Glossary
This page explains some of the words I use on Quietly Neurodivergent in plain English. You do not need to memorise anything – it’s here if and when you want to look something up.
On most articles, you can hover over or tap on highlighted words to see a small popup with the same definition. The explanations here describe how I’m using these terms on this site. They are not full medical or legal definitions, and they are not a substitute for professional advice.
Glossary
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Masking
“Masking” means hiding or changing your natural autistic/ADHD traits to seem more “normal” or acceptable, for example copying expressions or suppressing stims. Generally interchangeable with the term “camouflaging“.
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Meltdown
A “meltdown” is an intense loss of control from overload; it may look loud and explosive or like crying and panic, and it’s a stress response, not a choice.
