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Introduction

T

TheArtOfRuin

New Member
Hello everyone. I was recently diagnosed with ASD, 5 days ago. I honestly wasn’t sure which diagnosis to select, because the papers they gave me just said “Diagnosis: F90.2 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Diagnosis: F84.0 Autism Spectrum Disorder.”. Either way, I feel good about this diagnosis. I felt very lost and confused for many years, and getting diagnosed made a lot of things just suddenly make sense. I’ve heard a few people refer to their “unmasking journey”, what does this mean? Anyway, hello everyone, and thank you for creating this place for us. :)
 
I havent heard of an unmasking journey but I think it might be what I'm doing. I'm still going round and round with my doctor for my official diagnosis, she says at my age my explaining why I want it done is enough, I dont care if I check all the boxes I want it official because they have officially tried everything else I swear. I tend to be a bit stubborn though when I feel something needs to be done and done right. Needless to say I know I belong here or at least I sure hope so as I didnt belong any place else nor could I ever figure out how to have a full life because i couldnt keep friends and never understood why. I was diagnosed with adhd about 5 years ago...in my 50s. It seemed close but still didnt seem to fit me. I accidentally got here because my husband was looking for himself and I am as alike to him as we are different, he could care less about official. But to make my long story bearable I will cut it short here. For the first time I feel real hope. I masked a lifetime away and lost me in the process, now I fit in my own skin again, Id forgotten who I was so I'm searching for me, for my answers, my peace of mind...for me. And there are some crazy ups and downs coming with it, but im guessing that is to be expected. Good luck with your new journey :)
 
Hello and welcome.

I hope that you find a home here among us. Please let us know if you need any help figuring out the forum.

You mentioned an unmasking journey. Are you familiar with the idea of the mask?

For many of us, it seems that we have donned a “mask” for much of our lives - a survival strategy of learning how to manipulate our own personalities and behavior to support a feeling of fitting in or being able to connect with people. This can include hiding and suppressing stims and other behaviors that we think others may see as odd or disconcerting.

For many people here, as they learned more about autism and themselves, their sense of self acceptance grew, and the need for these masks became less and less. It can be hard to engage with the world in a raw form, without the protection of a mask. Some masks are beneficial and can get us through difficult situations, but masking our entire personalities to the extent that we don’t even know who we are is problematic. “Unmasking” can be a liberating feeling that includes a lot of learning about oneself.
 
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Welcome, @TheArtOfRuin

Glad you found our little part of the world here. Diagnosis is a first step for many. Though, self-diagnosis is a more so for many like myself who have discovered it but have never been formally diagnosed. Either way, your journey has only truly begun now that you have awareness.
 
If you are in the professional working world, there will be no "unmasking". However, your journey will be more in the realm of self-discovery and gaining knowledge of how your autism presents, as well as, discovering, and hopefully, using your strengths to your advantage.

The mindset here is to never dwell on your weaknesses, but rather highlight your strengths.

Too many people suck themselves into a world of depression and self-loathing because they get their brains focused upon what their struggles and difficulties are. Easy to do, but don't do that.
 
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