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Masking & Burnout
You've been performing for so long you've forgotten you're performing.
"I thought everyone felt exhausted after social interaction. Turns out, it was killing me." — Late-diagnosed autistic adult
What Is Masking?
Suppressing autistic traits to appear neurotypical: forcing eye contact, suppressing stims, scripting responses, hiding overwhelm.
Masking isn't weakness. It's survival strategy learned when being yourself resulted in rejection.
What It Costs
Exhaustion after "normal" activities. Identity loss—not knowing who you are. Mental health decline. Delayed diagnosis—doctors can't see what you're hiding.
What Is Autistic Burnout?
Chronic exhaustion, loss of skills, reduced tolerance. Lasts months.
Signs: Exhaustion sleep doesn't fix. Skill loss. Can't maintain performance.
Prevention
Reduce masking where safe. Find safe people. Build in regular recovery. Schedule special interest time.
When Burnout Happens
- Reduce everything possible
- Stop masking (as much as safe)
- Rest deeply—no productivity pressure
Recovery takes weeks to months.
The "Gifted Kid" Pipeline
"Went from 'most likely to succeed' to barely functioning. I was never gifted—I was masking and it was unsustainable." — Late-diagnosed autistic adult
The Unmasking Paradox
"Just be yourself" followed by "what happened to the wonderful person I knew?"
The version they liked was the performance. Unmask gradually with people you trust.
Burnout isn't failure. It's your body demanding changes you couldn't make while still functioning.