + Autistic Masking: When Autistic Masking Becomes Fawning and Why We Hide Ourselves Despite the Cost

Lyric Holmans

Autistic masking (also known as camouflaging) is when an Autistic person consciously or subconsciously masks their Autistic traits to blend in with non-autistic people. When we do this, it is not to be manipulative or deceptive. It is a survival skill and can also be tied to trauma responses (such as fawning). More on fawning in a moment. Continue reading Fawning + Autistic Masking: When Autistic Masking Becomes Fawning and Why We Hide Ourselves Despite the Cost

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NeuroDivergent Rebel's The Weight of Normal by Lyric Rivera - a teal book with purple text and a pink brain, there is also a person holding a heavy boulder on their shoulders - cover text reads: Assimilate or Be Punished: A NeuroDivergent, Queer Memoir of Survival and Awakening in a World That Demands Conformity A Look at the harms and traumas of NeuroDivergent Conversion "Therapy" and other methods of forced assimilation.

The Autistic Burnout That Led Me Home to Myself: The Life I Built Was a Prison. My Autism Diagnosis Handed Me the Key.

Lyric Holmans

My Battery Was Draining Faster Than It Could Charge. My Needs Weren’t the Problem. Ignoring Them Was. When I was diagnosed Autistic, more than 9 years ago now, I was at a low point in my life. I was in … Continue reading The Autistic Burnout That Led Me Home to Myself: The Life I Built Was a Prison. My Autism Diagnosis Handed Me the Key.

Coworkers, Family, Masking / Passing, Relationships / Bullies / Friendships, Substack2 Comments
A person wearing a box on their head that has a frown drawn on it.

Shutdowns and Unspoken Pain: The Weight of Repressed Emotions and Unmet Needs

Lyric Holmans

Isolated. Hurting… Ashamed. I’ve spoken about the reasons I feel that Autistic overloads are not that different from overloads in non-autistics in the past (on multiple occasions). Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much more I’ve been asked to “put away” … Continue reading Shutdowns and Unspoken Pain: The Weight of Repressed Emotions and Unmet Needs

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Lyric, with long black hair and pale skin, dressed as little red riding hood.

The Realities of Autistic & NeuroDivergent Camouflaging (Masking)

Lyric Holmans

Neurodiversity, a normal and natural part of human variation, encompasses the diversity of the brain and nervous system.

The human brain, body, and nervous system can exhibit variety in various ways. Still, these differences may not be readily apparent to outsiders (due to misunderstandings and assumptions because of these differences being hidden within the person’s brain). Continue reading The Realities of Autistic & NeuroDivergent Camouflaging (Masking)

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Autonomy Unlocked: A Life of My Own – How Adulthood Gave Me the Freedom I Needed to Thrive as an Autistic Person

Lyric Holmans

I’ve discovered that the key to unlocking my potential and reducing my struggles lies in the autonomy and control that come with adulthood, a freedom that is often denied to NeuroDivergent youngsters.
Continue reading Autonomy Unlocked: A Life of My Own – How Adulthood Gave Me the Freedom I Needed to Thrive as an Autistic Person

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When I didn't know I was NeuroDivergent, I used to feel like a failed NeuroTypical Person (because the expectations for me to be a "good" NeuroTypical seemed impossibly out of reach).

I Used to Hate Myself When I Thought I was NeuroTypical

Lyric Holmans

When I didn’t know I was NeuroDivergent, I used to feel like a failed NeuroTypical Person (because the expectations for me to be a “good” NeuroTypical seemed impossibly out of reach).

“Why can’t I just _______ ?” – Do something NeuroTypicals find simple.

“Why do they hate me? Why do they think I’m weird?”

“If I could only ______.” – Insert some activity that NeuroTypicals don’t struggle with.

“What’s WRONG with me? Why am I such a failure?” Continue reading I Used to Hate Myself When I Thought I was NeuroTypical

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Being Autistic doesn't necessarily mean one will have a mental health condition; there are Autistic people with great mental health out there, but they are in the minority.

Autism is NOT a Mental Illness! What IS Autism: Autistic People Without the Pathology

Lyric Holmans

One piece of misinformation I’ve been seeing a lot of recently on this page is the misconception that “Autism is a mental illness” – which it’s not. 

Being Autistic doesn’t necessarily mean one will have a mental health condition; there are Autistic people with great mental health out there, but they are in the minority.
Continue reading Autism is NOT a Mental Illness! What IS Autism: Autistic People Without the Pathology

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A neon purple and teal set of headphones on a black background with the words Autistic Pride in teal on top

Do I seem MORE Autistic to you NOW? Why many Autistics stop camouflaging their Autistic traits post autism discovery.

Lyric Holmans

To onlookers it may have seemed that I was “acting more Autistic” since my diagnosis, but in reality I was done with the shame, hiding my Autistic traits, and done acting NeuroTypical.
Continue reading Do I seem MORE Autistic to you NOW? Why many Autistics stop camouflaging their Autistic traits post autism discovery.