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Writer's pictureBarb Avila

Masking and Camouflaging


We all engage in masking and camouflaging occasionally to "fit in" to situations at work and/or in our communities. We change or subdue parts of ourselves to blend in. We disguise ourselves by concealing our true identities, and we blend in by adopting behaviors or even entire personalities of others. We may do this to feel more confident in a given situation or to not draw attention to ourselves.


Autistic individuals engage in masking, camouflaging, and assimilating so regularly that they may struggle to recognize their true selves beneath these facades. The act of pretending to be someone else or adopting the behaviors of others is also extremely draining. The constant need for observation and assimilation by autistic individuals saddens me, highlighting the societal pressure that demands this from them.


There is a misconception that only highly verbal individuals or those with autism who live or work independently are the ones who engage in masking. In my experience, I have observed that even autistic individuals with more complex needs, requiring high levels of support, and who may not communicate verbally, also engage in masking behavior regularly. The act of masking and camouflaging is often a coping mechanism to deal with the constant criticism, stares, and misunderstandings that are common for autistic individuals and that threaten their sense of security. However, this self-suppression comes at a significant emotional and physical cost to the individual. Parents may witness meltdowns at home after their child has spent long days at school trying to conform in order to avoid confusion, reprimands, or criticism. Similarly, adults may engage in masking to please loved ones who may not fully embrace their autistic traits and way of processing information.


If someone you know masks and/or camouflages, I urge you to let them unmask safely. This will mean allowing pacing, stimming, and familiar routines to be completed - even if they do not make sense to you. They are important to that person and that is what matters. Be someone who welcomes differences in processing so that someone doesn't feel they have to be someone else around you.


Blake Baxter and I had a conversation that I found quite interesting around the details of masking, camouflaging and assimilating. You can listen in to our podcast on this topic by clicking the button below or by finding it on iTunes....


We define masking, camouflaging, assimilating, scripting and more while discussing how they manifest in the autistic experience.


Blake mentions a couple of things you may find helpful:


Embrace Autism: 


Iggy Pop's "Mask"

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