The Exhaustion of Masking

For many people with ADHD, masking is a survival tool—hiding traits that seem “too much” for the world to handle, mirroring others to fit in, and constantly working to appear “normal.” It’s exhausting. You’re always monitoring yourself, making sure you say the right things, act the right way, and suppress the parts of yourself that might seem unacceptable.

In many ways, Christians do the same thing in a society that doesn’t always welcome faith. We mask our beliefs, tone down our convictions, and try to fit into the world around us. We may pray in private but hesitate to talk about God in public. We blend in at work, at social events, or even online—afraid of standing out, of being seen as “too religious,” or of facing rejection.

The world calls us to conform, but God calls us to integrity—to be fully ourselves in Him, without compromise. True integrity isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being real.

Living with integrity in a world that pushes compromise isn’t easy. Just like masking requires constant effort to avoid standing out, hiding our faith can become second nature. We adjust our language, avoid hard conversations, and downplay our beliefs to keep from making others uncomfortable.

But what if we asked ourselves:

• Am I hiding parts of my faith to avoid conflict?

• Do I feel pressure to act differently around certain people?

• Am I more concerned with others’ approval than with God’s?

Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy or popular. In fact, He said the opposite:

When we try to live with one foot in the world and one foot in faith, we end up torn between two masters. Integrity means choosing Christ fully, even when it costs us something.

There’s a deep exhaustion that comes with masking—whether it’s hiding ADHD symptoms or hiding faith. But there’s also incredible freedom in letting go of the performance and embracing who you truly are.

When we stop trying to fit into a world that was never meant to define us, we can live with boldness, confidence, and peace. Integrity isn’t about forcing our beliefs on others—it’s about being the same person everywhere we go.

• The same person at church and at work.

• The same person in private and in public.

• The same person in faith-based circles and secular spaces.

  
  

When our actions align with our beliefs, we no longer feel divided. We walk in authenticity, transparency, and trust in God.

So how do we stand firm in a society that constantly pressures us to bend? Here are some ways to embrace Christian integrity:

• Speak the truth in love. We don’t have to be aggressive to be faithful. Living with integrity means standing for truth with grace and humility.

• Choose obedience over popularity. If faced with a choice between pleasing people or pleasing God, choose God—every time.

• Surround yourself with strong believers. Community strengthens us when the world feels isolating.

• Pray for courage. Living unmasked takes boldness, but God gives us the strength we need.

The world will always try to shape you, to pressure you into compromise, to make you feel like faith should be kept in the background. But God calls us to stand firm, to live fully and authentically in Him.

You don’t have to hide. You don’t have to water down your faith. You don’t have to mask who God created you to be.

Because true freedom is found in living unashamed for Christ.

With love and encouragement,

Mizz Ma’am