I'm over Spn.

A guide for those who are seeking diagnosis, are questioning if they're Autistic, are newly diagnosed or just wish to learn more.

Caveat: Not all autistics can mask. Not all autistics want to mask. Masking is very damaging to our mental health.

This post is to give ideas of how it may look, but I encourage those who do mask to reduce the amount of time they do.

What Autistic Masking Can Look Like (examples and not an exhaustive list):

Practicing conversations in your head frequently.

Replaying successful interactions in your head in order to learn exactly what went right.

Forcing eye contact despite it being extremely uncomfortable or even painful.

Watching how others do things before doing them yourself. This can be a child standing to the side during recess and watching, or an adult researching how to order at a restaurant etc.

Taking on accents or mannerisms from movies, TV or real life people.

Learning conversation from books, movies, TV or by eaves dropping.

Practicing facial expressions. This can be subconsciously done when watching TV (copying the expressions of characters to practice) or in front of a mirror to ensure what you look like.

Over exaggerating facial expressions. Because the expressions are not natural, they can be over done to try to ensure they're interpreted.

Forcing speech even when exhausted.

Practicing vocal tone or over enunciation of words.

Taking on the interests of friends and family rather than your own interests.

Forcing social interaction despite feeling exhausted, confused or even ill.

Being afraid of deep conversation because you don't actually have deep answers, as everything is superficially pasted onto who you are.

Feeling alien when in a group, despite fitting in.

People thinking you're odd when tired because you are no longer able to give facial expressions, vocal tone or hold conversation.

There are many ways masking can occur, and these are just basic ideas. But many autistics don't realise how much they do mask.

also me: *looks at xiao*…

Ganyu calling 'Father' and 'Mother' to Zhongli and Venti.

And Xiao being a good big brother.

Jean gets alerted that there's a possible child predator in the city and takes it super seriously and then... the "child" in question is her god. Her 2000+ yrs old god and the "predator" is his 6000+ yrs old boyfriend. (Bonus if they've been pining since the Archon Wars)

Okay, so let’s get one thing out of the way now: this is not overnight. You’ll have to discipline yourself to do this for weeks until you get your desired result. After some time it will just come naturally.

STEP 1:

Stand against a wall or door with your feet together and heels touching the wall. Stand up STRAIGHT. If your posture is impotent, then this ain’t happening.

(if you can’t stand, sit as straight as you can)

STEP 2:

RELAX. Don’t tense up your whole body, especially not your shoulders. This is so easy to do.

STEP 3:

Press the back of your neck against the wall (it’s fine if it doesn’t actually touch, we’re just working the muscles)

STEP 4:

Start speaking for 10 minutes. Find a magazine, book, article or even recite a monologue if you know any. You’ll notice your voice is already dropping two octaves.

STEP 5:

DRINK!! WATER!!!! If you feel your throat scatching or at all painful, STOP!! Take a break! And drink water, no ice.

STEP 6:

After ten minutes (or however long you can do) lay down flat. Keep your body straight. Relax your whole body. Try a visualisation where you relax from your feet up into your head. Doing this will give your throats a chance to cool down (it’s still a muscle!!)

**Bonus Tips**

HONEY - it coats your throats and protects it from damage. Use it before and/or after this exercise.

HOT TEA - I suggest ginger, but you can really pick whatever kind you want. As long it’s not coffee.

WATER!!!!

A CORK - if you’re wanting to go the extra mile, put a cork in your mouth and speak. This helps enunciation and can really help.

DON’T FORCE - if you force your voice to sound low it will sound very artificial

BE PATIENT - It’s gonna take time! Take it as a challenge.

I have tried humming while moving my head, singing to Panic! At The Disco and literally EVERY other thing to lower my voice and this is the only thing that has worked.

1. Dr. James Barry, 1789-1865, military surgeon

2. "One-Eyed" Charley Parkhurst, 1812-1879, stagecoach driver

3. Ralph Kerwineo, 1876-1932, clerk

4. Harry Allen, 1882-1922, vagrant and criminal

5. Amelio Robles Ávila, 1889-1984, military commander during the Mexican Revolution

6. Victor Barker, 1895-1960, restaurant proprietor

7. Zdeněk Koubek, 1913-1986, track athlete

8. Billy Tipton, 1914-1989, jazz musician

9. Willmer "Little Ax" M. Broadnax, 1916-1992, jazz musician

10. Jim McHarris, 1924-?, auto mechanic

Holmes: Hello, I am noise and excitement.