ADHD Masking: Are you hiding your symptoms?
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✨ Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:12 The truth about ADHD Masking
0:34 Masking ADHD in childhood
1:09 Common examples of ADHD Masking
1:49 Disadvantages of ADHD Masking
2:44 Unlearning Masking
3:38 Conclusion
Hi 👋 ! My Name is Alice, I created The Mini ADHD Coach in august 2020 when I was just diagnosed with ADHD at 29.
After years of questioning, therapy, burnout, and chaotic career path changes, I finally understood why I struggled with so many things.
So I decided to share what I learned to raise awareness around ADHD and help the ADHD community thrive.
💕 To learn more about ADHD visit https://www.theminiadhdcoach.com
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The truth about ADHD Masking.
People with ADHD don't always feel safe around others who don't have the disorder. We may feel judged and stigmatized by society, and as a coping mechanism, we hide or mask our ADHD symptoms to avoid feeling seen.
Masking doesn't always develop in adults. Sometimes it's learned during childhood. Parents and other grown-ups would sometimes tell us to: « stop fidgeting », « stop talking so much », and "pay attention." While they mean well, children with ADHD symptoms learn that being themselves isn't safe, so they adopt a mask as a survival tool.
Another reason for masking is that most people with ADHD are misunderstood. We can't always comfortably be ourselves around others because we may be labeled rude or weird. And what can ADHD masking look like in different situations? Here are some common examples.
There are times when someone is speaking, and we listen or focus too hard on their words, so we don't miss any details.
Hyperactivity is sometimes masked by trying to feign calmness. But in reality, our mind jumps from one thing to another, and we can't correctly process what's happening at the moment. At social gatherings, we may try to copy other people's behavior to fit in. This can mean suppressing leg bouncing or simply nodding at someone talking, so we don't interrupt. Masking our symptoms can be exhausting, and truthfully, its disadvantages far outweigh its benefits.
One of the pitfalls of masking is that it can end up delaying our ADHD diagnosis. We hide it so well that we may not even recognize that there's already a problem. Remember getting an official diagnosis can help get us a proper treatment plan from a psychologist.
Another risk of masking is developing anxiety and depression. Because we bottle up so much stress without expressing it, the feelings might surface as fear, worry, loneliness, or even anger.
Lastly, we're not able to live as our genuine selves and express what we truly feel. We may feel that we're becoming someone else entirely because of our mask.
🎬 Credits
Animation: John Norman Santos
📚 Sources
Cuncic, A. (2021). What Is ADHD Masking? Very Well Mind. [https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-...](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-...)
Enright, J. (2021). I was Masking so Long, I Lost Myself. Medium. [ / i-was-masking-for-so-long-i-lost-myself ]( / i-was-masking-for-so-long-i-lost-myself )
Rogue Neuron (n.d.). ADHD Spotlight: 7 Things to Know About Masking. Rogue Neuron. [https://rogueneuron.com/7-things-to-k...](https://rogueneuron.com/7-things-to-k...)
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