The Definition of Autism Masking
Autism masking is when autistic people hide their autistic traits, characteristics and behaviours to blend and appear non-autistic easily. It is considered a coping strategy to become more accepted by the social norms of neurotypicals. Also known as ‘social camouflaging’ or ‘camouflaging’, autistic masking often happens in social situations, such as gatherings with friends and family, at work, or at school. A significant majority of autistic people, with a rough high estimate of 94%, attempt to mask at a certain point in their lives, which in most cases leads to increased anxiety, identity crisis, burnout, and mental health difficulties.
Masking behaviour can happen consciously or unconsciously, by suppressing autistic traits and behaviours, or by adapting and learning different communication styles to fit and feel socially accepted.
Situations Where Individuals May Engage in Masking
Autism masking can occur in multiple situations, but most often in social settings where an autistic person may feel pressure to conform to social norms and hide their traits. Some of the most common situations include:
- Daily interactions and routine social encounters
- Educational environments (school and university settings)
- Romantic situations and dating
- Social and group gatherings with family members and friends
- Workplaces and job interviews
- Transitions and new experiences in life (moving to a new school, starting a new job, moving to a new home, etc.)
It is essential to remember that these situations can vary based on people’s experiences and preferences, and not every autistic person will engage in masking in the same way. But the most common question is: why do these situations trigger masking?
Autistic people may mask in these scenarios to:
✔ Avoid stigma, bullying, or discrimination
✔ Fit social expectations or“appear normal”
✔ Minimise negative attention or judgment from others
✔ Improve educational or employment outcomes
✔ Reduce conflict and social exclusion
✔ Meet implicit norms around behaviour and communication
The Role of Masking in Managing Social Situations
Camouflaging autistic traits often happens in managing social situations. On the one hand, it can help navigate social interactions and reduce the risk of an adverse reaction or feeling socially excluded. It is also a way to cope with sensory challenges and communication difficulties in various social settings. When masking specific behaviours, which are soothing and comforting to autistic people, like autistic stimming or facial expressions, may be taken as ‘strange’ for neurotypicals. This is the turning point where the autistic person feels the need to hide their behaviours that are not considered as the norm, and start mimicking the desired behaviours of people around them, to avoid judgment for their sensory differences.
Masking can negatively impact people’s mental well-being. The pressure to mask autistic traits can contribute to developing challenges for people’s psychological and physical health, such as autistic burnout, panic attacks, depression and self-harm. Over the years, however, we have witnessed a growing recognition of the impact autism masking has on people’s mental health. The need for autism acceptance emphasises the necessity of accepting autistic people for who they are and embracing their autistic traits. This approach creates opportunities for an inclusive and understanding society that respects the diversity of autistic people.
The Impact on Mental Health
Masking in autistic people has a significant impact on mental health. While masking can sometimes help autistic people navigate specific social situations, extensive and prolonged masking is strongly linked to negative mental health outcomes, including:
- Anxiety and chronic stress
- Depression and emotional exhaustion
- Autistic burnout
- Loss of identity and self-esteem
- Social isolation
- Increased risk of trauma responses
Research shows that about 4 in 10 autistic children at a young age develop some form of anxiety. In comparison, 7 in 10 autistic children develop other mental health issues, demonstrating the need for understanding and support.
Experts explain that masking:
✔ Uses up finite cognitive and emotional resources
✔ Encourages living in a state of vigilance and suppression
✔ Prevents authentic self-expression and acceptance
These factors together create a chronic internal conflict between how a person feels inside and how they present themselves outside, adding to stress and mental strain.
Impact on Self-Esteem and Identity
The impact of autistic masking on self-esteem can be profound and multifaceted. It can cause a variety of challenges, such as:
- Inauthenticity: Constantly masking to fit in can make autistic people feel disconnected from their true selves.
- Fear of Rejection: The fear of rejection or negative judgment can be a constant challenge for autistic people who engage in masking.
- Internalised Ableism: Society often places value on conformity to neurotypical standards, leading autistic people to internalise false, negative beliefs about themselves and their differences.
- Perfectionism: Masking often involves striving for perfection in social interactions, as autistic people feel pressure to meet unrealistic standards of behaviour.
- Limited Authentic Connections: Masking can hinder genuine connections with others, as autistic adults and children may fear that revealing their true selves will lead to rejection.
The impact of masking on self-esteem requires a multifaceted approach that includes support with self-acceptance, challenging internalised ableism, building social support networks, and providing access to therapy and other mental health resources. Autistic people, neurodivergent people, and people with developmental disorders who have neurological differences need to learn to recognise that their worth is not defined by their ability to mask or conform to societal expectations, but rather by their inherent value and unique differences.
