Descrizione
How do you spend 50 years masking autism without ever realising you're doing it? Since my autism diagnosis, I've been learning how the mask hid my true self, and why it took half a century to finally recognise it.
For years, I thought I was simply managing anxiety, trying my best to hide it, to act confident, and learning how to cope in social situations. It never occurred to me that many of the strategies I'd developed were actually forms of autistic masking.
In this video, I talk about:
• What autistic masking is
• Why it's often completely unconscious
• Why I didn't recognise it in myself for so many years
• The impact masking can have on autistic people, especially those diagnosed later in life
If you've ever wondered why life has always felt harder than it seemed for everyone else, or you've recently been diagnosed and are beginning to look back at your own experiences, I hope this video helps you feel a little less alone.
I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments. Did you realise you were masking, or was it something you only understood after your diagnosis?
Thank you so much for watching. ❤️
___________________________________________________________________
📖 READ MY STORY
My Memoir, Top to Bottom: https://finlaygames.com/my-books/
🌿 STAY CONNECTED
Support my work on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/finlaygames
Join my Gentle Newsletter: https://finlaygames.substack.com/
✨ RESOURCES & HELP
Visit my website for my blog, shop, and pay-what-you-can email support:
👉 https://finlaygames.com/links
🌈 ABOUT FINN
I’m a trans man and author documenting the "unseen work" of becoming yourself later in life. I share my lived experience with late-diagnosed Autism and ADHD, while navigating life with ME/CFS and PoTS. You’re very welcome here.