Masking is when a person on the autism spectrum hides traits in order to blend in or “be normal.” In 2017, a group of British psychologists came together to study camouflaging and come up with a concrete definition to help aid in autism diagnosis in people who were not diagnosed because they were not displaying outward signs that psychologists had been trained to look for.
The definition that they came up with was – camouflaging is the difference between how people seem in social contexts and what’s happening to them on the inside.
Studies are just emerging showing that those on the autism spectrum with higher IQs are more likely to use masking/camouflaging. Many times those on the autism spectrum, particularly those with Asperger’s, mask unconsciously. They mimic what they see other people do because that is how they are told they are supposed to act and what is normal.
Masking/camouflaging is done by suppressing, hiding, or otherwise controlling behaviors that are not the social norm. This is typically done more in a social environment and done on a smaller scale in a family and friends environment.
Some studies are also pointing to females doing masking without knowing it, and it may be why not as many females are diagnosed as being on the spectrum, because they are masking.
Why do people mask/camouflage
In 2017, in the United Kingdom, a group of 92 individuals all diagnosed with autism participated in a camouflage study. They asked what motivated them to mask their autism traits and what techniques they used to achieve their goal. Participants reported that they camouflage to connect with friends, find a good job, or meet a romantic partner.
There were many techniques they described for fitting in and being accepted. Examples of techniques used were to practice smiling, prepare jokes as an ice-breaker, develop different “personalities” for different audiences, and studying other people’s behavior and learning gestures or phrases that are commonly used.
In a study led by Kajsa Igelstrom , assistant professor of neuroscience at Linkoping University in Sweden, 342 people were interviewed about camouflaging their stimming. Nearly 80 percent of the participants had tried to implement strategies to make stimming less detectable, Igelstrom said. The most common method is redirecting their energy into less visible muscle movements, such as sucking and clenching their teeth or tensing and relaxing their thigh muscles. Many respondents also reported changing their need to stim into more socially acceptable movements, such as tapping a pen, doodling, or playing with objects under the table. Many said that they try to confine their stimming to times when they are alone or in a safe place, such as with family.
Some people use masking/camouflaging due to a concern for their own safety. People on the autism spectrum have reported being shunned, bullied, verbally or emotionally attacked, and even physical assaults when they had not used masking/camouflaging techniques.
People on the autism spectrum wanted to be accepted by others and be able to socialize just like neurotypical people, but many of them lack the skills needed to make small talk, interact comfortably with strangers, and relax in social situations. This limits their ability to get to know people better. Masking/camouflaging helps with this. Most of the time once others get to know them, the person on the autism spectrum can let down the mask and not feel the pressure to blend in.
The costs of masking/camouflaging
“Camouflaging is often about a desperate and sometimes subconscious survival battle,” said Igelstrom.
In almost every case in the 2017 British survey the subjects interviewed described feeling utterly drained mentally, physically, and emotionally.
A problem that can develop to masking/camouflaging for extended periods of time can be high levels of stress, anxiety, exhaustion, and a need to withdraw from social interaction to reset. Masking/camouflaging can be mentally, physically, emotionally draining. It requires constant concentration and self-control to maintain and to hide any discomfort. During times of constant use it can become harder to maintain and can eventually some behaviors will start to show. Also after long periods of camouflaging/masking it can take longer to recover.
It is important that the individual takes time out to recharge and not have the pressure of maintaining their mask. It can be helpful to have relationships where you don’t feel like you need to camouflage, where you can just be yourself.
