Autistic Masking Explained: What It Is, Why People Do It and What It Costs

What masking is

Researchers describe masking as the process of hiding aspects of yourself, on purpose or without meaning to, to avoid harm. In autism research it is often called camouflaging. It can be a deliberate effort in a job interview, or a habit so old that it feels like your personality.

In a study of autistic adults published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, researchers grouped camouflaging into two parts. Masking was hiding autistic traits and presenting a different persona. Compensation was using learned strategies, such as rules for conversation, to make up for social differences.

Non-autistic people can mask too. In one study comparing autistic, other neurodivergent and neurotypical adults, all groups described copying others and feeling drained by it. Some forms seemed more specific to autistic people, such as holding back stimming and suppressing reactions to sensory input.

What masking can look like day to day

No two people mask the same way. These examples come from autistic adults who took part in research.

• Forcing eye contact, or looking as close to someone's eyes as you can
• Putting on facial expressions of interest or emotion that you do not feel inside
• Keeping a mental list of how to behave in different places
• Preparing topics, questions and stories before a conversation, like a script
• Watching other people and copying how they talk or act
• Holding in stimming, or hiding how much a noise, light or texture bothers you
• Replaying conversations afterward to check whether you said the right thing

Why people mask

Masking usually makes sense given a person's history. In the adult camouflaging study, people said they masked to fit in, to make friends and form relationships, and to get jobs and qualifications they felt would be harder to reach if they seemed visibly autistic. Many also described being left out, verbally attacked or even physically hurt when they had not camouflaged.

A survey study in Autism in Adulthood found some real benefits. Autistic adults said camouflaging gave them access to social spaces and protected them from harm. The researchers asked whether this was thriving or surviving, and concluded that the main reason people felt they had to camouflage so much was a lack of awareness and acceptance of autism in society.

What masking can cost

Exhaustion was the most consistent cost people described in the adult camouflaging study. Masking took intense concentration and self-control, and many needed time alone afterward to recover. Some felt extreme anxiety and stress once a social situation ended.

In the Autism in Adulthood survey, autistic adults linked long periods of camouflaging with isolation, poor mental and physical health, losing a sense of their own identity, and other people expecting more than they could sustain. For some, it delayed an autism diagnosis. The amount of time spent camouflaging seemed to be the most damaging part.

Masking also shows up in research on autistic burnout, a state of long-lasting exhaustion, loss of skills and lower tolerance for sensory input that autistic adults have described. In the study that defined it, masking was the most prominent life stressor people named. Most of this research uses online surveys and interviews, so it describes experiences rather than proving cause and effect.

How understanding masking can help

Many adults in the Autism in Adulthood study said they camouflaged less than they used to, often after being diagnosed or when they were with people who accepted them, such as a partner, close friends or other autistic people. Those who masked less often described feeling more positive, accepted and confident. Others said the change was slow because of stigma around them.

The burnout researchers noted the possible dangers of teaching autistic people to mask, and the adults they spoke with named unmasking, acceptance and reduced expectations among the things that helped. Unmasking does not have to be all or nothing. Many people start by noticing where they mask and where they could rest.

If you are wondering whether masking might explain some of your exhaustion, our free autism signs checklist may help you decide whether to talk to someone. It is an informal checklist only: it is not a screening test, it has not been validated and it cannot diagnose.

How we can help

If you want a clearer answer, Locascio Wellness offers an adult autism evaluation by secure video, only for people who are physically located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Arizona during appointments. It usually involves an intake appointment, one or two sessions and a written report. Evaluations are private-pay with a sliding scale, and the cost is given in writing first. Start with the short evaluation request form or book a free 15-minute consultation.

Therapy is separate, and you do not need a diagnosis to start. The practice does not offer autism therapy, but therapists on our team offer anxiety therapy and depression therapy, which can be a place to look at what masking has cost you. Therapy is online for clients physically located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Arizona, Colorado or Florida during sessions, and not every service is offered in every state.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services.