Does anyone feel really uncomfortable seeing people in masks?

[Lissy23]

I do.
It feels to be like their ‘faceless’ beings.
I know this sounds really far fetched, but it’s how I feel.

I also find it very unpleasant being unable to see somebody’s facial expression and to know whether they are smiling at me.
I think I’m on the spectrum, possibly aspergers, I’ve been told by various therapists that it’s a possibility.

How will anyone meet a romantic partner if they can’t see their face? Only their eyes? I know eyes are supposed to be the ‘window the soul’ but I can’t bear not seeing somebody’s entire face.

I went to the pharmacy the other day and the pharmacist was wearing a mask, he was talking to me and I didn’t understand him at all. I didn’t think I relied on lip reading, but I obviously do. He said it twice and I didn’t get it, so I just pretended I had

I know this is all for the greater good. But I feel so depressed and anxious by it all, I already suffer with mental health issues.

I am finding it difficult reading books and watching tv programme or films because they make me tearful and remind me of life before all of this ‘new normal’. I’m wondering if I should speak to a doctor. But I have no idea how to word it.
I’ve already had people calling me selfish and childish (friends and family) for being anxious about wearing a face covering.
It isn’t just other people wearing them, I can’t breathe when I have anything covering my nose and mouth and it often induces a panic attack.

I actually take issue with the people who are saying "it's only temporary".

It shouldn't be a temporary measure. People in Asian countries didn't just start wearing masks because of Covid 19. They already knew that it's responsible to take precautions when they develop symptoms of any infection. And since this virus can have no symptoms, they just wear them more.

The way people in this country "soldier on" whenever they get a virus, and go around coughing and spluttering on everyone else is actually disgusting and unnecessary.

If we can get people in the habit of seeing and wearing masks now, they're more likely to be used regularly in the future to slow the spread of colds and flu. Everyone benefits.

Honestly OP recently my mind has somewhat reframed the mask thing. Initially I found it off putting. I remember having to get food for the family during lockdown and went on our once a week supermarket run. As I walked through the town the signs on the shops saying covid shut and the masks really did make me feel like I was in an apocalypse film. It unsettled me and I'm genuinely pretty robust about most things.

Last week though I had to smile. Not at the reason we need masks of course but walking on the same walk to the same place. I saw several floral masks , one sort of industrial punk mask, ones that people had matched to their outfit and of course loads of surgical ones as well. But honestly? I actually thought there was something oddly reassuring that we found a way to personalise and become very human about something that could be so terrifying.

I'm not belittling the reason for the masks at all, my ds1 struggles with them as he is asd and reading people is a challenge at best without masks. However in the moment I had to smile , we found a way to make things human (before any of the pearl clutches trot along there was no indication of impact on the efficacy of the mask from the ones I saw and yes I am professionally knowledgeable in infection control)

I am not suggesting it is easy to reframe it in your head ,I can't claim I did it deliberately but it reminded me of the robustness of the human spirit , if we can find a way to humanize something as mundane as a mask it became a positive sign in my head in a sea of unknown and fear.

Yes. Being made to cover your face by the state without VERY strong evidence, is super, super creepy. I even got the heebie-jeebies seeing Donald Trump in a mask, and I hate his face.

It seems to be an odd emotional thing - some people have a visceral reaction they can't shake. Other people don't seem to get why it could be a problem, and get quite cross with you for feeling like this.

I find it pretty intimidating. I walked to the shop a couple of nights ago and people were wearing them in the dark, on the streets.

I won't wear a mask, ever.

FFS. It’s a bit of material in front of your face. It’s fine. It might stop someone getting this bloody virus. Even if it doesn’t, it’s just a bit of material it’s not a frigging political statement.

@MarcelineMissouri

Yes I hate it. I mean, I understand it’s a good thing obviously, but it’s just an in your face reminder of how completely buggered everything is right now.

This in a nutshell is why so many are resistant IMO.

It’s denial. The same denial that in March got us into a deep mess.

The virus hasn’t gone away. Only 6-7% of us have had it. It’s spiking in places that have dropped their guard fast after lockdown (Israel for example).

I want to go back to normal too. But until we have a vaccine we can’t, and we have to look out for each other — that means wearing a mask in public indoor spaces.

it’s not a frigging political statement unfortunately to some people, it is.
Loads of people here saying "I hate wearing a mask",... Do you think the considerate mask-wearers go Yippee as they put theirs on for the good of society?
No, we don't particularly like wearing them either. But we do it anyway.
And its not bloody virtue signaling either.

Meh. You’ll get used to it. So used to it you’ll barely notice it.

