Masking: Why It Happens and How to Reduce the Strain

Many neurodivergent people learn early that blending in is safer than standing out. This habit—often called masking or camouflaging—refers to the effort of hiding natural behaviors or suppressing stims to fit into a neurotypical world. While it sometimes helps reduce misunderstanding, it often comes with a heavy emotional toll.

Research shows that masking is not just about choice. One study found that many neurodivergent adults experience exhaustion, identity loss, and even suicidal ideation when masking¹. Over time, “performing” a non-neurodivergent persona takes mental energy, which can deplete someone’s capacity for self-care or authenticity².

Masking also reflects broader societal pressures. Neurodivergent individuals may hide characteristic behaviors—such as stimming, avoiding eye contact, or using social scripts—not because they want to erase themselves, but because they feel they must in order to avoid judgment or rejection³. For many, this behavior is a learned strategy built over years, sometimes decades, to navigate environments that were never explicitly designed for them.

But the cost is real. Studies point to increased anxiety, burnout, and mental health decline among those who mask chronically⁴. The constant vigilance required to maintain a mask can lead to lasting harm, reducing connection with one’s identity and increasing emotional exhaustion⁵.

So, what’s next?
Unmasking isn’t about revealing everything at once. It’s about creating safer spaces where you don’t have to hide the parts of yourself that feel “too much.” Whether it’s therapy, trusted relationships, or community spaces like Brighter Days Ahead, finding places where authenticity is welcomed can be a powerful act of self-care.

¹ Hull, Louise, et al. “‘Masking Is Life’: Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults.” PubMed, 2022.
² Radulski, Elizabeth M. et al. “A Conceptual Analysis of Autistic Masking: Understanding the Narrative of Stigma and the Illusion of Choice.” PubMed, 2022.
³ “Masking: Why Being Yourself is the Ultimate Self-Care.” Neurodiverse Mental Health.
⁴ Gardiner, G4. “Neurodiversity, Masking, and Autistic Burnout.” TAMIS, 2024.
⁵ “The Strain of Masking: Reclaiming Our Neurodivergent Selves.” Psychology Today, 2024.