02/21/2026
I came across some new research on masking that really stayed with me. It looks at the mental health impact of masking and the way it can affect our sense of identity over time.
The researchers found that psychological distress, including anxiety, low mood, exhaustion, and emotional overwhelm, was higher in Autistic people than in non-Autistic people, particularly among those who mask more frequently.
One of the parts that really stayed with me was the identity piece. Identity is basically the process of getting to know ourselves over time, including what we enjoy, what drains us, what feels safe, what feels uncomfortable, and what genuinely matters to us.
Self-recognition is that quiet sense of trusting our own reactions and preferences instead of constantly checking how other people might respond first.
What stood out most was that the distress was not only about the effort of masking, but about the distance it can create between how we feel inside and how we act around other people.
Many of us did not get to grow that self-recognition naturally because we were busy studying everyone else and adjusting our behaviour, presentation, and responses in order to stay safe, avoid rejection, or reduce bullying. Instead of learning ourselves, we often learned how to read the room.
Over time, that can start to create confusion for us. Do I actually like this music, or did I absorb it from the people around me? When did blue become my favourite colour? Am I excited about this hobby, or am I following the social script that keeps conversations easier? These are small questions, yet they point to something bigger.
This research does not criticize masking. It highlights the strength, awareness, and effort involved in protecting ourselves and navigating environments that were not always safe or understanding. Now we have more language for the emotional and identity cost of masking.
So what is the point of this research? It gives us language for experiences many of us already felt but could not always explain. It helps us understand why exhaustion, burnout, anxiety, and identity confusion can sometimes sit quietly underneath successful appearing lives.
The researchers also suggest that some experiences may help protect against the mental health impact. These include spending time with people who accept us without performance, exploring interests that feel energizing instead of socially strategic, noticing body signals that tell us when we feel relaxed or tense, and creating environments where sensory comfort and communication differences are respected.
Taking steps toward a life that includes these experiences might help us learn more about our authentic selves and allow more space to just be who and how we are.
This research does not tell us to stop masking overnight. What it offers is understanding. It gently reminds us that curiosity about ourselves is allowed, that safety matters, and that identity is something we can continue discovering across our entire lives.
Some of us are not trying to become someone new. We are learning how to recognize ourselves again.*
* research article us in the first comment
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