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Personality masks -

By wearing a personality mask, you're covering up who you really are around other people in social, work, or personal interactions. This can be done with words, body language, facial expressions, or actions.

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The bully mask -

The bully mask is usually worn if you feel self-doubt or have been abused. Then you may turn to bullying as a way to keep people away.

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The bully mask -

This can appear as making fun of others, acting out physically, or pressuring others to accept your opinion as a way to overcompensate for your poor self-esteem.

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The humor mask -

To avoid getting laughed at by others, people may use humor as a means of protection. After all, no one can laugh at you if you're already laughing at yourself.

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The humor mask -

Wearing the humor mask is also a way to hide feelings of sadness. People won't know how you really feel if you hide your pain with humor.

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The martyr or victim mask -

By wearing the martyr or victim mask, you don't accept any personal blame. Instead, you may blame outside situations or other people.

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The martyr or victim mask -

In this case, you don't feel responsible for your own problems and failures. And by wearing this mask, you're protecting your self-esteem.

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The calm mask -

There are some people who wear a calm mask in nearly every situation. It might be a way to bottle up their emotional responses.

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The calm mask -

When this occurs, the emotions have nowhere to go. A person wearing the calm mask may eventually explode or become emotionally unstable.

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The self-bashing mask -

Talking down to yourself, even as a joke, is a defense mechanism meant to shield oneself from being made fun of or hurt.

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The self-bashing mask -

Self-bashing is also a mask to hide your low self-esteem. It's a protective method to put yourself down before someone else does.

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The overachieving mask -

A person wearing the overachieving mask may be striving for perfection. They might also be using the mask to gain acceptance and praise for doing things perfectly.

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The overachieving mask -

With the overachieving mask, self-esteem relies heavily on being perfect. This means the person wearing this mask might internalize any mistake, which can cause a lot of anxiety.

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The controlling mask -

The wearer of the controlling mask is after a different type of perfection. They try to control everything around them to get a sense of security.

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The controlling mask -

Someone wearing this mask might plan every detail of an activity, demand that their plans get used, and keep a spotless home or workspace.

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The avoidant mask -

The avoidant mask is all about withdrawing into yourself in fear of rejection and judgment of your mistakes.

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The avoidant mask -

If you wear this mask, then you might avoid saying much or being around others. It can cause you to become socially isolated.

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The conformist mask -

By wearing the conformist mask, you do what everyone else around you is doing. 

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The conformist mask -

You’re desperate for acceptance and will follow people in the social groups you want to belong to.

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The people-pleasing mask -

A people-pleasing mask is usually worn when a person's self-esteem depends on acceptance from others. They may often go out of their way to please someone.

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The people-pleasing mask -

Making other people happy can give them a sense of self-worth. But this can provoke extra anxiety, as they must constantly make sure others around them are content.

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The socializer mask -

When wearing the socializer mask, you'll take the opportunity to talk to anyone in order to mask any insecurity that you might have.

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The socializer mask -

And even if you have many acquaintances, you may not have many meaningful relationships. Mainly because conversations are kept from going too deep.

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Causes of wearing a personality mask -

So, what causes people to wear a personality mask? Well, personality masking may occur as a response to social pressures, abuse, fear, and/or bullying.

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A form of protection -

No matter the cause or motivation, masking protects your true self from emotional harm and lower self-esteem. After all, people can't reject you for who you really are if they never truly know you.

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The consequences -

However, constantly masking takes up a lot of energy. This can lead to exhaustion and feelings of loneliness. You might also be scared that someone may find out who you really are.

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Neurodivergent vs. neurotypical -

Neurodivergent people, such as those with autism, may wear masks to help them fit into society. They tend to engage in more social camouflaging, which involves imitating others around them.

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Neurodivergent vs. neurotypical -

Both neurodivergent and neurotypical people may wear personality masks as a result of bullying or abuse. By masking their thoughts and feelings, they may think it will protect them from further abuse.

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How to avoid masking -

One big step is to understand what causes you to wear a mask around others. Then, with this new self-awareness, you can drop your mask and discover your true self.

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Always reach out -

If you find you need some help, consider talking with a counselor or a loved one. They can help you develop new coping strategies for your fears or anxieties.

Sources: (Psych Central) (Psychology Today) 

See also: Strange and surprising psychological facts 

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