Published on 12, July, 2020
I hear a lot about masking, but I'm not aware of myself consciously and deliberately doing that. I wonder however. Can masking be a subconscious/reflex thing rather than something that you purposely do?
I only got diagnosed with aspergers last September at the age of 32 and have somewhat been masking my whole life, well after getting diagnosed I was kinda hoping I’d let go a little, start to be me rather than the person that perceived as normal. Issue is I can’t seem to stop masking and I’m so very tired, exhausted and I feel I can’t do it anymore but I can’t stop myself and what’s weirder is that some people have seen the real me and say they like the real me and yet I do t believe them and still subconsciously mask. Driving me a bit mental to be honest. Also my wife, I love her to bits, she won’t allow me to be me around her family(not that I can any way). I just want it to stop and be free from this cage that I’m in.
Hey, I just read this in passing but I felt the need to reply. Masking can be very exhausting. I only bother to mask when I'm talking with non-autistic people, simply because it makes the interaction run a lot more smoothly and doesn't leave me otherthinking afterwards about what I could have done/said differently, if I was following 'the rules' then that's good enough for me, but it does take a toll on me and drain me. Since being diagnosed with Aspergers at the end of last year I've made friends with fellow autistic people, a couple of people that I was already friends with are also seeking assessment or have self diagnosed. I find that I don't feel the need to mask when I'm with other autistic people, it's a lot less mentally draining. Why won't your wife allow you to be near her family? That sounds very belittling of you if I'm honest. Is your wife supportive of your diagnosis?
no she allows me to be near her family but tends to nip any autistic behaviour in the butt of which she did before diagnosis, erm yes and no, she is supportive to a certain point but still want's me to get a job and be 'normal' so we can live a 'normal' life. but i don't hold that against her as this diagnosis doesn't only affect me.
Wow! It really does seem as if you've received a lot of negativity since being diagnosed!!
Well we got a new saying now lol