ADHD and Anxiety: How They Overlap and Feed Each Other
ADHD and anxiety often occur together, and can look alike. How they overlap, how they feed each other and what helps with both.
ADHD Masking: What It Is and What It Costs
Masking means hiding or compensating for ADHD traits to fit in. Why people do it, what it costs and how to unmask a little, safely.
I Post About ADHD··3 min read
Photo: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
The short version
- Masking means hiding or compensating for ADHD traits to appear “put together.”
- It can protect you socially but often costs huge energy and contributes to burnout.
- Unmasking can start small: with safe people and supportive systems.
Masking is a word often used in ADHD and autism communities. It means hiding, suppressing or compensating for traits so you seem like everyone else. Many people do it without realizing.
What masking can look like
- Over-preparing for everything so no one sees you struggle
- Staying up late to secretly catch up
- Rehearsing conversations and replaying them afterward
- Sitting very still while feeling restless inside
- Pretending you remember something you don’t
- Saying yes to everything to avoid disappointing people
Why people mask
Masking often starts early, after criticism for being messy, late, loud or “too much.” It can protect you at school, work and socially. That’s real, and it makes sense.
The cost
Masking takes constant effort. Over time it can lead to exhaustion, anxiety, losing touch with what you actually need, and burnout. It can also hide ADHD from clinicians and from yourself.
Unmasking, gently
You don’t have to stop masking everywhere. Start where it’s safe:
- Use visible systems openly: timers, lists, fidgets
- Tell one trusted person what’s actually hard
- Ask for one small accommodation, like written instructions
- Notice which situations drain you most, and plan recovery time after them
Unmasking isn’t about dropping every coping skill. It’s about choosing which ones you keep, instead of performing all day.
Try it: Energy Check-InRate your body, brain, mood and time to get a full, minimum or rescue day plan that matches your energy.
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This article is for education and organization, not medical advice. Read our medical disclaimer and editorial policy.
