#Unmasking

[beep-beep-robin]

some notes on the „no more masking“ arc quinni goes through in s2 of hbh because i imagine a lot of allistic viewers might not have really gotten the point of that storyline:

first of all i think it‘s important to mention that everyone experiences masking in different ways and these are just my thoughts on the matter as an autistic person myself, if you don‘t agree or this doesn‘t apply to you i‘m of course not saying otherwise!

i don‘t believe what quinni was doing was her genuinely unmasking. unmasking is a thing that is really hard to do on command, because it takes a lot of getting to know your own brain and mask, it’s most often a long process.

quinni states in the last episode that she „doesn‘t really know who she is“ and that really struck a nerve with me - a lot of autistic people spend their whole lives stuck in their mask, often without even realizing that‘s what‘s going on. i would argue this especially applies to late diagnosed autistics.

what quinni was actually doing was attempting to unmask, in the way she thought made the most sense. in this case, it‘s making a complete 180, pretending to not care at all about others anymore. which is basically just a very intense form of stopping her people pleasing. but she went a bit too far into the other direction - her statement in the last episode makes it clear that she didn‘t necessarily identify with who she was presenting as while „unmasked“ (and while masked).

i believe quinni does genuinely care about her friends, but there‘s a very thin line between caring about others and giving too much of yourself. this is a thing i also struggle with a lot myself, and as i‘ve mentioned before, it‘s a long journey to finding that line.

i also want to mention that the whole people pleasing aspect is only one aspect of masking, masking affects so many more areas than that, without going into too much detail because like i’ve mentioned, it can be different for everyone.

#quinni gallagher-jones #quinni gallagher jones #quinni hbh #quinni heartbreak high #heartbreak high #heartbreak high s2 #heartbreak high season 2 #hbh #hbh s2 #hbh season 2 #autism #unmasking #masking

[snakeautistic]

Me pondering whether or not to out myself as silly with it

#cringe culture is dead #i am cringe but i am free #actually autistic #neurodivergent #autistic things #unmasking #autistic #neurodiversity #autistic experiences #neurodivergence

[itsaspectrumcomic]

Whoops I destroyed my cage and now I couldn't go back if I wanted to

#autism comic #actually autistic #autobio comics #masking #unmasking #autistic #its a spectrum #edited to include links

[neurodivergenttales]

Gentle Reminders:

Do not feel embarrassed for relying on safe foods (you are not 'picky' or 'demanding')

Do not feel ashamed for stimming in public (you are more than allowed to regulate yourself)

Do not feel guilty for saying 'no' (burn out is real even though this capitalist society glamorises it)

Do not neglect your special interests because other people think they're strange/obsessive (people judging you for experiencing joy are the actual problem here)

Do not feel guilty for asking for accommodations (the world is not one-size-fits-all and you deserve access)

#mental health #neurodivergent #neurodiverse stuff #actually autistic #late diagnosis #late diagnosed autistic #autistic adult #actually autism #autism #autistic things #burn out #stimmimg #unmasking

[sirenium]

For anyone who is semi verbal, nonverbal, or otherwise struggles with speech, please know that there are people who will accept your methods of communication. There are people who won't infantilize you for using AAC, communication cards, making noises instead of words, etc. There are people who won't expect you to pick the mask up again when you stop being so 'talkative'. There are people who don't mind waiting for you to sort your thoughts, and are happy to include you in the conversation.

There are people who accept you as yourself, and I don't just mean toleration.

#autism #actually autistic #semiverbal #nonverbal #choice verbal #selective mutism #unmasking #autism positivity #aac user #aac device

[autismdogg]

my bedroom

#kidcore #safe place #sfw agere #plushies #plush #stuffed animals #stuffies #2000s childhood #nostalgiacore #bedroom #sfw agedre #agere blog #age regression #kidcore aesthetic #primary colors #unmasking #roomcore #agere room

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

This explains a lot….

#autism #actually autistic #age regression #unmasking #masking #Reddit #r/AutisticAdults #feel free to share/reblog #neurodivergence #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #actually neurodivergent

[spooksforsammy]

So many people still seem confused.

It’s a privilege to mask. Not a good one, but you have an advantage over those of us who either can’t anymore or could never in the first place.

As someone who used to have the ability to mask, you get more opportunities when they can’t tell or get an idea on your autism. I could do a lot more, had more chances before stopped being able to mask (or unmask on my terms)

The ability to willingly unmask is a privilege. Not everyone got that choice. Some people decided to just be themselves when they was ready. Not everyone got the decision.

The ability to freely stim is a privilege. This is something people really don’t wanna hear but it is one. I stim and people think I’m about to fight someone. That I’m a violent person and it needs to be stoped. I watch the white kids stim and everyone encourages it. We do the same thing. We both rock, we both flap our hands and arm, we both jump when excited.

Their stimming is seen as a need to self regulate

Mines is seen as a act of violence that needs to be stoped. That’s a privilege.

I can’t stim without the possibility of being told to stop or leave the room because it’s “obvious” I’m ready to punch someone. I can’t stim without knowing someone is worried I’m ready to attack, ready to just jump on them. I have to result to stim toys when I need bodily stims while the white kids can choose which they want. Look and me and tell me that’s not privilege.

It’s okay to be upset at these things. But understand your position is one of a privilege not everyone has.

#speech4amy #actually autistic #disabled poc #disability #autism #neurodivergent #medium support needs #privileges #autistic stimming #unmasking #I already know some people going to be mad but y’all seriously need to stop and understand some of y’all have the advantage #and don’t want to accept that fact

[autisticdreamdrop]

autism regression needs to be talked about more.

you can lose so many skills. lose the ability to mask. lose the ability to control stimming. lose the ability to use motor functions. lose the ability to take care our yourself.

it's so hard.. it's so scary.. we just got able to write again and it's so bad. you can come out of regression, you can gain skills back in some areas or all areas affected but it's so hard and you can always be forced back. it's not fair.

