Unmasking Your True Self: Navigating ADHD and ASD with Authenticity and Balance

When I work with folks who are struggling with ASHD or ASD, the term “masking” often come into the conversation.

So what is “masking” and why does it have a negative impact on our mental health?

In my mind, “masking” is when one cannot live a life true to oneself because when they do, it doesn’t work in their context. This can be conscious or unconscious. Masking comes with an “emotional debt”, and with excessive use, can lead to an “emotional bankruptcy” or burnout.

So what is the solution or strategy from a psychotherapy point of view?

Help our patients to clearly define their values and what matters to them, and to pursue a life truer to self and still make that workable in the external world.