What are examples of autistic masking?

Autistic masking, also called camouflaging, refers to efforts to hide autistic traits to fit in, and examples vary by person and context. Common social examples include rehearsing conversations beforehand, memorizing jokes or small talk scripts, forcing eye contact even when uncomfortable, copying others' facial expressions, laughter, or slang, and mirroring body language. Behavioral suppression examples include hiding stimming like hand flapping, rocking, or fidgeting, sitting on hands to stay still, suppressing need to move or vocalize, and tolerating sensory discomfort from lights or sounds without saying anything. Performance examples include pretending to understand when confused, laughing along without getting the joke, over-apologizing, people-pleasing to avoid rejection, and hiding intense interests even though you want to talk about them. Compensatory strategies include studying social rules intellectually, watching shows to learn how to act, keeping detailed lists of how to respond, and asking many questions to keep focus off self. Many people also describe feeling very different between public and private, needing long alone time to recover, and feeling exhausted after social events. If masking is causing burnout, talking with a clinician experienced with autism can help explore boundaries and accommodations.