To ask if Anxiety is an acceptable excuse for not wearing a mask?

[balihai550]

Just this...I had a mild panic attack in M&S today because for some reason masks make me feel closed in and like I can't breathe.

So I took it off and then had to explain to three people why I couldn't wear it. Anxiety in their view wasn't a good enough reason.

I often try to get online shops but atm all the ocado, Sainsbury's and Waitrose slots in my area are gone, so have to venture out.

Is not wearing a mask because of Anxiety and panic attacks unreasonable?

@Bookworming

Obviously suggesting she uses another supermarket is not one of the replies I’m talking about. I’m talking about the ones that have had to be deleted due to their horrible language

@Meredithgrey1 well she can't see them can she? I think OP is UR because she's not exploring many options.

All been explained, visor, other supermarkets, click and collect. Others with anxiety have explained how they deal with the mask issue.

I stand by that!

Little point asking a question if you're not going to engage with the responses.

But she may have seen them before they were removed.

And in my first post I also suggested methods to help OP wear a mask, ones that I used and that worked for me. I’m not denying there are useful posts here, but there are also some quite hostile ones.

@Booksandwine80

I’m sorry but I don’t think it is acceptable. I suffer with anxiety, not surrounding wearing a mask, but I do get anxious around people who don’t wear them.

Do you really think that is ok?

And I bet you wouldn’t appreciate being told that the best solution to this is never leaving your house?

The government put the exemption in place. The government could have spent a lot of time and money putting an exemption certification scheme in place but given the current financial demands on the country and the impact on the NHS, they decided against it. If you have an issue with that, take it up with the government, not the people who are exempt.

Not that it would change anything of course - we still get abuse using disabled spaces despite the obvious blue badge.

As with many things, there are degrees of anxiety. Not all of which would justify not wearing a mask. To pretend that this isn’t the case would be wrong.

The op refers to a mild panic attack.

@SinkGirl it's not mandatory to wear a mask outside, no one is suggesting that people never leave the house 🙄! They are suggesting ways in which the OP can manage entering a supermarket which do have mandatory face wearing rules, which are looking to get stricter.

Not sure where in any of these posts it was said that mask wearers should not ever leave the house? Complete hyperbole I think.

it's not mandatory to wear a mask outside, no one is suggesting that people never leave the house

Quite a lot of people are! Have you RFTF?

i know the feeling. but its so much better not to put other people and yourself at risk. try different shapes and materials for your mask. i use one thats a thick fabric in a fixed shape around my mouth so it gives me more room to breathe. keep trying. if you can find a face sheild that covers your whole face, that will be better than nothing

Show me @covidaintacrime, I haven't seen them, they all seem to be about mask wearing when required.

A few examples of people suggesting exempt / disabled people don't leave the house:

If you can't cope, then stay home or this bloody shit is going to drag on and on and on. All this bellyaching about rights and discrimination ffs.

If you cannot wear a mask for any reason, real or imaginary, then stay at home.

Stay home or wear a mask. The end. I've no patience with non-mask wearers, and don't think there's a reason to go out without one at all. If you genuinely can't wear one, then stay home.

No. Stay home for your own and others' protection.

If you really can't wear a mask keep out of the shops

Hi OP,

If you do not feel ok wearing a mask because of anxiety, don’t wear one. You do not need to explain yourself to anyone.

FWIW I am exempt but I have found the silk masks really easy to wear and I don’t always feel like I’m suffocating (am asthmatic), unless I’m really hot as well. Got them from amazon, pack of 5 for about £6.00

💚

I read those as to mean stay at home instead of going out to the shop/ places that require a mask. Not stay at home 24/7. Maybe you read it too literally?

I read those as to mean stay at home instead of going out to the shop/ places that require a mask. Not stay at home 24/7. Maybe you read it too literally?

Where else can you go in a lockdown? At most you can go for a walk, but people would take offense at that as you're still "spreading your germs". This is not taking into account the fact that people actually need to eat.

No. We all have to do things we don’t want to do. I have dentist phobia but still go. Treatment of anxiety means facing up to the trigger anyway so no one is helping themselves with avoidance

Yeah @covidaintacrime they are referring the OPs request about shopping!

That was the question and that's what people are referring too.

OP could use other deliveries and click and collect, but she's not responded at all.

@covidaintacrime Where else can you go in a lockdown? At most you can go for a walk, but people would take offense at that as you're still "spreading your germs". This is not taking into account the fact that people actually need to eat.

