Double Masking.

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Is it possible? In the past I seem to have on the odd occasion... Well, I believe I was double masking. Is it possible? Or am I just feeling as if I was?

What do you mean by double masking? Masking that you mask so no one notices you were not genuine? Or pretending that you pretend so you do what you feel but make it appear a performance?

What exactly do you mean by double masking? Masking more than one problematic behavior?

Let me try to give an example.
Recently someone said that masking can mean when you would be stimming but you don't because you have learnt not to and this is called a mask?
But not only this, but I have learnt to behave in a certain way to appear normal... In other words, by purpously denying myself to behave in ways which may bring attention to me, but then on top of this, I use an acting thick mask and combine it with a sense of humour (I don't think the sense of humour is a mask in itself, but I often go overboard with it to divert the attention away from exposing myself as an unmasked person....
It is hard to work out as one by one I have purpously been changing what I do over the years in order to fit in... But whatever I do I only partly fit in as an outsider looking in... I'd make a good Beverly Hillbilly I guess! Haha! I understand what it is to be different.


But I believe I have in the past (I can't work out where I stand now) had far more then one type of masking going on at the same time as each mask I recognise that I have introduced it on seperate occasions to cover for my inadequacy in a social setting.
Social settings... I understand the term social setting. But I never have understood what the term socializing is referred to... Time for another thread? Haha!


Daniel W. Yes. That's what I mean but I sometimes have put on thw acting thick/sense of humour mask on top to make sure I have a sense of fitting in.

So do you mean masking more than one behaviour or using more than one "method" of masking at the same time?

I've done both so I can relate either way...

Unmasking is the real killer, especially if you've been doing it for a very long time...

Oh, you simply mean using more than one masking strategy simultanously. Yes, I've been there. For too long. When my mental health broke down I had no idea where my masking begins or ends. I also had no idea that other people didn't do it all the time, that I was unusual in my amount of self control.

Masking the fact that I'm masking masks? Yes.

That was literally the biggest shock after my diagnosis. I've really believed all my life that everybody had to put the same amount of effort into this and felt like crap because they could feign being happy while doing it and were so much better at it than I could ever dream to be

It's funny now, but the moment of realising that so many people actually enjoy socialising and have... an auto-pilot for it, messed up my head for quite a while back then.

NTs mask too.
Hardly anyone is real.

This is true, but not exactly what I was referring to

How very true.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?

What I hate is when the masks fail and all goes to hell.

Welcome to the Grand illusion
Come on in and see what's happening
Pay the price, get your tickets for the show
The stage is set, the band starts playing
Suddenly your heart is pounding
Wishing secretly you were a star
But don't be fooled by the radio
The TV or the magazines
They show you photographs of how your life should be
But they're just someone else's fantasy
So if you think your life is complete confusion
Because you never win the game
Just remember that it's a grand illusion
And deep inside we're all the same

The Grand Illusion, STYX

I can't think in terms of using more then one behaviour... But more then one method I understand and have done.. I only have realized this when I unmask. Unmasking makes me feel vunerable.

Yes, but what NTs do is a different, far less arduous kind of masking. Usually they don't, for example, constantly struggle to make the right amount of eye contact.

What is the right amount of eye contact anyway? I never have worked that one out. Often been told off for not making enough eye contact and then told off when I do try as they say "Don't stare!" What do they actually want!???