#Masking

The power of masking part4. There’s no clear answer, just mask the way you feel! Shot on #zve1 Graded in #davinciresolve #videography #masking #colorgrading

I didn’t even realize it was ADHD. I thought I was just bad at life. Too emotional. Too inconsistent. Too lazy sometimes, too intense other times. I thought everyone cried over small things. Everyone overthought texts. Everyone felt exhausted from just existing. I didn’t know it was dopamine. Or masking. Or emotional dysregulation. I just thought it was me. Finding out it was ADHD didn’t make me weak. It finally made my life make sense. If you’re still blaming yourself for patterns you can’t seem to fix, my ADHD Naturally Treatment Guide was made for women like us. (It’s in my bi0)🎁

This is an old one but it feels so relevant to what I am experiencing right now. I feel like recently as I have been unmasking more and more, it gets harder and more impacting to engage in masking. Because of that, it also burns me out a lot faster and people have bee noticing my communication struggles and social struggles way more often as a result. It’s not easy to navigate, but you’re not alone ❤️ #autistic

For most of my life, I’ve been the sensible one. Polite. Easy-going. Turns out… I was masking and here’s what it looked like for me. 1. Being quiet and blending in. I learned early that not drawing attention to myself felt safest. So I tried not to stand out. Only spoke when I was absolutely sure on something. I was working overtime to be “invisible” so I wouldn’t be judged or questioned. 2. Rehearsing conversations and having scripts. Before social situations, I’d run through what I might say. Have a few safe conversations lined up and plan some responses to questions that might be asked. What I was doing was making sure I wouldn’t say anything “wrong” in the moment. 3. Being on the “periphery” of the group I’d go to the get together or the meeting, but I’d stay on the edges. I’d follow the conversation rather than initiating it. I felt safer observing than being in the middle of it all. And I’d wait for the perfect moment to speak. 4. Mimicking how others talk and behave I paid close attention to how people spoke. Their tone. Their expressions. So I could see how I was “supposed” to act. 5. Being the “good girl” Doing the “right” thing. Following the rules…exactly. Avoiding trouble at all costs. Not making a fuss. Because being “told off” wasn’t just uncomfortable — it caused intense anxiety and distress. For years, I thought this was just my personality. Now I know they were the ways I learned to navigate a world that felt overwhelming. The more I unlearn these habits, the more I realise I wasn’t “good” or “quiet”—I was masking trying to stay safe. If this feels familiar, you’re not imagining it. And you’re not alone. Follow for more “Oh… that makes sense now” moments 💫 #lateidentifiedautistic #autisticwomen #masking #actuallyautistic #unmaskingautism

Beauty of masking✨ Save this reel for Later📌 Follow for more🔍 Tired of making blanket adjustments that affect the entire photo? Lightroom’s Masking tools are your key to unlocking precision. I used a combination of Al Subject Select and a Linear Gradient here to perfectly control the light and draw the eye exactly where I wanted it. Selective editing is the fastest way to make your images truly pop! #editing #editingtutorial #lightroom #skyphotographyَ #colorgrading

💥 What looks like typical “teenage girl” behavior might actually be Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In girls, autism is often missed because they are masters of “masking”—mimicking social cues to fit in—while their internal struggles are dismissed as moodiness or being “high maintenance.” ❤️‍🩹 Autism in girls is often misdiagnosed as anxiety or BPD, but the root is a different neurobiological processing style. 1️⃣ Extreme social exhaustion 👉 Not just introversion—it’s “crashing” from the mental effort of masking. If she’s “perfect” at school but has meltdowns the moment she gets home, she is likely exhausted from manual social processing. 2️⃣ Niche, intense hyper-fixations 👉 Not just being a fan—it’s a deep, technical immersion used as a regulatory tool. Whether it’s animals, psychology, or fiction, the intensity and “special interest” nature signal neurodivergence. 3️⃣ Rigid need for social “rules” 👉 Not just being bossy—it’s a need for predictability. She may struggle with “white lies” or fluid social hierarchies, leading to distress when unwritten rules are broken. 4️⃣ Sensory “pickiness” labeled as being difficult 👉 Not just diva behavior—it’s a physiological response to textures, lights, or sounds. Clothing tags or loud malls can cause genuine neurological overload. 5️⃣ Social Echolalia (Mimicry) 👉 Not just trying to fit in—she may adopt the accent, slang, or mannerisms of peers or fictional characters because she lacks an intuitive “roadmap” for social interaction. 6️⃣ Executive Function shutdowns 👉 Not just being lazy—high intelligence doesn’t prevent “brain fog.” She may excel in academics but experience a total “shutdown” when asked to start a simple multi-step chore. ❤️‍🩹 My Final Thought: Autism in girls isn’t a lack of social desire; it’s the high cost of participation. If she seems to be “performing” her life, it warrants a neuro-affirming evaluation. ❤️‍🩹 Comment “Clarity” for more neurodiversity insights.

