Published on 12, July, 2020
As a female currently trying to cope with life I am wondering how others cope with their 'masking' of symptoms.
For me, I have found I immediately fake a smile and make an effort to have interesting conversation and must stay alert during conversation inorder to present as normal. I have found particular problems with work. I can easily get a job. I am good at interviews and can keep my performance going for upto a month on average but then I will slowly or suddenly start to decline. I miss deadlines, I feel exhausted, stressed, disorganised, unmotivated and my work performance just gets worse. I have never lasted more than 7 months in a job.
What does 'masking' look like to you?
Since January, I have started to remove my masks. I have started to find the real me. For forty odd years, |'ve tried to fit in. It had got the point where I couldn't motivate myself to go to work.
I realised that I had been masking at work when I changed teams. I was dealing with technical things, where I was able to think out of the box.
As a result of letting the masks down, I have been more authentic and les anxious.
100% and the best thing? What's under the mask doesn't send people screaming for the hills...
What's under the mask is a slightly eccentric person who feel more like he should.