Whats the difference between masking and normal camoflauge-y behaviors?

[An Arctic fox]

What makes masking and NT camouflage different?

 

[Gracey]

What makes masking and NT camouflage different?

I don't know what NT camouflage is?
might you be able to give an example please?

 

[An Arctic fox]

I don't know what NT camouflage is?
might you be able to give an example please?

like how we mimic behaviors that they do, they do the same with each other. its hard to give a situation

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

There isn't really any difference, except that autistic people may on average do so to a greater extent and maybe be more deliberate about it.

 

[An Arctic fox]

Ok thanks

 

[Gracey]

like how we mimic behaviors that they do, they do the same with each other. its hard to give a situation

thanks for the information

until I find a reliable difference between the two
(and there might be)

I'd be inclined to think of it like @NothingToSeeHere.

 

[An Arctic fox]

Ok

 

[Nervous Rex]

Masking and camouflaging sound the same to me - they're deliberate acts to fit in.

I do distinguish between masking (hiding my nature) and learning (changing my nature). If I can internalize something so I do it automatically, it's learning. If I have to consciously do it every time, forever, then it's masking.

I am capable of learning and changing, though some changes have taken a long time (years!) to internalize. Some of my changes are:

• Doing all the social things - handshakes, greetings, please, thank you, etc.
• Putting a cheerful tone in my voice so my otherwise monotone voice isn't interpreted as hostile.
• Responding kindly to people around me.

Some of my masking behaviors are:

• Hiding my stims in a meeting or other serious situation (my stims always want to come back, so I have to consciously regulate it).
• Saying just a little about my intense interests, and not saying anything more until someone asks for more details.
• Hiding my emotions and thoughts when I recognize that I'm overtired or overwhelmed, and close to melting down.

And then there are borderline things:

• Making regular eye contact. I do it naturally now in light conversation, but when I get to really thinking hard about something, I seem to forget it and then consciously realize I need to make more eye contact.

 

[Fino]

I believe "masking" is just more specific, referring to the covering of autistic traits, while what NTs do doesn't refer to anything specific.

 

[Suzanne]

It is truly subtle and I do a very bad job of it. I have very rarely been able to feel a false sense of comfort in the nt environment and mostly, ended up sobbing my heart out, for how degraded I have felt and oh, so very alone, when everyone is laughing and joking.

However, I can make a pretense of being polite ( wow, that sounds awful) and will give an example.

For 4 days, a strange couple are looking after our home, whilst we are going to a convention for my faith. I have no desire for this to take place ie strange couple in my home. But, on the day they arrive, you probably would not even guess I feel horrifically out of control. I know when it gets on top of me, because suddenly my smile is too wobbly and feels that it is cracking my face.

 

[sisselcakes]

What makes masking and NT camouflage different?

We do it intuitively. We don’t have to consciously plan to camouflage to fit in to a situation where we might stick out. It comes naturally and we likely aren’t even aware we are doing it.

 

[An Arctic fox]

We do it intuitively. We don’t have to consciously plan to camouflage to fit in to a situation where we might stick out. It comes naturally and we likely aren’t even aware we are doing it.

Oh ok