Unmasking in Eating Disorder Recovery: What Neurodivergent People Need to Know About Safety & Healing

What happens when your survival strategy becomes the thing standing between you and full recovery? In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land: An Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast, Dr. Marianne Miller explores how masking and camouflaging shape the lives of neurodivergent people living with eating disorders. Through a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming lens, she unpacks how chronic masking affects body trust, executive functioning, and safety in recovery. This conversation goes beyond the surface, offering insight into the deep intersection between identity, safety, and healing for autistic and ADHD people navigating disordered eating. Why This Episode Matters Masking, also known as camouflaging, is often praised as adaptability, but for many neurodivergent people it is a survival response that comes at a high cost. When you spend years performing normalcy, you can lose touch with your body’s natural rhythms, sensations, and needs. This episode reveals how masking contributes to disordered eating patterns and burnout, and why many neurodivergent individuals struggle to connect with hunger, fullness, and safety cues. Dr. Marianne explains how unmasking can become an essential part of recovery when it is grounded in safety and choice. She also highlights the collective responsibility of clinicians, families, and communities to create environments where authenticity does not come with punishment. Key Themes Covered What masking and camouflaging look like for autistic and ADHD people How chronic masking disconnects you from body cues and emotions The relationship between executive function burnout and chaotic eating Masking inside therapy and recovery spaces How unmasking becomes a healing process when safety is prioritized The crucial role of neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-aware support The realities of intersectionality and why unmasking is not equally safe for everyone The Big Intersectionality Caveat Unmasking can be freeing, but it is not always safe. For people living at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities, such as people of color, fat people, queer and trans individuals, and those with disabilities, authentic self-expression often carries real risks. Systems rooted in racism, fatphobia, ableism, and heteronormativity still punish difference. In this segment, Dr. Marianne offers guidance on how to navigate those risks without self-betrayal. She invites listeners to think of unmasking as a gradual and relational process rather than a demand for constant transparency. Authenticity must coexist with safety, and strategic masking can be a legitimate survival tool. Recovery is not about abandoning the mask everywhere; it is about finding and creating spaces where the mask can come off without harm. Who This Episode Is For This episode is for: Neurodivergent adults and teens in eating disorder recovery Autistic and ADHD individuals struggling with food, body image, or ARFID Therapists seeking to provide neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-informed care People navigating multiple marginalized identities who feel unsafe unmasking in treatment Parents and partners who want to better understand masking, executive functioning, and sensory needs in eating behaviors Content Caution This episode includes discussion of eating disorder behaviors, masking fatigue, and systemic oppression. Listener discretion is advised, especially if you are in early recovery or working through trauma related to identity or body shame. Related Episodes Autism & Anorexia: When Masking Looks Like Restriction, & Recovery Feels Unsafe via Apple & Spotify.Recovering Again: Navigating Eating Disorders After a Late Neurodivergent Diagnosis (Part 1) With Stacie Fanelli, LCSW @edadhd_therapist via Apple & Spotify.Stuck on Empty: Autistic Inertia, ARFID & the Struggle to Eat via Apple & SpotifyMinding the Gap: The Intersection Between AuDHD & Eating Disorders With Stacie Fanelli, LCSW @edadhd_therapist via Apple & SpotifyOur Personal Neurodivergent Stories via Apple & Spotify. Learn More and Get Support If today’s episode resonated with you, explore Dr. Marianne’s ARFID & Selective Eating Course, a self-paced, neurodivergent-affirming resource that supports sensory-based eating, autonomy, and compassion in recovery. Learn more at drmariannemiller.com.