Autistic Masking vs. Social Skills: The Delicate Balance
With a 3-Page Download for Identifying Your Own Neurocomplex Social Strategy to Decrease Masking and Increase Social Satisfaction
As you increase your awareness around your Autism (and/or ADHD) through self exploration, diagnosis, or a combination, you may be confronted with the harsh realities that 1) you’ve been hiding parts of yourself in social settings (usually for valid reasons) and 2) you don’t feel satisfied in your social life, despite putting so much intention into this area.
Many of us neurodivergent folks are experiencing social burnout, which makes sense given that we’ve been using strategies not created for our wiring and pinching off our authentic methods of expression for most of our lives. Let’s do it differently by SEEING it differently.
To this tune, this post discusses:
Definition of Masking and Social Skills
Differences in the common goals of Masking vs. Social Skills
Risks associated with masking
How to mask less to reduce the associated risks
How to uncover and communicate your unique skills + strategies for social satisfaction as a neurocomplex being
And more!
[All social contexts discussed below include digital and in person spaces]
Here we go…