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Masking to self?

NAS84405

Hello folks,

Hopefully this is a simple question. Is it a feature of autism for someone to mask their emotions from him/herself? As in, they know they should be feeling something about a situation, but just can't get that direct conscious connection Yet, at other times feeling emotional really deeply but not knowing where it came from or why. There may be a lot of understanding of self intellectually but not emotionally.

 Cheers.

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  • NAS84405 said:
    Hopefully this is a simple question. Is it a feature of autism for someone to mask their emotions from him/herself?

    Hello, if we have masked for so long or had our natural autistic emotional responses invalidated, then yes we can become distanced from how we feel. For example, you may no longer trust or hold space for your instinctive emotional responses because they were never understood/believed before. This why embracing our own autistic culture/identity (including the great emotional release that is stimming) is so important because it is our natural autistic way of being- we can become better ‘in tune’/connected with our autistic selves.

    https://reframingautism.org.au/alexithymia-what-becomes-of-the-broken-hearted/?amp=1

    I hope this helps.

  • in reply to Ausomely Autistic

    You make excellent points above, but if you would allow me to add in a cautionary adjunct to your writing for some folks who may read this - based on my experience....

    Ausomely Autistic writes;  "This why embracing our own autistic culture/identity.....is so important because it is our natural autistic way of being- we can become better ‘in tune’/connected with our autistic selves...." + Number would like to add......"and for some, whilst suppression of autistic culture/identity is readily possible (and unknowingly automatic for some) it can cause REAL damage and EXISTENTIAL risk in  the long term.  I  discovered that I was autistic the hard way......mega burnout.....better to realise, acknowledge and accept AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE !"

  • in reply to Deleted User

    Thanks for the compliment. Yes I completely agree with you about this:

    Unknown said:
    ."and for some, whilst suppression of autistic culture/identity is readily possible (and unknowingly automatic for some) it can cause REAL damage and EXISTENTIAL risk in  the long term.  I  discovered that I was autistic the hard way......mega burnout.....better to realise, acknowledge and accept AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE !"

    Very well conveyed, I must say.


    Suppression of our beautiful autistic selves is so dangerous, however I realise that for many of us it is not safe to live authentically as an autistic person. This is why our autistic community is so important, it is a safe space.

    We should be free to live Autistically!

Reply
  • in reply to Deleted User

    Thanks for the compliment. Yes I completely agree with you about this:

    Unknown said:
    ."and for some, whilst suppression of autistic culture/identity is readily possible (and unknowingly automatic for some) it can cause REAL damage and EXISTENTIAL risk in  the long term.  I  discovered that I was autistic the hard way......mega burnout.....better to realise, acknowledge and accept AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE !"

    Very well conveyed, I must say.


    Suppression of our beautiful autistic selves is so dangerous, however I realise that for many of us it is not safe to live authentically as an autistic person. This is why our autistic community is so important, it is a safe space.

    We should be free to live Autistically!

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