Emotional Exhaustion and Autistic Burnout
Masking can cause emotional exhaustion because it requires continuously adjusting behaviour to ‘fit in’. This very demanding process can lead to consistently analysing people’s social cues and interpreting others’ behaviours. Masking also leads to the suppression of natural behaviours. Autistic people may develop hypervigilance, feeling always on high alert and constantly trying to fit in. In time, all of these actions lead to emotional exhaustion, and autistic people may feel overwhelmed and unable to engage in social interactions.
Masking and Co‑Occurring Mental Health Challenges
Autistic people experience significantly higher rates of co-occurring mental health conditions compared to the general population. While these challenges are often discussed as separate diagnoses, growing evidence shows that autism masking plays a central and frequently overlooked role in their development and persistence. Understanding the relationship between masking and co-occurring mental health challenges shifts the focus away from individual resilience and toward environmental fit, acceptance, and trauma-informed support. It highlights the need for services, education, workplaces, and communities to reduce the demand for masking and to recognise distress even when it is not outwardly visible.
Healthy Coping Strategies and Reducing the Need to Mask
There is a range of coping mechanisms that can help autistic people navigate challenging social situations and improve their mental health. Some of them include:
- Connecting with an autistic community that understands and promotes people’s unique autistic traits
- Developing self-awareness and recognising the beginning of the masking process with the support of a multidisciplinary therapy team
- Meditation, mindfulness and other relaxation techniques can help reduce stress
- Establishing clear boundaries
- Seeking professional support
Every person is different and needs to find the right coping strategies to support their mental health and overall well-being.
Promoting Inclusivity and Acceptance
As well as promoting acceptance and inclusivity, we all need to educate ourselves and understand the challenges autistic people face. Unique Community Services developed and nurtured an organisational culture based on education, awareness and embracing the differences in how people communicate and interact in social situations through an adequate training programme. This way, we can ensure empathetic, reassuring care.
How We Embrace Differences
Our team of experts at Unique Community Services adopt a person-centred approach that respects people’s unique needs and preferences. We develop a collaborative process with autistic people and their support networks to create a comprehensive care plan that considers all aspects of people’s challenges and strengths. Our in-house therapy team includes Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) practitioners, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. They are mindful of all sensory needs and are determined always to create a calming environment tailored to each person’s needs.
We use PROACT SCIPr and PBS as our leading approaches to care and support, avoiding restrictive practices. We also implement policies that foster inclusivity and acceptance and stay current on the latest research and developments.
Learn more about us.
Masking and Neurodiversity
The neurodiversity paradigm recognises neurological differences—such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and Tourette’s—as natural variations of the human brain rather than deficits that need to be fixed. Within this framework, challenges often arise not from neurodivergence itself but from environments and social expectations that privilege neurotypical ways of thinking, communicating, and behaving.
Masking sits at the intersection of neurodiversity and mental health. It describes the strategies neurodivergent people, particularly autistic individuals, use to conceal their natural traits to meet dominant social norms. These strategies develop not because neurodivergence is inherently problematic, but because difference is frequently misunderstood, stigmatised, or penalised.
From a neurodiversity perspective, masking is not evidence of adaptability or success. Instead, it is often a response to systemic pressure. Neurodivergent people may learn early that their authentic ways of communicating, moving, processing sensory information, or expressing emotion are viewed as inappropriate or unacceptable. Masking becomes a way to stay safe, access education or employment, and avoid exclusion, but at a high personal cost.
Importance of Addressing Mental Health Within The Autism Community
Mental health is a critical and often under-recognised issue within the autism community. Autistic people experience significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, trauma-related difficulties, and suicidal ideation compared to the general population. These disparities are not inherent to autism itself but are primarily shaped by social exclusion, unmet needs, and environments that are not designed for neurodivergent ways of being.
Mental health difficulties in the autism community are also frequently missed or misinterpreted. Distress may present differently in autistic people and can be masked by learned coping strategies, leading to delayed diagnosis, inappropriate interventions, or support that fails to recognise underlying autistic needs. This gap can leave autistic people without timely support, increasing the risk of crisis, burnout, and disengagement from services. Managing mental health within the autism community requires autism-informed care and neurodiversity-affirming approaches. Traditional mental health models may not fully account for sensory sensitivities, communication differences, or the cumulative impact of lifelong social stress. Without adaptation, even well-intentioned services can unintentionally retraumatise autistic people.
Autism Support with Unique Community Services
Unique Community Services offers person-centred support for autistic people in the comfort of their own homes. We embrace a compassionate approach that respects people’s unique needs and strengths. By working with families, caregivers and autistic people, we develop a comprehensive care plan that addresses the unique challenges people face and effectively improves quality of life.
Our highly trained support workers and in-house therapy team are committed to providing tailored and humanised care.
Meet William and his care journey with Unique Community Services.
To learn more about how we can support you, please get in touch with us today or visit one of our offices in Manchester and Leeds.
