The authors of this book have extensive experience in research associated with the social lives and mental health of autistic people of all genders, as well as masking and camouflaging in autism and personal experience as an autistic adult. Helen Ellis is an autistic adult who was first identified at the age of fifteen and received a clinical diagnosis just before her 22nd birthday. The book thus combines academic and personal perspectives into the topic of masking and it is an attempt to bring in the voice of many autistic people to share their experiences of this practice.
The authors explain the ways in which people mask a number of personal characteristics and how they also use masking as ‘putting on a character’ by copying how other people talk or move.
The authors identify that masking takes a lot of effort, feels like denying or hiding the authentic self and that the effort has a negative effect on mental health. They identify that people need to feel that they can be their authentic selves, rather than denying this.
This is a well-crafted book that provides insights into the ways in which masking affects the daily lives of people with autism and it draws on the experiences of over twenty contributors with autism.
Authors: Dr. F. Sedgewick, Dr. L.Hull and H.Ellis
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
ISBN: 978-1-78775-579-6
£16.99
Author: Mary Mountstephen
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