Unmasking Autism, Devon Price, PhD
Unmasking Autism, Devon Price, PhD
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Unmasking Autism
Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity

Author: Devon Price, PhD

Narrator: Devon Price, PhD

Unabridged: 9 hr 51 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/05/2022

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

A deep dive into the spectrum of Autistic experience and the phenomenon of masked Autism, giving individuals the tools to safely uncover their true selves while broadening society’s narrow understanding of neurodiversity

“A remarkable work that will stand at the forefront of the neurodiversity movement.”—Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP, author of Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

For every visibly Autistic person you meet, there are countless “masked” Autistic people who pass as neurotypical. Masking is a common coping mechanism in which Autistic people hide their identifiably Autistic traits in order to fit in with societal norms, adopting a superficial personality at the expense of their mental health. This can include suppressing harmless stims, papering over communication challenges by presenting as unassuming and mild-mannered, and forcing themselves into situations that cause severe anxiety, all so they aren’t seen as needy or “odd.”
 
In Unmasking Autism, Dr. Devon Price shares his personal experience with masking and blends history, social science research, prescriptions, and personal profiles to tell a story of neurodivergence that has thus far been dominated by those on the outside looking in. For Dr. Price and many others, Autism is a deep source of uniqueness and beauty. Unfortunately, living in a neurotypical world means it can also be a source of incredible alienation and pain. Most masked Autistic individuals struggle for decades before discovering who they truly are. They are also more likely to be marginalized in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, and other factors, which contributes to their suffering and invisibility. Dr. Price lays the groundwork for unmasking and offers exercises that encourage self-expression, including:

• Celebrating special interests
• Cultivating Autistic relationships
• Reframing Autistic stereotypes
• And rediscovering your values

It’s time to honor the needs, diversity, and unique strengths of Autistic people so that they no longer have to mask—and it’s time for greater public acceptance and accommodation of difference. In embracing neurodiversity, we can all reap the rewards of nonconformity and learn to live authentically, Autistic and neurotypical people alike.

*Includes a downloadable PDF of exercises, tables, lists, and a graph from the book

Reviews

Goodreads review by Helen on April 30, 2022

An absolutely essential read for people on the spectrum and those who love them.......more

Goodreads review by Lane on October 10, 2022

lots of validating stuff but I was annoyed by his generalizations. this concept of unmasking is only available to very specific types of people, mostly white, documented, middle class, low needs individuals. he mentions the risks associated for more marginalized people at a few different points but......more

Goodreads review by Aaron on July 13, 2023

I got diagnosed with autism at 17 a couple years ago and have been experiencing burnout lately, so I thought learning about unmasking might be beneficial to me. This was my mindset going into the book, and what I hoped to learn about. I greatly enjoyed the first half of this book — it felt informativ......more

Goodreads review by Emma on March 09, 2024

*just going to pretend I read the last two chapters thoroughly* - this book is most suited for readers living in the USA, understandable as the writer is also American. but it does make it a lot less relatable for anyone not American. - it started out good, but especially in te second half of the boo......more

Goodreads review by Richard on December 21, 2021

Dr. Devon Price is a social psychologist, writer, activist, and professor at Chicago's Loyola University who, with "Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity," has crafted an informative, insightful, and engaging deep dive into the Autism experience and, more specifically, the ph......more


Quotes

Unmasking Autism is at once a most deeply personal and scholarly account of the damage caused by autistic (and all) people leading masked lives, and how unmasking is essential to creating a self-determined, authentic life. It provides a unique and revealing perspective on the sensory and social-cognitive experience of autism. It provides practical guidance and exercises for neurodivergent people to learn to be comfortable in their own skin and dramatically change their own lives, and it details the necessary changes that society needs to make to honor neurodiversity. This is a remarkable work that will stand at the forefront of the neurodiversity movement.”—Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP, Visiting Scholar, Brown University, author of Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism

“Reading this felt like being at home—I didn’t realize how much I masked. What an incredible book that I know will be re-read many times over.”—Dr. Camilla Pang, author of An Outsider’s Guide to Humans

“Price’s accessible and compassionate writing shines, and readers will feel encouraged to embrace a new understanding of themselves. Its potential to help masked autistic adults, especially those from systemically marginalized backgrounds, makes this book essential for most collections.”—Library Journal, starred review