#group post #autism #autistic #asd #actually autism #actually autistic #autie #autism spectrum disorder #regession #autism regression #level 2 autism #autism level 2 #level 2 autistic #masking #unmasking #motor skills #vent #mid support needs #mid support needs autistic #high support needs #high supprort needs autistic #mid to high support needs #mid to high support needs autistic

[snakeautistic]

I’m really scared that I’m becoming an unlikable person as I unmask. I’m more blunt, I talk more, I advocate for myself more and I’m perceived as argumentative when I’m just trying to offer my thoughts/ explain myself. I make sure not to actively be an asshole, so it’s really more just my tone and the social norms that shouldn’t really matter.

I see people give me looks of annoyance when I speak. The exasperation when I finally work up the courage to actually ask a question.

It’s really freeing to not have to think so hard about my every breath or word in social settings but I still really want people to like me. I guess I need to accept that not everyone will, that’s just how it is, but it makes things hard because then those people will treat you shitty.

And then I wonder… is it just my fault? Maybe I should go back to masking. Maybe it’s not worth it to ‘be myself’ or whatever if it will bring ridicule. Even though there’s that crushing, continuous weight that comes from having to conceal parts of myself, maybe I need to just deal with that so I can get along with others.

But I’m also not sure that I COULD go back now.

#actually autistic #autistic masking #masking autism #masking #unmasking #autism #autistic #neurodivergent #asd #neurodiversity #neurodivergence #late diagnosed autism #autistic experiences #neurodivergent things

[zebulontheplanet]

Unmasking isn’t always deliberate. Unmasking and being not able to mask can happen for multiple reasons. From burnout, to regression, to autism catatonia. There are multiple reasons why someone wouldn’t have control over their masking ability.

Unmasking isn’t always something someone wants and sometimes it happens beyond their control. Sometimes it happens unwillingly.

Unmasking Isn’t always deliberate, and that needs to be talked about more.

#zebrambles #autism #actually autism #actually autistic #unmasking #unmasking autism #autistic #masked autistic #masked autism

[ohara-n-brown]

Fuck it imma start weaponizing Autistic stereotypes like they're swords.

You want to infantalize me? Psyche I'm Sherlock Holmes now. You're Watson. How does it feel? 🤨

You wanna overanalyze my Autistic traits?? Okay I'm House now. I'm smarter than you. I'm psychoanalyzing you back. Since we're playing doctor now. Let's unpack YOUR neurotype shall we

Walking around like a completely unmasked Wednesday Adams. No expression whatsoever. Laughing at a joke? Never heard of it. Main Character syndrome? I don't care. I'm weird? Obviously. I'm cringe? A ridiculous concept made for shallow people.

If that's what you think we are, I'd rather that over the infantalizing overanalyzing bullshit ngl

Cause in Sherlock and House everyone around them seems to understand that this person doesn't communicate like them so just let them be as they are

Like it'll always baffle me that neurotypicals will wrongly have all these autistic characters who are savant like geniuses with asshole egos and no time for your bullshit

And then they get around actual autistic people and never consider 'hey maybe this person is smarter than me. hey maybe this person just doesn't find me amusing. hey maybe this person is really observant, or really talented, or knowledgeable, or monotone BECAUSE THEY'RE AUTISTIC'

It's like they can't put two and two together. It's like they cannot connect the two.

Its like autistics only have the potential to be funny and smooth and cool on TV. No more.

I'm reclaiming the narrative. I'm Sheldon Cooper now. You will listen to my infodump. You will listen to my bad jokes!!! Bazinga bitch!!!! 😩

#this is a rant #i know this is a whole lot of nothing but I needed to get it out #but I'm so so SO serious #like /s #i relate to Sheldon a lot actually #I feel like I'm constantly thinking 'you all are not making logical sense but okay' #neurodivergent #actually autistic #audhd #autism #neurodivergency #neurodiversity #actually audhd #actually autism #unmasking #neurodiverse #neurodivergence #actually neurodiverse #tis the tism

[neurodivergenttales]

I wish people would stop expecting instant emotional reactions

When someone tells me something, whether that's upsetting news or happy news or anything in between, it takes me a while to process it

I need time on my own, away from other people's eyes and expectations, to think it through in my head, understand the consequences of it and what it actually means

People think that a lack of emotional reaction at the time means you are cold or uncaring, they don't realise that processing isn't a seconds-long process for everyone

For some people, processing can take minutes, hours, days, months, even years

Give people that time and don't judge people for not following the same emotional timescale as you

#neurodiverse stuff #actually autistic #autistic adult #autistic #actually autism #autism #asd #late diagnosis #late diagnosed autistic #neurodivergent #unmasking #unmasking autism #processing

[state-of-disorder]

When I say I'm 'unmasking my autism' I mean this

#silence of the lambs #autism #unmasking

[miakate-writes]

hiiii, was just wondering if anyone has any tips for unmasking autism?

#unmasking #masking #autism #actually autistic #autistic #autism in girls #autistic girl #autism tips #autistic experiences #autistic community #asd #autism spectrum disorder #asd community

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

As an Autistic Person, I Often Need Time Alone…

It doesn’t mean I don’t like you!

Neurodivergent_lou

#autism #actually autistic #autism and alone time #why we may need to be alone #it doesn’t mean ”I don’t like you” #autism and processing #unmasking #routine #communication #sensory overload #special interest #avoiding burnout #neurodivergence #neurodiversity #actually neurodivergent #feel free to share/reblog #neurodivergent_lou (Facebook)