Society , either consciously or unconsciously , have biases towards autistic people and a long history of trying to silence and erase us . ~ Bart Vulliamy
employment , but it also is a leading cause of autistic burnout . Masking causes social isolation , identity erasure , anxiety and depression , low self-esteem , people pleasing . Masking also leads to chronic illness in adulthood .
Autistic people have been conditioned over time , beginning in childhood , to suppress our stims and behaviours . There is a correlation between suppressing stims and chronic illness . Stimming is how autistic and neurodivergent people self-soothe and if those self-soothing mechanisms are being suppressed , then it would make sense that there are higher rates of chronic illness in neurodivergent people .
You can be high masking and still require a lot of support , and support needs to increase and decrease over time . At one point in my life , I was able to work full time , be in a relationship , and go to post-secondary – while now I am barely able to finish reading a book and am unable to work full time .
I get told all the time that I don ’ t seem autistic , but those
people have only seen me with my mask on . I am only able to mask for a few hours before I succumb to overstimulation and autistic shutdown , which happens faster because of burnout .
RESOURCES The Controversy Around ABA
Dismantling autism ' s house of pain
The Body Keeps The Score
BRAIN , MIND AND BODY IN THE HEALING OF TRAUMA
“ Camouflaging ” of autistic traits linked to internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression
Society , either consciously or unconsciously , have biases towards autistic people and a long history of trying to silence and erase us . ~ Bart Vulliamy
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