Masking
In this digital age, Image speaks more than language. Texting is more popular than verbal communication. Appearance is the reflection of our workplace and personality, the first feature taken into account by recruiters or dating partners. The pressure on Appearing has surpassed verbal exchange, complicating conversations and turning personal hygiene into obsessive rituals.
Social phobia is the new pandemic.
Autistics are not exempt, although their coping mechanism differs from the neurotypical.
We all obsess over appearing, these days, something in common once in awhile between neurodivergent and neurotypical!
Autists try hard to mask, the neurotypical drain themselves with multiple compulsive daily showers and cosmetology.
Both are wrong in their own fashion, that is not the definition of Hygiene, yet autists are not dirty, nonetheless.
Excessive showering depletes the skin of protective oils, giving an aging look.
If we shower before bed, it’s unlikely that we are dirty in the morning, unless the bed becomes an additional alternative to the gym, prompting us to yet another extra final rinse.
See, we don’t know anymore how to relax by managing time. The average amount of sleep in the middle-aged group is 4/5 hours per night, of course you look a wreck the following morning! So comes another cold shower to wake us up, though the outcome doesn’t get any better.
A vigorous fresh face-washing has the same awakening effect of a shower, hair looks smoother still, we act out of fear to appear.
Masking works in the short-term, despite exhausting, the treatment of choice for autists.
Body language plays a crucial role until the ultimate decision-making takes its toll, or when the mask-mandate comes to an end, time to reveal our true nature.
The outcome is up to us.
We must select our strongholds and we will give the best appearance.
Autistics are extremely selective, a win-win technique.
Don’t mask, be God’s hero.
We all have weaknesses, Accept yourself.
Masking is always a cause of Regret.
Latest therapy works on reversing Regret to Reset in midlife, based on the stereotype that life starts again at 40.
The biggest commercial scam to date, in my humble opinion.
Why waiting 40 years to lower the Mask?
This new approach is a praise for masking successfully in youth.
These ‘therapists’ obviously are unaware of the discomfort associated to 40 years of masking.
I bet they are New Agers.
They practically deny Youth by giving Middle-age the ‘Prime of life’ s name.
As a middle aged myself, I can testify that the 40s and 50s are the toughest years. I do look forward to 60 however, not by the declassification of youth.
I can figure out the logic behind it, nevertheless: if you’re in midlife, it’s most likely you received an Autism/ADHD diagnosis in adulthood. Plenty of people my generation are diagnosed well in their 40/50 s.
Nowadays, Autism/ADHD are typically detected in the third year of life, ndr.
It is the former group being targeted by Reset therapy.
The theory is, once the damage is done, there’s no way back, but to Reset.
Again, terminology is in constant play. Reset is nothing else than Rewire, just more AIsh conform. I’ll never submit to AI. I’m a human.
I fully support Rewiring from childhood.
Personality normally keeps evolving until 25, after which, Rewiring becomes obsolete.
It is not clear what Resetting will accomplish.
This kind of therapy claims to turn Youth Regret into Pride, which is starting with the wrong leg. It is long established the association of Pride with Masking.
Acceptance is the first step towards recovery, agreed by all traditional Mental Health Professionals.
That prompts the inevitable question, what’s the difference between Pride and Acceptance?
Pride is always forced upon, a fighting state that can collapse anytime and expose Shame.
Acceptance is Pride without Shame and Arrogance.
Turning Youth Regret into Pride in midlife, is Smacking youth, literally.
As if the first 40 years of life were meaningless, in other words, Denying one s youth.
The message is “Life starts just now. You made it to 40, be proud!”
I agree with living in the Present by Acceptance of the Past, NOT Regret.
