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Exposure Anxiety: How complex are your social masks?

Kit McDaydream

How complex are your social masks?  is it just you with a bit more (pretended) confidence to cope with a day at college or work?  or do you have complete alters that deal with particular things and are completely different to the 'real you', even though they're using your body to go to your college/workplace in? (so work colleagues etc would see the personality the alter portrayed as 'your personality')

Can you be 'you' in front of anyone at all or is your exposure anxiety so severe you can only be yourself in the house alone when no-one else is there? (other than pets maybe).

K

Parents

  • I don't have a formal diagnosis. I don't know how much I mask as I think it's so ingrained into me. I do know that two weeks ago I was at a friends house and our mum's met for the first time. Hers speaks only a little English. We have been good friends for years. My friend is very bubbly so this brings out my social side and any mishaps are probably not even noticed. I enjoyed the afternoon and felt uplifted.  However, I came away feeling a big like a "phony"... like I would be "found out" at any moment (exactly what would be found out I don't know) or that I was an imposter, a charlatan. That I was wearing a mask.  This is a reason I think I'm on the spectrum. 

    I'm naturally good at mirroring others' mannerisms. So with her I'm quite "giggly" if you can call it that. Whereas with my friend I met today, we had a laugh but she isn't a giggler so it didn't happen.

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  • I don't have a formal diagnosis. I don't know how much I mask as I think it's so ingrained into me. I do know that two weeks ago I was at a friends house and our mum's met for the first time. Hers speaks only a little English. We have been good friends for years. My friend is very bubbly so this brings out my social side and any mishaps are probably not even noticed. I enjoyed the afternoon and felt uplifted.  However, I came away feeling a big like a "phony"... like I would be "found out" at any moment (exactly what would be found out I don't know) or that I was an imposter, a charlatan. That I was wearing a mask.  This is a reason I think I'm on the spectrum. 

    I'm naturally good at mirroring others' mannerisms. So with her I'm quite "giggly" if you can call it that. Whereas with my friend I met today, we had a laugh but she isn't a giggler so it didn't happen.

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