What Masking Looks Like in ADHD #masking #adhd #shorts

Disclaimer: This is just what Jessica looks like masking and unmasking, how you or your Brain might mask and/or unmask might look completely different! Remember, just like how our individual ADHD looks different, so to can our masking and unmasking!

[HowtoADHD]

Disclaimer: This is just what Jessica looks like masking and unmasking, how you or your Brain might mask and/or unmask might look completely different! Remember, just like how our individual ADHD looks different, so to can our masking and unmasking!

Transcription for Accessibility:
(At present there is no easy way to caption shorts! So as much as we'd love to be able to put these in captions... we currently cannot!)

Signs of Masking vs Not Masking (in a meeting edition)

("Yeah.") - Masking - Masking who you are

("Oh Yes okay so I thought..") - Not Masking - Bring your whole self to work

(Silence. Jessica sitting quietly and very quietly, very minimally, very subtly fidgeting with her fingers.) - Masking - Being judged for your differences

(Silence. Jessica playing with a fidget, thinking, then sticking the fidget in her mouth and continuing to think.) - Not Masking - Being met with curiosity about your differences

(Silence. Jessica smiling politely and sitting quietly with her hands mostly still in her lap.) - Masking - Working harder to make up for ADHD struggles.

("Oh! Hang on I gotta get some water!" Jessica, formerly cross-legged in a chair, stands up and grabs her water glass while talking to her laptop webcam, then disappears off screen.) - Not Masking - Asking for accomodations.

(Silence. Jessica sitting quietly. Looking at her laptop screen with her hands very softly and very subtly fidgeting in her lap.) - Masking - Being seen as a problem

("You have my attention." Jessica sitting cross-legged on her chair with a fidget in her lap that she then holds/touches while paying attention to what's on screen.) - Not Masking - Being valued for your strengths.

[clueless_cutie]

That moment when you realize masking is the actual term for telling yourself to "behave normally." Unmasked might seem annoying but so much more sincere, and genuinely participating in the meeting instead of just working so hard to just get through the meeting.

Find your people and work places who accept you for more than your skills. When we bring everything into harmony we live happier more fulfilling lives!

[jmz]

I... Didn't realize until seeing this how much I mask. And when I don't mask, I have anxiety for hours (sometimes days) afterwards. Because I must have been annoying.

Thank you, Jessica. This gave a new perspective.

[stephanies]

I’ve said for years, “ I can pay attention or I can look like I’m paying attention but I can’t do both.”

Thank God for Zoom. No one can see my lap. So I can play with fidget toys, rubber bands, etc and no one is the wiser.

[sillygilly]

The recognition I just experienced was very emotional.
I can feel the tension I hold all through my body.
Thank you, Jessica.

[jtmh]

I totally get it. When I was in college, I would always sit in the back of the room. Once the class started, I would get up and walk around. I listened, still took notes, and passed my classes. I told everyone what was going on, and just did it at that point. The professors didn't mind, as long as I wasn't distracting others, by walking in front of them.

[emmarichardson]

Great way to illustrate the conflict between "paying attention" and "looking like I'm paying attention" - they're often mutually exclusive!

[Bendilin]

I didn't appreciate things until I personally noticed the subtle things, such as excusing yourself to get more water as an excuse to take even a few seconds of break. I feel when I personally do such things, I am using a socially acceptable excuse to momentarily step out of performing for other people so I can just breathe and quickly collect myself before continuing.

[kvp]

I figured out I have adhd after leaving my last job. And now, I’m in a job that works for me and my neurodiversity. But I lucked into it and found out what a supportive team looks like through my daily work. I hope everyone can find a job that supports their needs.

[Hi-sxuy]

Need more of I think I’m on autopilot masking mode and don’t know the difference between real me and the masking

[shonasenter]

Resisting the urge to share this with work slack as part of our "May is Mental Health Awareness Month". Thanks for this.

[EDFCentral]

Working from home now is a blessing. No need to mask here. However when I do have to set foot in the office, I have to mask. I'm not liked when I unmask and am seen as annoying and weird. ADD makes life so much harder and more of a struggle. Makes everything harder.

[hecate]

Yes exactly! And this goes for any invisible disability or condition- like sensory processing/ sensory overstimulation disabilities ect.

[TheFormlessBlob]

After existing for 19 years I finally stopped masking a month ago and WOW I feel way less exhausted. I've realized I'm not just a dumb, defective woman-child, but my brain is just different. I'm learning to work with it and stop fighting it and it makes everything easier to navigate. Thank you for sharing with us and helping people like me feel seen.

[Pippis]

I so FELT the fidgeting in the chair and "OH WATER!"

[sageordnung]

It was the putting the fidget in the mouth that really called me out lol!

[raytraynae]

I have to remind myself daily that I no longer need to mask. I’ve been doing it for so long that I sometimes don’t realize I’ll naturally start masking when I’m around others. It’s so draining and SOO HARD to keep up.

Luckily, there’s more of that ☺️

[coreyscornerofficial]

ive recently met a girl and weve been seeing each other for about a month now, she has ADHD too so we bounce off each other quite well and we're able to be ouselves when video calling etc no matter how figity or focused we are, shes a blessing she really is, she could potentially see this comment ;P

[Maple-flfh]

This reminds me when i was masking the entire time during my adhd evaluation. The doctor doing the evaluation said i was fine because i seemed to stay in place…. yeah that’s because you’re a few feet away watching me hit the space bar on a laptop for 14 minutes. I’m not gonna spin, talk to myself and put my feet on the table while your here

[CobaltLycan]

I grew up always feeling like a problem. But this channel has helped me discover more about myself than I thought were actually part of my condition and not just me being a "10 year old trapped in a 21 year old's body". .You've been so helpful and thank you for everything Jessica 💗💗💗

Also what is this song? I love it