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?

@covidaintacrime

Yes it is valid. But in the OP's case, at least from what they wrote it isn't clear they have tried that hard to get themselves to be able to wear a mask.

What, to you, would constitute "trying that hard"?

Try wearing one at home, shorter stints, leave the shop quickly and take mask off at home. If needed, seek help for anxiety that may be contributing to the panic attacks.... Any or all of these, something else. Anything. Just TRY

@ChristmasinJune that's what I've ordered. I hate not wearing a mask, mainly because I'm putting myself at risk, hopefully the rigidity of it will stop the panic. Although I will still have my lanyard.

Try wearing one at home, shorter stints, leave the shop quickly and take mask off at home. If needed, seek help for anxiety that may be contributing to the panic attacks.... Any or all of these, something else. Anything. Just TRY

And you don't think the OP has attempted a single one of these? I am baffled. What do you think people with anxiety / panic attacks do, do you think they sit around and wait for a panic attack? I imagine she did leave the shop when a panic attack was about to occur, as the vast majority of people would.

RE seeking help for anxiety - I was told two months ago that the wait time is now about 2 years for an assessment alone . I attempted suicide twice in 2018, got my first phone call from a mental health team in October .

Possibly another 2-3 years for treatment on the NHS .

There isn’t the help there anymore sadly, unless you go private !

I've suffered from panic attacks on and off for more than 30 years. When the requirement first came out to wear masks I was very anxious so practised wearing them at home and in the garden. I'm now ok with them, but if I was to feel panicked I would leave the shop and remove the mask until I felt better. I don't know if this might help OP?

I do question the use of the term 'mild' panic attack though. I would never describe any panic attack as mild, and I've never heard any fellow sufferers do so. Feeling a bit panicky is not a panic attack.

@diamondsr4u your comment is discriminatory and horrid.

OP, please refer yourself to your local mental health service. IAPT in England www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-psychological-therapies-service/ or look for the equivalent in other UK countries. Phobias and panic attacks are very treatable with CBT therapy, there's decades of evidence and good outcomes for them. You don't need to go through this struggle alone, there is help for you and you'd be surprised how few sessions are needed. Even in the event that your difficulty is due to flashbacks from a trauma, this can be overcome, although probably with more sessions than the number needed for phobia and panic attacks.

@TooManyDinosaurs1 now I understand why your other comment was removed. Horrible.

Honestly I think you were bu. You said yourself it was a mild anxiety attack, you were fine to keep going around doing your shopping for long enough to be asked multiple times why you weren't wearing one. If you had a severe panic attack you wouldn't be carrying on wandering around doing your shopping. You have had many months now to get used to wearing a mask for long enough to do a quick shop. If you need a breather go outside, compose yourself then put your mask back on and head in again. I had to do thay a few times at the beginning. My view may be influenced by the fact that mask aren't seen as optional here. Every single person in shops etc wears one.

Someone asked about kids and all the responsible parents I know have their kids wear masks once they are old enough to understand and wear one properly. It's the right thing to do and should be strongly encouraged.

@covidaintacrime

I quite clearly said from what the OP wrote. She didn't say she has tried anything to help.

She says she took mask off and had to explain to 3 ppl why she wasn't wearing it. That suggests to me she took it off in shop and stayed in shop or she went back in without it.

My inference from that is imagine she did NOT leave the shop when a panic attack was about to occur.

Happily corrected though

I feel for you OP. I suffer from anxiety and whilst I can cope with masks, I do have panicked episodes when wearing them sometimes. Have you tried different sorts of masks? Would shopping in smaller shops help?

It depends whose anxiety you deem greater, yours or all the people around you and serving you?

@time4anothername CBT isn't always effective. I had CBT for arachnophobia, I'm am no less petrified.

Yabu there are other options you could try like a face shield.

She says she took mask off and had to explain to 3 ppl why she wasn't wearing it. That suggests to me she took it off in shop and stayed in shop or she went back in without it.

If she felt unable to cope, she was within her rights to take her mask off. I heartily agree with the suggestions from some PPs about other things she could try before not wearing a mask, but if she chose not to wear a mask it would absolutely be her right. I don't think it's fair to make presumptions on what she has or hasn't tried.

@beatingthefirstdaybacknerves

RE seeking help for anxiety - I was told two months ago that the wait time is now about 2 years for an assessment alone . I attempted suicide twice in 2018, got my first phone call from a mental health team in October .

Possibly another 2-3 years for treatment on the NHS .

There isn’t the help there anymore sadly, unless you go private !

sadly this can be the case but there is much less wait for non-complex panic attacks and phobias. In England the IAPT service is divided into different "steps". Accessing step 2 where PWPs are trained to support people with non-complex phobias and panic attacks is not such a long wait. They would support people through self help materials such as this one www.cpft.nhs.uk/Documents/Miscellaneous/Coping%20with%20panic.pdf

@Macncheeseballs another one trying to guilt trip and make the op feel like shit.

The law states that "severe distress" is a reasonable reason to not wear a face covering in mandated spaces. Panic attacks are severe distress and it is therefore within the law and reasonable not to wear one in that circumstance.

I'm sorry OP. I hope you're ok. I have a family member in the same position and it's really hard.

Have you tried grounding whilst wearing the mask? Put mask on and then find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear 2 things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

It helped me but it took a few days to get used to the masks.

@Macncheeseballs

It depends whose anxiety you deem greater, yours or all the people around you and serving you?

What kind of a stupid question is that Everyone cares more about their own health than a strangers.

[quote Wontbemadetofeelrubbish]@time4anothername CBT isn't always effective. I had CBT for arachnophobia, I'm am no less petrified.[/quote]
sorry it did not work out for you, however, the recovery rates for phobias and panic attacks from CBT is very high. Nothing will help everyone of course, just like some people will not survive Covid while most will.

[quote TooManyDinosaurs1]@covidaintacrime claiming to have anxiety from wearing a mask is not the same as a serious mental illness or disability. Let’s not confuse people with real conditions with people who don’t fancy wearing a face covering.[/quote]
Wow. You have no idea do you. Do you not believe in anxiety?