The Hidden Cost of Autism Masking
Autism masking, also known as autism camouflaging, refers to the strategies autistic individuals use to hide their differences in order to fit in with social expectations. While masking can sometimes help people feel safer or more accepted in the short term, it often comes at a high emotional and psychological cost. In this follow-up to our previous post on autism masking, we examine what happens when masking becomes chronic and how unmasking autism can lead to enhanced well-being, deeper self-understanding, and more authentic connections.
What Is Autistic Burnout?
Many autistic people who mask regularly experience a phenomenon known as autistic burnout. This isn’t just being tired; it’s a deep, chronic exhaustion that can affect mental, emotional, and physical functioning. It’s often caused by long-term efforts to conform, suppress natural behaviors, and navigate environments that are not neurodiversity-affirming.
Signs of autistic burnout may include:
Increased sensitivity to sensory input
Decreased ability to mask or “hold it together” in public
Loss of previously developed coping skills
Emotional shutdown or withdrawal
Heightened anxiety or depression
Why Masking Happens in the First Place
Masking isn’t just a personal choice—it’s often a survival strategy. From a young age, many autistic people receive clear (and sometimes unspoken) messages that their natural ways of communicating, moving, or reacting aren’t acceptable. As a result, they may suppress stimming, script conversations, force eye contact, or hide their sensory needs.
Common reasons for autism masking include:
Wanting to make or keep friends
Avoiding bullying or exclusion
Trying to meet expectations at school or work
Feeling unsafe or misunderstood
The Emotional Toll of Masking
While masking can help autistic individuals “pass” or fit in socially, it can also lead to identity confusion, anxiety, and mental health challenges. Many people who mask extensively report feeling like they don’t know who they are underneath it all. Others describe feeling constantly on edge or disconnected from their emotions.
As one adult described: “I didn’t even realize I was masking until I stopped. It was like waking up after pretending to be someone else for years.”
Unmasking and Recovery
Unmasking autism is the process of becoming more aware of masking behaviors and choosing to let go of them, when it’s safe to do so. This isn’t always easy, especially in environments that aren’t supportive. But it can be a powerful step toward self-acceptance and mental health.
Ways to support unmasking and recovery:
Seek out neurodiversity-affirming spaces (online or in-person)
Connect with other autistic individuals or communities
Work with therapists who understand autism and support unmasking
Practice self-compassion and recognize the courage it takes to drop the mask
Educate friends, family, and coworkers about the realities of masking
Supporting Autistic People Who Mask
If you're a parent, teacher, or caregiver, one of the most important things you can do is create environments where autistic people feel safe being themselves. That might look like allowing movement breaks, embracing alternative communication styles, or simply listening without judgment.
Autism masking is often a response to a world that doesn’t make room for difference. But when we shift our environments and our expectations, we give autistic individuals the space to thrive without hiding who they are.