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?

I now have 2 masks that I wear together. One is plastic the other is cloth. I still have trouble breathing due to anxiety, which is diagnosed. I also have a sunflower lanyard, which will still be visible.
This means that I feel able to go to my local Sainsbury's and I don't feel guilty either.

One mild panic attack after months of having to wear masks thankfully suggests that her anxiety when it comes to mask wearing into severe.

We have no real idea what happened or what she classes as 'mild'. I had a panic attack once crossing the road - something I do all the time and it doesn't usually trigger a panic attack.

Depending on the circumstances, sometimes when I have a panic attack I freeze and find it difficult to move, so getting out of a shop would be difficult (happened in Boots once) before it either passed or I'd got it under control. Personally, if that happened now, I don't think I'd take my mask off, even if I felt it was restricting my breathing, because anxiety about Covid would probably be heightened in that situation, but who knows? The panic might attach itself to the 'can't get enough air' and that would override the 'coronavirus everywhere' anxiety.

(Not read most of this thread because the replies were starting to exacerbate my anxiety - yes, it is diagnosed and yes I do take medication for it.)

Yabu - I’m sure you’d feel a lot more anxious if you caught COVID and had to be put on oxygen/a ventilator. Or would you feel more anxious knowing you may have passed COVID to someone vulnerable who may then die because you didn’t wear a mask. Perhaps stay in and order online if it’s such a problem for you

Anxiety is not an excuse,it's an debilitating ilness.
If you need to take it off when needs be and it makes you less panicky so be it.Covid or not you are an adult and are free to make an informed decision.

I'm a HCP and spend the day wearing surgical masks for work. I ordered some fabric masks for home in an attempt to be eco friendly, but can't stand them. The fabric sucks into my mouth and they feel claustrophobic. OP if you haven't already, try a disposable paper mask. You might find it less restrictive.

In every other European country this kind of anxiety doesn't exist. You just wear a mask.
YANBU for not seeking help for your very British anxiety.
Everyone seems to have some reason in the UK.
100k dead? Oh well...

I gave birth wearing a mask - you can wear one for 10 min shop in M&S. sick to death of seeing people not wearing masks.

I am not saying there isn't, but I can't think of any reason someone cannot wear some type of covering.

Yes it is.

If you haven't suffered a panic attack you wouldn't really understand. Perhaps aim to wear a mask when you feel ok but take it off if you feel particularly anxious. My friend as a card stating the reason on a lanyard as she has been known to pass out due to panic attacks in the past. She doesn't drive because she had this happen when driving (very scary).

Try surgical mask

@Alonelonelyloner interesting, statistics show that actually Germany has higher rates of anxiety disorder than the UK, with Italy and Spain not far behind us.

you are talking nonsense and its offensive to say something so ridiculous as "very British anxiety".

I had a panic attack in boots from wearing a mask. I ripped it off and was spectacularly and violently sick all over their counter. They haven't hassled me about wearing one since.

NO
think about others stop being selfish and wear a mask

@sunsetorange exactly and we still all wear masks!!!!!!
I'm yet to see even 1 German, 1, in a shop, without a mask. Since last March! So yes, it's British anxiety.

Anyone and their brother can buy a sunflower mask.
When l challenged a patient (GP surgery) why she was not wearing a mask and had a sunflower lanyard she said she didnt like wearing one so wouldn't- it was her choice
So i said it was my choice to see her (non urgent appointment) as l was unwilling to put myself and colleagues at unnecessary risk.
This is a policy we have now agreed to within the Practice setting

What about a scarf or snood instead?

@Alonelonelyloner you are broadly generalizing, you cannot possibly know if every German person who suffers with anxiety does or doesnt wesr a mask. stop being so ridiculous and offensive.

Ok @sunsetorange yes, true, but as someone who has seen not a single German for 10 months not wear a mask and see constant reports of British people and see videos of people in the UK not wearing masks on a daily basis. It's a fair assumption that either Britons suffer from a strange kind of 'anxiety' or they can't bloody be bothered, on a more frequent basis, to wear masks.

Ergo, it's a British anxiety. Because if mask wearing induced generalised anxiety then I'd see it all the damn time. And I've not seen it even once.

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut

I had a panic attack in boots from wearing a mask. I ripped it off and was spectacularly and violently sick all over their counter. They haven't hassled me about wearing one since.

I fully appreciate how awful you must have felt but your reaction is very rare.

Any excuse is acceptable for not wearing a mask.

And any establishment has the right to deny you entry if you are not wearing a mask, irrespective of your reason. If you can't or won't wear a mask then keep away from people and shop online. Simple.

Having even the most super- valid reason to not wear one doesn't mean that others should have to be put at risk just to accommodate you.

@Alonelonelyloner the fact you are not even in this country, witnessing in first person the stuff you are claiming, and the fact you keep referring to it as british anxiety when I've already pointed out why it is offensive is the end of this debate. if you have no sympathy for the OP then fine but you need to stop generalizing an entire population.

I work for a big bank. They’ve issued a message to customers today not to visit a branch if they aren’t wearing a mask, or they will be refused entry. How some customer have reacted is bonkers. They bleat about human rights/disabled law etc, but the reality is that if you offer an alternative, then those laws don’ apply,, ie banking can be done online, over the phone, at outside cash machines. Why should the majority be penalised for a minority of people who refuse/can't wear masks?

I actually know what you mean. I really hate seeing people with no mask on, and wear mine religiously, but I can get a bit panicky in supermarkets. I tend to find a quiet aisle and lift my mask away from my face to take a few deep breaths, then I continue shopping.
For some reason my mask makes me all hot and sweaty. I hate it!

Of course - it is fine. The rest of us wear them to protect the people that can’t.

I do wonder what the statistics are. What percentage of Britons suffer from something which prevents them from wearing a mask generally. Does anyone know?