Autistic masking at home

 I have been recording videos about autistic masking and what it is and how we mask. If you haven't listened to them yet, please do. They are on myYouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@julieday9517

As I am tired today, I thought I would continue with the series but with this blog. I am going to talk about autistic masking at home. Here are my thoughts.

Do I, or have I masked, at home? When I thought about this for the blog, I felt that my answer was, no, not when I was with my family indoors. When someone visited or we visited them, that was a different matter. Looking back over the years, I don't recall having to mask when I was at home with my family. If someone came to see us or stay with us, usually relatives, I think I did mask. Having to say hello, be cheerful to them. Or if we went and visited them, which I am thinking of years ago as a child when we visited an aunt and uncle on my dad's side, I definitely did mask. I remember I would play with my cousins for a while, then after enough time I would find my mum and be with her. Either sitting down in the lounge area or in the kitchen where she was helping my aunt. It was always when we went out anywhere that I masked. To the shops, to relatives, to hospitals. Any where with other people. Not when I was indoors with my own family. I feel that it was as an adult, especially after I was diagnosed with Asperger's, that the mask slipped and I would sometimes reveal my autism self. It would be when we had visitors and the noise of the chatting got too much for my brain and I sensed it becoming an overload so would go to another room to keep calm and quiet.

So, as an autistic, do you mask at home?

Asperger's and pacing myself

There are ways that Aspies can help themselves to not get so tired and end up having shutdowns. I have already said that I often take a nap in the afternoon. That is one way.

Someone else called it 'energy accounting' I call it pacing myself. I try to pace myself with going out. I don't go out twice in a day (or try not to), I try not to go out every day of the week, and have at least 1 or 2 days when I stay in and do other things that I like doing eg writing/typing or helping my mum in the garden and feed the birds.

It helps a lot that I am at home now and not working. I can do what I want when I want to, and that includes having a nap. And like today, if my head goes all funny and light because I have done too much, I can stop what I am doing and go to bed. Now that I have rested my head, I feel a bit more myself.

So, if you do work at home, try to have a nap during the day. You will find it will recharge your brain and body. Try to go out only when needed.