Social Anxiety and masking in autism. Social Anxiety is experienced by many Autistic people from childhood. In this webinar we explore why rates of social anxiety are so high in the Autistic population. Often as a response to our discomfort in our social world we will start to mask. Masking is often described as something Autistics do to “fit in”. But masking is a response to trauma. We do not hide autism, we hide ourselves. We hide our discomfort and pain.
social anxiety and masking in autism
We look at the trauma Autistic children and adults often experience in our social world. We explore how other people’s responses to us can impact our feelings of self worth and how that can lead to social anxiety and masking.
Evaleen from AUsome Training looks at social anxiety and masking in autism. She explains why Autistic people have such high levels of social anxiety. She is joined by Irish psychotherapist Eoin Stephens . Eoin provides us ways to identify and to cope with social anxiety through his insightful talk on “autism informed” psychotherapy.
Eoin and Evaleen are joined by Stiof Macamhalghaidh, theorist and creator of The Munster Model of Autistic Living. Stiof explores how growing up different can impact us. They take an in-depth look at social anxiety and masking in autism
Current research tells us that Social Anxiety is especially common, with prevalence estimates reported to be as high as 50% ; substantially higher than estimates of 7–13% cited for the non-autistic population. Many researchers and professionals try to explain these high rates by saying that it is caused by autism. This illustrates a failure to listen to Autistic experiences and to examine our social environment.
Autistic people are often bullied, dismissed, treated as odd. We are misunderstood. Our actions are misinterpreted and everything we do is pathologized. Who wouldn’t be anxious under these conditions!
Evaleen, Eoin and Stiof highlight the urgent need for acceptance, understanding and changes in our social environment.
Length: 2 hours 51 mins
Once you purchase this webinar it will be available for you to watch and re-watch in your AUsome account.
