How To Tell If Someone Is Masking

What Is masking? 

Masking is the behavior and coping mechanism individuals employ to hide their true thoughts, feelings, or difficulties related to their mental health.

Someone who masks will hide or even hold back how they truly feel, presenting a different emotional state to the outside world.

Masking can manifest in different ways, whether it's hiding your authentic self or even making light of your (serious) distress.

One may alter their facial expressions, body language, or words, often as a way to adapt to the situation they are in because it may not feel appropriate to show how they really feel.

While masking can be a conscious choice for many, for some it is an automatic reaction.

How can you tell that someone is masking? 

There are a couple keys tells for when someone might be masking.

The first is inconsistent emotions, meaning that they might seem overly cheerful when they are experiencing a crisis.

You might notice a difference in their behaviors in public vs in private.

To their friends they act like everything is fine, but once home, in an environment where they might feel safer, they let their walls down.

Next is self isolation which can manifest as a sudden change in one's personality and behaviors toward others.

They may shift from being outgoing to withdrawn or from being talkative to silent.

This may indicate that they are masking underlying emotions or deeper-rooted mental health issues. 

If you believe that someone is masking it’s important to create a safe and supportive environment where they feel comfortable discussing their real feelings.