The majority of people are accustomed to showing off their best side to others. Actually, we all engage in it to some degree. We can wear a range of masks as social disguises throughout the course of any given day to help us navigate through a variety of scenarios. The human condition includes it.
A personality mask enables the wearer to conceal their true identity from others. While masks can act as a line of defense against hurt and low self-esteem, they can also result in:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Exhaustion
Personality masks are frequently used as a form of defense. They aid in defending you against harm brought on by societal rejection, abusers, or bullies.
There are the behavioral masks that we adopt to conceal ourselves out of fear. For instance, we might use name-dropping as a cover if we are vulnerable. We can present ourselves as bullies if we are unsure about our position of authority. We can hide behind a mask of rage if we don’t believe that the world loves us. When our jobs are on the line, we pretend everything is fine at work. When there is a distance between us and our spouses, we pretend everything is fine in our marriages.
There are both good and bad reasons to wear a mask, some of which can be as follows:
- To hide one’s fear
- In order to hide anxiety
- To cover up weakness
- To conceal sadness or depression
- To cover up happiness
- In order to deceive
- To hide one’s displeasure
- To display masculinity or femininity
- In order to control
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Types of personality masks people wear
When you try to hide your true self from others in social, professional, or personal encounters, you are said to be masking your personality. Your personality can be concealed by: words, actions, body language, and facial expressions
- Mask of the martyr or victim
To preserve their self-esteem, those wearing the martyr or victim mask refuse to take responsibility. Instead, if you or a loved one wears this mask, you can blame external factors for your own issues and failings in an effort to preserve your self-esteem.
- The bully masks
Bullying can be a coping mechanism for persons who are struggling with self-doubt or trauma. In order to make up for their low self-esteem, this may manifest as physical outbursts, making fun of other people, or pressuring them to embrace your point of view.
- The humor mask
People may use humor to mask their melancholy or avoid being made fun of by others. After all, if you are already laughing at yourself, no one can make fun of you. Additionally, if you try to mask your suffering by being humorous, no one will ever know how you truly feel.
- The calm mask
Some people appear composed in almost all circumstances. In the event that this relates to you or a loved one, you or your loved one may suppress any emotional outbursts and maintain a cool, even demeanor. The emotions have nowhere to go when this occurs. The peaceful mask wearer may eventually lose control of their emotions and lose control of them.
- The mask of overachievement
You might aim for perfection if you are wearing the overachieving mask. Anyone wearing this mask might be hoping to be accepted and praised for their flawless performance. In this situation, self-esteem is overly dependent on perfection, which increases the likelihood that you will internalize any errors. An ongoing sense of worry can also result from the desire for perfection.
- The mask of identity
Do you or a loved one criticize yourself negatively? Even if you do this in jest or make jokes about the self-deprecations, it is still a defense mechanism designed to protect the person from injury or ridicule. Self-criticism can also be used as a coping mechanism for poor self-esteem. It might also be employed as a defense technique to lower you before others do.
- The protective mask
The avoidant mask includes hiding within yourself out of concern about rejection and criticism of your errors. You could find it difficult to interact with others or be around them. You or a loved one may become socially isolated as a result of withdrawing.
- The controlling mask
The person wearing the controlling mask aspires to a particular kind of perfection. If you wear this mask, you’ll attempt to exert control over everything around you in an effort to feel secure.
The wearer of this mask may meticulously plan an outing, demand that their plans be carried out, and keep their home, office, or other area extremely clean.
- The people pleasing mask
If you put on a people-pleasing mask, your sense of self-worth rests on how others perceive you. You might frequently go above and above to ensure the happiness of those who are close to you. Feel more valuable when you are making other people happy and you can have increased worry from trying to ensure the happiness of those around you.
- The socializer’s mask,
If you put on the socializer mask, you will hide your insecurity behind your ability to talk to everyone. Despite having a lot of acquaintances, you could not have many close friends since you avoid having lengthy chats.
- The conformist mask
When you put on the conformist mask, you try to do as your surroundings do. You will take signals from other members of social groups you want to be a part of because you are anxious for acceptance.
