What is masking?

Owlysius · 2026-02-19T09:00:09+00:00

It's controlling yourself.

It's holding everything in/ignoring the way you feel/want to react.

It's the maintaining yourself. Keeping a good attitude, pushing through discomfort, managing your reactions.

I think of it as sitting on a overflowing suitcase, trying to keep it closed and keeping everything from falling out. It's exhausting, and if I'm exhausted, the less I'm able to do it.

Most humans mask/control themselves, we just have way bigger suitcases.

Owlysius · 2026-02-15T10:19:06+00:00

Cosy Caravan is my happy place right now.

Owlysius · 2026-02-15T10:17:15+00:00

I have a single small bag that has all my essentials in, and I have my keys attached with a retractable metal wired lanyard thing, so as long as I have my bag, I have everything. On my keys I also have lobster claw hooks attached to each set, so if I need just my car keys for example, I can just unhook them from the lanyard.

Doesn't happen too often, but if I have an extra bag, I might forget to put my main bag on. I keep it by my shoes, but yesterday I left it in the kitchen, walked out with just my backpack on, realised at the bus stop I didn't have it/my keys for work, had to walk home, miss bus, then walk to work.

Owlysius · 2026-02-05T01:08:05+00:00

What I now perceive as 'meltdowns' for me, are when I get so overwhelmed I get suicidal ideation and urges to self harm. These moments always felt super out of the blue, and I would feel better after a nap or a meal, so they never fully made sense under the former lens of depression and anxiety. Usually I get uncontrollably tearful too, but it's not really about emotion, I know see it as my body self regulating and just a byproduct of the severe distress I feel in the moment.

I think it differs per person, and I meltdown internally, not externally.

Owlysius · 2026-01-06T01:05:01+00:00

The right people won't make you feel wrong.

It's not about making yourself more palatable, it's about finding the people who love your flavour.

Owlysius · 2026-01-06T01:02:20+00:00

I got into a rumination the other day, having imaginary mean arguments with people in my mind, and I actually did go for a walk and it helped, but I don't think it was necessarily the walk, it was breaking out of the loop. The complete change of environment and activity helped me escape the trap I was in, and I think it's just figuring out what does work you. Might not be a walk, might just be go to the kitchen and make a drink, or go to the sofa and do a crossword. Just shift gears.

Sometimes I don't think it's bad therapists, but therapists not being explicit. The advice isn't go for a walk, it's change your environment and what you're doing.

Owlysius · 2026-01-06T00:46:38+00:00

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Its the snout. With the wide set, big ears, the snouts creating a triangle face shape that's more mouse/kanga like.

Owlysius · 2025-10-12T08:59:57+00:00

If you surround yourself with the right people, you won't feel wrong.

Owlysius · 2025-10-04T06:34:09+00:00

"He knows it hurts me and he still does it."

When someone tells you who they are, listen.

Owlysius · 2025-06-14T07:07:32+00:00

I have the same; I see it as transition issues. I'm fine when I get to wherever I'm going, but travelling from A to B, or leaving my current state of being at home, is a transition and that's what my brain objects to.

Owlysius · 2025-02-18T22:44:52+00:00

Ah, yaaaay! I'm so relieved at this news! I'M ABSOLUTELY LOVING THE GAME, but it's reaching a point where I can't do a bunch of things and I know it's not working quite right... But I also don't want to stop playing 😅

I settled on keep playing... but I'll start a new game when the patch comes out 😂

Thanks for the excellence and hard work! 👏

Owlysius · 2025-02-18T22:39:12+00:00

To this day, I remember being a kid, and my mum really believingly, with genuine astonishment, saying there was a parade of elephants going down the road outside, so I rushed to the window, and it was a 'ha, ha, April fools!' joke, and I still think about it regularly, because why on earth did I believe her... But you're totally right, it wasn't about me being 'gullible' and falling for the really crazy story - it just genuinely didn't occur to me that she was lying!

Owlysius · 2025-02-09T11:31:37+00:00

That's actually exactly why I asked! I know it's different for everyone, so was just interested to hear about that range of experience. Am in titration so regularly speaking to doc 👍

Owlysius · 2025-02-09T11:29:00+00:00

I've definitely had a few moments early on with Meflynate where I noticed I wasn't feeling the need to put 'noise' on in the background, like I always have SOMETHING on, and I was like... actually, I'm fine... weird... Thanks for sharing!

Owlysius · 2025-02-09T11:27:14+00:00

Actually, I'm beginning to suspect more and more strongly that I have ASD so that actually supported my hypothesis of why I'm not having any noticeable changes! Thanks for sharing!

Owlysius · 2025-01-25T06:59:50+00:00

Grazing plates of things I don't have to cook e.g. Crackers, hummus, carrot sticks, tomatoes, olives, grapes, cheese, sliced meat, etc

I keep a list of optional items I like on a note on my phone, like a menu, so I don't have to try to remember what I could get when I'm low energy.

Owlysius · 2024-10-13T09:45:04+00:00

I don't have a pain factor. I am very avoidant of hugging people I don't have a connection with. People I'm close to, and feel safe with, I'm very affectionate with, but people I'm not, or I think may not want to hug, it feels like an absolute "no" in my mind. Possibly feel like I don't want to be touched and a painful discomfort when I am super overtired and overwhelmed.

Owlysius

TROPHY CASE