A Conceptual Analysis of Autistic Masking
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/aut.2020.0043Abstract
Autistic masking is an emerging research area that focuses on understanding the conscious or unconscious suppression of natural autistic responses and adoption of alternatives across a range of domains. It is suggested that masking may relate to negative outcomes for autistic people, including late/missed diagnosis, mental health issues, burnout, and suicidality. This makes it essential to understand what masking is, and why it occurs. In this conceptual analysis, we suggest that masking is an unsurprising response to the deficit narrative and accompanying stigma that has developed around autism. We outline how classical social theory (i.e., social identity theory) can help us to understand how and why people mask by situating masking in the social context in which it develops. We draw upon the literature on stigma and marginalization to examine how masking might intersect with different aspects of identity (e.g., gender). We argue that although masking might contribute toward disparities in diagnosis, it is important that we do not impose gender norms and stereotypes by associating masking with a “female autism phenotype.” Finally we provide recommendations for future research, stressing the need for increased understanding of the different ways that autism may present in different people (e.g., internalizing and externalizing) and intersectionality. We suggest that masking is examined through a sociodevelopmental lens, taking into account factors that contribute toward the initial development of the mask and that drive its maintenance.
Comments
My aspie friend/lover masks so well that he was a champion in a certain sport in his youth and later an officer in an elite unit in the IDF and his parents never even thought of ASD. Actually it was in the army during combat when friends were killed before his eyes that he had his first major meltdown and consequently PTSD. He claims he masks perfectly now but he doesn't. I am assuming that because he is extremely astute he learned to adapt and match his responses with those of others The effort is exhausting and he says he is "himself" only when he is alone. When we are together he often forgets to mask and that makes me very happy because I like his natural self. His stimming was always rather a "regular" movement, flexing one leg repeatedly which I suppose also just seemed as though he had cramp as he was an athlete. When he is tired or triggered he stops masking but he has learned to camouflage this to a certain extent because he is aware of seeming very odd I suppose to someone who doesn't know him. As he gets older it is becoming more and more exhausting to mask (he is much younger than I) is that a usual thing for masking to become more difficult with age? I will read this article in depth, it may be useful for another ASD friend who is newly diagnosed with ASD at the age of 28.
I've always thought about masking like I am method acting the part of an NT, and if someone were to act a part every time they interacted with other people (or even when they're alone, as some people with ASD end up doing since they "become" their mask after doing it for so long), for years and years they'd eventually become extremely burnt out, and possibly start to suffer identity + emotional issues.
That's what happened to me when I experienced the burnout that made it fully click that I am autistic. I masked enough that I just came off as "weird" to everyone, and suppressed even stimming by myself until around 17 or so. I became so exhausted from it that it threw me into the worst burnout that I've had yet and I found it impossible to mask. I actually still haven't fully regained my ability to mask, and I honestly don't want to since I don't want to experience that again.
I sincerely hope that I am not being inappropriate or offensive myself for speaking about my friends with ASD, I am the "other" here in a sense, but I have an autistic grandson, lover and friends and understanding autism through the personal experiences of friends here helps my understanding enormously.
It's interesting to see someone without ASD talk about that behaviour. I don't think I fully get why people dislike me doing that since people don't explain it to me beyond telling me it's annoying and out of context, so seeing someone actually explain how and why it appears to them a certain way is useful.
It can still get messy sometimes. I found I "switch" my brain between certain situations to determine if or how much I mask in a very similar way to how I switch to think in another language in order to speak it without translating in my head.
Agreed. And that's exactly the problem: most people won't tell you why you annoy or even anger them and some don't even fully understand the reasons themselves, it's just a vague feeling that something is off or out of place. But getting an "it's just how it is" type of answer can be very confusing and maddening for someone on the spectrum.
Having these kinds of exchanges with very close non-autistic people that cared enough to both take the time to analyze their own feelings and reactions and to explain them to me, along with the huge role circumstances play in what is appropriate and when has been incredibly helpful to me.
When I was very young, I often thought that people had random irrational reactions, in a completely inconsistent and sometimes absurd way. These days I understand such things much better, even if understanding doesn't necessarily mean agreeing with some things.
People here already know I'm not a "separationist" and I strongly believe that the way to go is to encourage benevolent people on both sides to contribute to building a bridge between us and NTs or allistic people. I'm actually very grateful to those who actively participate this way.
People not explaining why I've annoyed/upset them drives me up the wall, especially because asking them to explain makes them act like I'm pretending to be "dumb". It's very insulting and not helpful.
I wish people would take what others say at face value and explain things when they're asked to, instead of getting offended or thinking someone is stupid. I think it'd be helpful for NTs too if people communicated like that.
I try not to embellish my texts with emotional accusations or feelings and tell him factually, in templates the cause and effect of what he said and the emotion it awakened in me and why. It is a different "emotional language" that we are figuring out. From thinking initially that he lacks compassion, I now know that he is extremely compassionate, more than average, he just needs to crack the code of what I am expressing.
You and me both. Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors at play (conditioning, personality, emotions, personal experiences, etc) that can make human beings and human interactions very complicated.