Hills I Will Die On as a High Masking AuDHD Mum to a High Masking ADHD Daughter 🧠 Just because she’s quiet doesn’t mean she’s coping. Stillness doesn’t mean a still nervous system. 🧠 High masking is not the same as high functioning. It just means she’s learned how to hide her struggle so that you don’t notice 🧠 If she stims, she stays regulated. That small repetitive movement with her feet? That’s her nervous system self soothing. I will never shame that out of her. 🧠 Exhaustion after social events is not attitude. It’s the crash after a acting “normal.” 🧠 She is allowed to take up space without being loud about it. ADHD in girls often whispers. That doesn’t make it smaller. 🧠 I will not praise her for how well she masks. I will praise her for knowing when to unmask. 🧠 She does not owe the world eye contact, small talk or constant cheerfulness. 🧠 I am raising her to understand her brain, not fight it. I can’t quiet the world for her - but I can build her a space where her nervous system is safe. Save this for the days you forget and send it to someone who needs a softer place to land too ✨

There is no better feeling than finally being able to take off your mask and let out all your silly energy around your favorite people. Finding friends who love and match your chaotic side makes life with ADHD so much more rewarding and fun. 😂🦎 Tag the friend who sees your true goofy self Follow @get_inflow for more 💗 ------------------------------------------ ADHD brain? We've got you. Take the first step with the free ADHD Traits Quiz — link in bio 💙 ------------------------------------------ #adhd #adhdmemes #adhdmeme #adhdbrain #adhdlife #adhdstruggles #adhdchaos #adhdfunny #adhdawareness #adhdmoment #adhdthings #adhdnights #adhdhyperfocus #adhdcommunication #neurospicyfamily #adhdhousehold #familieswithadhd #adhdcommunity #masking #comfortpeople #pixarhoppers

Obscure ADHD skill #482910: Making it through childhood undiagnosed by perfecting the mask, then hitting full-on burnout in adulthood when masking no longer cuts it. #adhdthings #adhdprobs

The Power of Masking! ✍️ ⬇️ Want to take your Instagram photos to the next level? Here are some essential editing tips to transform your snaps into captivating masterpieces. • My masking process to make photo more dynamic : - Subject: I usually start with my subject and correct things like shadows and exposure. - Background: I’ll usually then darken my whole background slightly so my subject stands out more. - Foreground: I’ll then darken the foreground to bring the viewers attention into my subject. - Highlights: I’ll then use the brush tool to mask out where I think the highlights are and exaggerate them. - Shadows: I’ll then do the exact same thing I did for the highlights but for the shadows. - Radial sun glow: I’ll then add a large radial mask coming from where the sun is to add a nice glow to the image. - Sky gradient: lastly I’ll add a linear gradient to the sky to also help draw the viewers eye into my subject. Elevate your photos with these editing pro tips✨↓ • Shoot & Edit ✍🏼 Get the settings right in camera first / the composition. Always shoot in RAW so you have more in depth editing options. • Light 💡 Good lighting captures more detail and gives you more to improve your photos while editing. This is because good lighting makes each pixel in your photo easier to edit. Make sure your photos are captured in well-lit environments. • Colour 🎨 Changing color tones in post production When editing a photo you might adjust the original color tones with the white balance slider, the tone curve tool or with color grading. For example changing greens to browns for a warm and earthy edit that’s currently popular. _____________________________________ ℹ️ Save it for later and Follow for more tips! @shadyessamph _____________________________________ #photoediting #lightroom #lightroomedits #photoshop #photoshoptutorial #madewithlightroom #photographytutorial #photography

Comment “BOOK” and I’ll send you my e-book that goes in depth on chronic masking and shows you how to overcome it.

It’s Saturday time to lighten up a little because nothing regulates the nervous system like a little laughter! But seriously, masking at work is one of the major reasons for eventual Autistic burnout. I’m sure we all felt some of the moral injury, when we realized he was denying his truth to keep his income! Feeling that over and over again is where burnout starts! I go much deeper into Autism masking, moral injury, and how to unmask safely over on Substack! Have some free time? Take the Autism Unmasking Quiz, to see where you are on the burnout spectrum! It’s free to subscribe and The “Masking’s Role in Autism Burnout” article is free to read for first time subscribers! #autisticadults #autismmasking #autistic #autisticwomen #autism