Earlier this year I was invited to take part in something wonderful. Six weeks of sharing, videos, blogs, and stories about autism and masking. In the beginning, I was enthusiastic and optimistic. Now, at the end of it all, … Continue reading #TakeTheMaskOff Week 6 – The Impact of Taking The Mask Off
I’m a chameleon, an expert masker. I can be fun and playful, or serious and attentive. I can sit still, with proper posture, and give the impression of eye contact. There are many masks, many characters that all require varying skill levels to pull off. Some costumes are more elaborate than others. Continue reading An Autistic Perspective #TakeTheMaskOff – Masking, Mental Health, & Burnout
Autistic people with well-developed masks may do better in certain situations compared to autistics without masking skills. Still, masking may come with a heavy cost, leading to physical exhaustion, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and burnout. The mask can breed self-loathing, leading the wearer to believe the unmasked person is somehow damaged, flawed, or broken. Continue reading Time to Take the Mask Off – #TakeTheMaskOff