Hyperbole again 🙄!

Where can anyone go in lockdown? That is the same of all of us. Literally no where to go. It sucks for everyone

As pp have said, food can come from deliveries, click and collect, Morrisons food boxes. A combo of the above.

And also as already mentioned if OP hasn't tried any of the methods suggested to get used to the mask to try them.

they are referring the OPs request about shopping!

Many people don't have any other options than going to the shops, we all have to eat. I would rather someone made a necessary trip to the shops rather than wandering around to get out of the house (for the mental health benefits).

OP could use other deliveries and click and collect, but she's not responded at all.

That's true, if she can use click and collect then I would recommend that (as I would for everyone). But the more people use click and collect the less available they are. Especially in my area, there are very few spaces and it's a massive struggle.

Hyperbole again

What part of my statement was hyperbole, sorry?

Why don't you try desensitising yourself to the mask? Wear it at hole for short periods of time and build up on how long you can keep it on for.

@covidaintacrime Many people don't have any other options than going to the shops, we all have to eat. I would rather someone made a necessary trip to the shops rather than wandering around to get out of the house (for the mental health benefits).

But if OP is not getting any mental health benefit from shopping , she's anxious about wearing a mask and is then questioned three times in m&s in one shopping trip, she also said she has tried just Waitrose and m&s for deliveries.

That's true, if she can use click and collect then I would recommend that (as I would for everyone). But the more people use click and collect the less available they are. Especially in my area, there are very few spaces and it's a massive struggle.*

She's not even tried, click and collect or other slots. She has as much chance of getting a slot as the next person. Why are you making ridiculous excuses for something she's not even bothered herself to try.

You're again not referring to the OPs question, then getting annoyed when people answer her and explain her options.

And then you have the cheek to say RTFT, you read the OP and answer that perhaps?

What part of my statement was hyperbole, sorry?

The but where you decide that if OP goes for a walk without her mask then people will say she's spreading germs. When I WFH my chair overlooks the street, lots of people walking, the vast majority without masks and no one shouting at others for spreading germs.

You're making up your own narrative,

@bookworming covidaintacrime is just nitpicking posts

@sibuttercup you're right, I'm moving on now.

Thanks

Only you can decide if your anxiety makes wearing a mask intolerable. People on MN (and in general really) like to make themselves judge and jury on what conditions deserve exemption but it's up to you to self-certify as exempt so...your call. You don't need to explain your condition to anyone.

But if OP is not getting any mental health benefit from shopping , she's anxious about wearing a mask and is then questioned three times in m&s in one shopping trip, she also said she has tried just Waitrose and m&s for deliveries

You're right - she probably isn't. If she had a better option why would she be putting herself up for disrespect from nosy shoppers? Not everyone has family or friends who can shop on your behalf.

She's not even tried, click and collect or other slots. She has as much chance of getting a slot as the next person. Why are you making ridiculous excuses for something she's not even bothered herself to try.

She's said: I often try to get online shops but atm all the ocado, Sainsbury's and Waitrose slots in my area are gone, so have to venture out. These may well be the only shops in her area? Or other shops won't deliver for whatever reason. When I lived remotely the only place near me was a Co-op and I'd have been fucked if I had lived there when the pandemic hit.

I'm hypothesising because OP has only posted twice on this twenty page thread, but there are a whole variety of reasons why she may have made the choices she has. People ARE mentioning this as a general topic, about non-mask wearers, not just the OP's specific situation. There are not "ridiculous excuses". A ridiculous excuse would be saying "Well, maybe OP lives on the moon", not "there's a variety of reasons why she could not access Click and Collect services".

You're again not referring to the OPs question, then getting annoyed when people answer her and explain her options.

I've negatively responded to people being arsey, I've not negatively responded to people offering good suggestions - I've literally said upthread I heartily agree with the suggestions from some PPs about other things she could try. But sorry, I'm not tolerating ableism or intentionally being an asshole about people who are exempt, of which there has been a lot on this thread.

The but where you decide that if OP goes for a walk without her mask then people will say she's spreading germs.

PPs have used the exact terminology of "spreading germs". Maybe she can avoid being shouted at I agree (depends on where she lives / the attitudes to exemptions there I suppose), but I imagine the PPs who went off about OP's germ spreading would have a thing or two to say about it.

No, I don't think that's a good enough reason. perhaps a paper mask rather than a cloth mask would be better for you.