90. The Fear of Being Perceived

Marcus and Esme discuss a common condition among neurodivergent people: the fear of being perceived. This widely reported phenomena is an internal, emotional, and sometimes physical reaction to being "seen" or judged, often causing people to feel as though they are "on stage." Marcus and Esme dive into why this fear is so common, how it manifests, and what neurodivergent people can do to cope with and possibly even overcome it.

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Sources for this episode include:

• Salladin, Cat. “The Fear of Being Perceived in Neurodivergent People.” NeuroSpark Health, 11 Jan. 2026, https://neurosparkhealth.com/masking/fear-of-being-perceived.
• Cook, Heather. “When You Hate Being Perceived.” Autism Chrysalis, 9 Dec. 2023, https://www.autismchrysalis.com/2023/12/09/when-you-hate-being-perceived.
• “The Anxiety of Being Perceived: Navigating Identity in a Hyper‑Visible World.” Indigo Therapy Group, https://indigotherapygroup.com/the-anxiety-of-being-perceived-navigating-identity-in-a-hyper-visible-world.

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