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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.
© Shutterstock
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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.
© Shutterstock
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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.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
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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.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
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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.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
The avoidant mask
- The avoidant mask is all about withdrawing into yourself in fear of rejection and judgment of your mistakes.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
The conformist mask
- By wearing the conformist mask, you do what everyone else around you is doing.
© Shutterstock
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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.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
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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.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
The different personality masks we wear
- 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)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
The avoidant mask
- The avoidant mask is all about withdrawing into yourself in fear of rejection and judgment of your mistakes.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
The conformist mask
- By wearing the conformist mask, you do what everyone else around you is doing.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
The conformist mask
- You’re desperate for acceptance and will follow people in the social groups you want to belong to.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
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.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
The different personality masks we wear
- 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)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
The different personality masks we wear
These are the various 'masks' you use
© Shutterstock
Most people are familiar with presenting a certain face to the world. In fact, we all do it to some extent. During the course of a day, we can use a variety of different masks as a social disguise, which can help us fit in or even hide. However, these masks can be exhausting and cause excessive stress in people who use them regularly.
Indeed, personality masks allow those who wear them to hide their real self. And while they can serve as protection for one's self-esteem and to keep us from getting hurt, they can also lead to anxiety, depression, and exhaustion.
So, what are the different personality masks we wear? And when do they appear? Find out by clicking through this gallery.
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