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Effects of masking

Swifty
7 months ago

I've been having to mask a lot lately. It's been absolutely awful for the last couple of months! I got a job which I enjoyed and did briefly, but the masking it required meant I couldn't continue as it ran me in to the ground! Dealing with people and coping with new environments has never been particularly easy for me. How I got through school in one piece I will never know! I'm sure the constant masking through school is what caused my mental breakdown.

How does masking affect you after its occured? I realise this must affect us all in different ways, rather like autism affects us all differently.

For me personally I become very shy, almost a recluse, anxiety goes at an all time high and I'm withdrawn for the next couple of days. Physically I have to endure flu like symptoms - body aches and pain, headache, extreme fatigue, dizziness, lack of appetite, fingers tremor... And I get hit with depression bouts where I feel near rock bottom.

Back when I suffered mentally I had to deal with 'voices' too but luckily this hasn't been the case since 2022.

I've been trying to find ways to overcome this but so far I haven't been successful. Autism to me is a mystery and I'm still trying to figure so much of it out.

Parents
  • 7 months ago
    Swifty said:
    How does masking affect you after its occured?

    Depends on the setting, really! I only got my diagnosis at 37, so for the previous 20+ years I had no idea what was going on and used to drink to cope. Highly recommend NOT doing that, by the way! Avoid.

    Fatigue is the main result for me, which is different than being just very tired. It really saps you, I've got a bout of it today.

    My plan to get over it is to have a quiet weekend chillaxing, playing video games, eating healthy foods etc. It's a tricky one to manage! But it does get easier with age.

Reply
  • 7 months ago
    Swifty said:
    How does masking affect you after its occured?

    Depends on the setting, really! I only got my diagnosis at 37, so for the previous 20+ years I had no idea what was going on and used to drink to cope. Highly recommend NOT doing that, by the way! Avoid.

    Fatigue is the main result for me, which is different than being just very tired. It really saps you, I've got a bout of it today.

    My plan to get over it is to have a quiet weekend chillaxing, playing video games, eating healthy foods etc. It's a tricky one to manage! But it does get easier with age.

Children
  • 7 months ago in reply to Deleted user

    Yep drinking is a big no. I don't actually like the taste of any alcohol, lucky I guess in a way. Bit like smoking, I don't want to turn to something to cope because it's so difficult to stop once you start.

    I'm really glad you got your diagnosis in the end! Slight smile 

    I'm lucky that I got my diagnosis so early in my life. At the assessment I was told a lot of people don't find out about their autism until later on in life.

    The fatigue like you get is one of the biggest things I experience having masked. It can be quite hard to work through depending how bad the fatigue is.

    My plan to get over it is to have a quiet weekend chillaxing, playing video games, eating healthy foods etc. It's a tricky one to manage! But it does get easier with age.

    That sounds perfect! Blush 

    Whenever I'm feeling the effects of masking I try to stay in my room and chill out to some great music. Really helps bring me back down and to feel better mentally and physically.