Masking, Autistic

Masking is a psychological safety mechanism made up of layers of physical and social complex actions which an Autistic person uses (consciously and unconsciously) to ‘fit in’ and self-protect in an endless variety of differing situations and environments. It is a projection of an entirely different personality, not context switching. Long-term impacts include disassociation of self, burnout, mental health issues, and suicidality.