Masking isn’t just “fitting in” — it’s a survival strategy that neurodivergent adults use every day to navigate a world that wasn’t built for them. But constant adaptation comes at a cost: stress, exhaustion, and a subtle erosion of authenticity.

In this post, we explore the science behind masking, what it looks like in real life, and how understanding it through the “layers-of-clothing” analogy can help neurodivergent adults and their allies appreciate the balance between survival and self-expression.