The act of hiding Autistic behaviours to blend in with Neurotypical people and places. There are two types of Masking:
- Intending to hide parts of oneself to fit in. This is not limited to autistic behaviours, but also with things such as interests.
- The “survival response”, masking/ fawning, which is an automatic response you aren’t in control of – similar to the fight/ flight/ freeze response, you also have the fawn response.
Masking isn’t always a conscious decision for a lot of autistic people, especially autistic young people in school. The act of masking can contribute to stress, anxiety, and emotional Overload.