Camouflaging

Camouflaging is when someone consciously adjusts their behaviour to hide or compensate for their neurodivergent traits — especially in social settings.

It’s closely related to masking, but often involves more intentional strategies or preparation. While masking can be automatic or habitual, camouflaging is usually a deliberate choice — even if it’s made quickly or subconsciously under pressure.

Examples might include:

• Rehearsing conversations before they happen
• Studying how others behave and copying it
• Avoiding topics that might reveal a special interest
• Forcing yourself to appear relaxed or socially fluent
• Overcorrecting tone, posture, or facial expressions

Camouflaging is especially common in autism, but can also show up in ADHD and other neurodivergent profiles. It’s often a survival tactic — a way to avoid judgment, exclusion, or being misunderstood.

While it can help people “pass” in certain environments, it’s often exhausting — and over time, can lead to identity confusion, emotional fatigue, or burnout.

Understanding camouflaging can help people reflect on what’s a true preference vs. what’s a performance — and gently start creating space to show up more authentically, when it feels safe to do so.