I wear mine to protect other people so don't feel sorry for me

Lots of nasty sneering on here

I wear a mask, I hate it, absolutely hate it. But it’s the right thing to do

To be honest when you see people doing the shopping and what not with their masks and visors on I feel sorry for them. Must be awful to be so terrified.

Issues aside where you cannot safely wear one, as the mask protects others what you mean is when you see someone without one that could wear one you feel sorry for them that they're selfish.

Every other country manages, but we obviously know better (let's just ignore our death rate).

@MzHz

The people who wore mask round here from the outset were 100% wearing them for themselves, hurling themselves into the supermarket shelves if anyone even looked at them - far too much of it was look at me, LOOK AT ME, virtue signalling for the uk. I don’t do drama. I just stay away from others.

I couldn’t understand the dentist fully when he saw us in his “full riot gear” as he called it.

I find people who wear masks tend NOT to observe SD as much as those who don’t.

I agree

They don’t bother me but then I’ve travelled around many countries where they’re more prevalent- I.e. Japan, China.

I don’t wear one yet and wouldn’t if it was only for my own protection. I would definitely wear one to stop others being ill though.

I have to admit though, I do find it a bit silly when you see someone driving on their own wearing one or walking the dog with nobody around!

Yes I do. I like seeing people’s faces. I smile at people generally - shop workers - I interact and take pleasure from that. I live in a small town. The pleasure of these little interactions to my life have gone and so has the pleasure of visiting little shops. Which I am doing less as a result. (I’m in Scotland where it’s mandatory).

I am trying to be optimistic and seeing it as as a temporary thing for the greater good. Plus they hide my wrinkles. I have bought a brightly coloured one.

But I completely agree. Horrible things that segregate society and reduce joy, like everything else about this damn virus.

@Ethelfleda

They don’t bother me but then I’ve travelled around many countries where they’re more prevalent- I.e. Japan, China.

I don’t wear one yet and wouldn’t if it was only for my own protection. I would definitely wear one to stop others being ill though.

I have to admit though, I do find it a bit silly when you see someone driving on their own wearing one or walking the dog with nobody around!

I think people wear one when driving because it’s easier then removing it safely and changing for a new one every time you get in or out of somewhere. My DP has to wear one all day for work so just keeps it on when driving somewhere during the day.

No I don't feel uncomfortable at all..

Our subconscious will have ideas about faces with masks which we don’t realise. Eg drip fed from films and tv shows etc.

There’s a reason that criminals cover their faces - harder to recognise.

But that’s not a reason to not wear a mask.

I suspect the reason that our government is not been definitive on masks is that they don’t like them themselves. Bunch of macho idiots.

At the end of the day, masks will have some benefit, so why not encourage them? They have on public transport so makes no sense why not in shops.

I'm starting to see them misused as a deliberate way to hide identity and that does worry me. Youths wearing them while out in groups and generally up to no good. That does worry me. Unless the young people here are particularly nervous or considerate of others, I suppose.

I just think of the lonely people who rely on a smile or a few words from an acquaintance or stranger as they go about their day to make them feel recognised as a fellow human being.

I'm all for masks for the obvious reasons but I can see that it will inhibit such small acts of friendliness and make isolated people feel more isolated.

@kitkat

But there's been something a bit 'The Handmaids Tale' about the past few months as well that makes me a bit uncomfortable, and the masks just add to that feeling.

That's how I feel too!

@UltimateWednesday

I'm starting to see them misused as a deliberate way to hide identity and that does worry me. Youths wearing them while out in groups and generally up to no good. That does worry me. Unless the young people here are particularly nervous or considerate of others, I suppose.

I consider this worry to be a sad reflection of both the situation in our country and the gross underfunding of our police.

In countries where masks are routinely worn, there is little evidence they have more crime as a result.

We shouldn't be left in a situation where there are no beat officers and crime is solved by someone happening to get caught on CCTV anyway.

Every aspect of the pandemic and the response is highlighting, for me, another gap in our society that has been created deliberately by underfunding and dismantling institutions.

Undoubtedly some will hide their faces to get away with wrongdoing. But we should be able to deal with that.

@openplankitchen

At no other time can I imagine strangers trying to stop me from catching something from them!!

But that is exactly why we are being asked to wear them.

It makes me think if the scene in The Big Short where Brad Pitt waves to a Japanese person who is wearing a mask. Shows how unused we were in the West as he was seen as an outlier, but in SE Asia not.

I don’t mind them on people but I find the sight of the blue ones littered on the ground very depressing. Not many but I cannot wait to not see that again.

And I’ll be happy to see them off SM pics and out of art (just had a look at IG)