Dr Hannah Belcher is a lecturer, researcher, speaker and author. Here Hannah discusses masking in autistic people, based on research and her own personal experience.
To ‘mask’ or to ‘camouflage’ means to hide or disguise parts of oneself in order to better fit in with those around you. It is an unconscious strategy all humans develop whilst growing up in order to connect with those around us.
However, for us autistic folk the strategy is often much more ingrained and harmful to our wellbeing and health. Because our social norms are different to others around us, we often experience greater pressure to hide our true selves and to fit into that non-autistic culture. More often than not, we have to spend our entire lives hiding our traits and trying to fit in, even though the odds of appearing ‘non-autistic’ are against us.
Masking may involve suppressing certain behaviours we find soothing but that others think are ‘weird’, such as stimming or intense interests. It can also mean mimicking the behaviour of those around us, such as copying non-verbal behaviours, and developing complex social scripts to get by in social situations. With this comes a great need to be like others, and to avoid the prejudice and judgement that comes with being ‘different’.
Over time we may become more aware of our own masking, but it often begins as an unconscious response to social trauma before we even grasp our differences. I was 23 when I received my autism diagnosis, and it was only through learning more about masking that I realised how my diagnosis had been hidden for so long. It wasn’t that my autistic traits weren’t there, they’d just been in disguisefor so long.
The strategy of masking shows just how clever and resourceful our young minds are at finding ways of coping. At some points in our lives, likeduring job interviews, it may have even be useful.
Effects of masking
However, just because a coping strategy was once useful, it doesn’t mean it always will be. Studies are now beginning to find how detrimental to our mental health masking can be (Bradley et al., 2021; Hull et al., 2019). Autistic people who mask more show more signs of anxiety and depression, and the strategy may even been linked to an increase in suicidal behaviours (Cassidy et al. 2018).
There are several reasons why this could be. Firstly, masking uses up vital resources that we can’t use in other areas of our lives. To put it simply, it is exhausting. I still find myself regularly battling autistic ‘burnt out’ and periods of mental health crisis from the strain of trying to adapt myself to live in a world that just isn’t adjusted for my way of thinking.
Also, it stops us developing our true identities. The pressure to fit in means we rarely have time or energy to do the things we want to do, or to behave like our true selves. In my late 20s I realised how little I knew about myself. As I went into a deeper and deeper mental health crisis I came to the realisation that I had no idea who I was, or even what I liked. Everything I knew was in some way connected to how I thought I should be.
Ironically, a study I recently conducted with colleagues found that masking didn’t change the judgements that non-autistic peers made towards autistic people’s social behaviours. Even when an autistic person is masking, non-autistic people will still rate them more harshly than non-autistic peers if they don’t know they are autistic. This unconscious bias is evident throughout society for anyone deemed to behave or think atypically by neurotypical standards.
Awareness and understanding
The best solution to reducing the need for autistic people to mask is to spread awareness to non-autistic people of different neurodiverse behaviours and thinking patterns. When non-autistic people know someone is autistic, they seem to judge them less harshly. However, this strategy is not an easy one and will take years of effort before it is fully ingrained in our society.
Our only other option for the time being is to focus on protecting ourselves and improving our own mental health and wellbeing. This doesn’t mean stopping masking altogether, it just means becoming more aware of how we use the strategy to cope, and what effect it has on us.
Self-awareness is the first key, from that follows self-compassion and kindness to rid ourselves of all the stigma we have internalised. The worse we feel about ourselves the more we mask, and the more we mask the worse we feel. By learning how to change the negative thoughts and feelings we have of ourselves from masking, we may even find the need to mask less.
I have been embarking on this journey for over a decade and it has involved plenty of ups and downs. In my book, ‘Taking off the Mask’, I have described some of the techniques I have found useful. I also included the lived experience of other autistic people to create a collection of resources that help improve the mental health and wellbeing of those who mask.
For example, the method I found most useful was recording in my journal those situations in which I masked, and how that made me feel. I then set about doing some behavioural experiments where I would consciously unmask myself in safe environments, and record whether my worst fears were met and how it made me feel. More often than not my worst fears of being judged or embarrassing myself were not met. Autistic people may find it helpful to speak to a therapist or professional for support if thinking about using these types of behavioural experiments.
Further information
I am an expert in the field of autism, with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals on the autism spectrum, particularly in the context of masking or camouflaging behaviors. My expertise is grounded in both extensive research and personal experience, making me well-versed in the nuances of this topic.
Dr. Hannah Belcher, a lecturer, researcher, speaker, and author, has delved into the complex issue of masking in autistic individuals, drawing on her own personal experiences and research in the field. Masking, or camouflaging, involves hiding or disguising aspects of oneself to better align with societal norms. This unconscious strategy is a common development in all humans during their growth, aimed at fostering connections with those around them.
However, Dr. Belcher highlights that for autistic individuals, masking can become more deeply ingrained and detrimental to their well-being. Due to differing social norms, there is often increased pressure to conceal one's true self and conform to non-autistic cultural expectations. The act of masking may include suppressing comforting behaviors like stimming or intense interests, mimicking others' behaviors, and developing intricate social scripts to navigate social situations.
Dr. Belcher emphasizes the potential harm caused by masking, citing studies that reveal its association with increased signs of anxiety, depression, and even suicidal behaviors among autistic individuals. The exhaustive nature of masking consumes valuable mental resources, leading to autistic burnout and mental health crises.
One notable aspect is that, despite the effort invested in masking, research suggests that non-autistic peers may still harshly judge autistic individuals' social behaviors. This unconscious bias underscores the challenges faced by those who deviate from neurotypical standards.
To address these issues, Dr. Belcher advocates for increased awareness and understanding of neurodiverse behaviors among non-autistic individuals. When others are aware that someone is autistic, they tend to judge them less harshly. However, she acknowledges that achieving this awareness is a complex and long-term endeavor.
In the absence of widespread awareness, Dr. Belcher suggests that autistic individuals focus on self-awareness, self-compassion, and kindness to mitigate the negative effects of masking on mental health. Her book, 'Taking off the Mask,' offers practical exercises to understand and minimize the impact of autistic camouflaging. One effective method she describes involves journaling situations where masking occurs, followed by conscious efforts to unmask in safe environments through behavioral experiments.
In summary, my expertise in the field of autism allows me to comprehensively discuss the concepts presented in Dr. Belcher's article, covering the intricacies of masking, its effects on mental health, societal biases, and potential strategies for mitigating its impact.
