Finally ordered a sunflower Lanyard

[Woodandsky]

Feels ridiculous doing it now when the rules are relaxing again, but I've managed my asthma all through the mask wearing by taking things easy and not going out that much. I also have anxiety issues that made the thought of having to explain why I sometimes find masks difficult really worse than risking setting off my asthma.

Anyway now that I'm getting out more I'm having to wear a mask more and more often & starting to have issues; yesterday I was on a train & had a huge asthma attack due to having to run for the train then drag my case through several carriages to find my seat. I then had a massive panic attack about being on a train & the tube without a mask (I couldn't breathe with it on), in the end I don't know where the asthma stopped and the panic attack started.

I checked my Facebook in the evening and friends are posting about how we should all carry on wearing masks after the restrictions are eased (for good reasons I know) and I thought I can't carry on any longer, so I finally ordered a lanyard & card saying I can't wear the mask due to my asthma, it has emergency instructions about the inhaler and a space for an emergency contact too, I feel like such an idiot for leaving it for so long!

I will try to wear a mask as much as I can still, but I'll always have it in my bag for when I can't.

Just wanted to share, anyone else held out & suffered for this long in order to try to do the right thing or not stand out?

Will the lanyard make you feel any better next time you go on a train or the tube without a mask? 🤨

Shmithecat2 yes it will because I was so massively anxious that someone was going to question me about it or think that I was an arsehole rather than had a genuine reason not to wear it.

These lanyards no longer mean a thing, so many have purchased them because they can’t or don’t want to wear a mask. I bought them for my DD’s before all the covid stuff, both my dc have autism, the lanyards made it easier to do things and visit places without people asking questions “why is dd holding her ears?” Or “why is dd flapping her arms?” But now they seem to be used to say “I’m not wearing a mask because I have anxiety…PTSD…breathing difficulties….etc…”. It’s made them pretty useless now for people like my DD’s.

If you don’t want to wear a mask or can’t wear one then don’t, you don’t need to justify yourself by wearing a lanyard.

Lovemusic33 yes it's a shame that there wasn't something else that specifically for mask wearing and those that used them for their original reasons couldn't keep that too.

@Lovemusic33

These lanyards no longer mean a thing, so many have purchased them because they can’t or don’t want to wear a mask. I bought them for my DD’s before all the covid stuff, both my dc have autism, the lanyards made it easier to do things and visit places without people asking questions “why is dd holding her ears?” Or “why is dd flapping her arms?” But now they seem to be used to say “I’m not wearing a mask because I have anxiety…PTSD…breathing difficulties….etc…”. It’s made them pretty useless now for people like my DD’s.

If you don’t want to wear a mask or can’t wear one then don’t, you don’t need to justify yourself by wearing a lanyard.

I feel.the same. We use ours at ghe airport. We have specific issues at the airport. Getting fast tracked through security makes a huge difference.

We are travelling for the first time since the pandemic. .. i worry he will just be seen as a none mask wearer

It actually sounds like you need to get your asthma under control rather than anything else. A ‘massive asthma attack’, which didn’t respond quickly to a reliever inhaler, after running is not good. Once your asthma is under control you should be able to wear a mask no problem. Talk to your asthma nurse, and see if you can get it sorted. If you really can’t, you probably should decide not to run, even if you are going to miss your train. Its not worth risking your life over (as you will know severe asthma attacks that don’t respond to reliever inhalers can cause death)

Thanks Holly, it was the running and dragging my case in a mask that was the problem I think, then not being able to wear it afterwards along with the scary attack set off all my anxiety issues.

Starlight I do have sympathy, I have family members in the same situation which is part of the reason I held off I think.
I have a relative with a physical disability that always books assistance in advance at the airport, not sure if this is possible for autism or other conditions but it may be worth asking.

I agree the lanyards have been hijacked for people who can’t or won’t wear masks - I guess they all have hidden disabilities (you can’t see asthma) and the worlds moved on so they need them.

I'm not sure if I'm missing the point but I'm not going to be wearing one after tomorrow anyway, when the rules change and I'm sure the vast majority of people will also stop over coming days and weeks so I wouldn't bother with the lanyard!

I could order one now from ebay and I have no reason to. Unfortunately they mean nothing any more. If it makes you feel better then go for it.

I'm in SE London and compliance is pretty low now anyway. If BJ can have a birthday party why should I wear a mask? I've been in the local tesco the last couple of days without one, not on purpose but I changed coats and forgot to have it in my pocket. I didnt go back to get one which I would have done in the beginning.

@Desmondo2021

I'm not sure if I'm missing the point but I'm not going to be wearing one after tomorrow anyway, when the rules change and I'm sure the vast majority of people will also stop over coming days and weeks so I wouldn't bother with the lanyard!

There are still places where they need to be worn by most people, such as medical areas and in airports/on planes I think too.

@ENoeuf

I agree the lanyards have been hijacked for people who can’t or won’t wear masks - I guess they all have hidden disabilities (you can’t see asthma) and the worlds moved on so they need them.

I don't think it's a matter of hijacking, the hidden disabilities website that sells them lists asthma and anxiety etc as hidden disabilities. The problem is people's understanding being only that they mean you might struggle wearing a mask rather than all the other things you may struggle with. Most people had no idea they even existed pre-pandemic.

Yeah I’m agreeing - hijacked because no one used them for masks as there was no need, and really it was mainly ND people using them. I think a lot of the ND community knew about them.

@itwasntaparty

I could order one now from ebay and I have no reason to. Unfortunately they mean nothing any more. If it makes you feel better then go for it.

I'm in SE London and compliance is pretty low now anyway. If BJ can have a birthday party why should I wear a mask? I've been in the local tesco the last couple of days without one, not on purpose but I changed coats and forgot to have it in my pocket. I didnt go back to get one which I would have done in the beginning.

Not sure if they will still be needed on the tube and it will be good to have it if there's another incidence of compulsory mask wearing in future.

It's a shame they were abused by non mask wearers because they were so useful for those with hidden disabilities pre covid, my dd had one (asd, gad, seizures) she wears a mask

@gogohm

It's a shame they were abused by non mask wearers because they were so useful for those with hidden disabilities pre covid, my dd had one (asd, gad, seizures) she wears a mask

Do you think I'm abusing it if I wear one then?

OMG the attitudes on here . Most people I've seen not wearing masks now are not bothering to wear sunflower lanyards. Let's face it the sort of people who can't be arsed to contribute to the national effort are probably not the sort of people who'd want to be identified as being neurodiverse so I think soon enough it will be back to ND people wearing them. My dc have them (both have ASD) and I know they feel reassured wearing them that they are unlikely to be challenged if not wearing a mask (they try to wear masks all the time but sometimes sensory stuff is too much ).

I wish there was a recognisable lanyard colour/pattern for “I am clinically vulnerable please keep socially distant from me”

Yes I agree hijacked by anti mask wearers so mean much less but if it makes you feel better then go ahead! I still have one and I have a little card in the lanyard holder with the name of my condition and a brief description. It makes me feel a little less anxious though because a lot of the anti maskers I see wearing them loud and proud (on Facebook show casing them) seem to just have the sunflower thing alone and no condition clipped to it.

@Yesyesyesno

Yes I agree hijacked by anti mask wearers so mean much less but if it makes you feel better then go ahead! I still have one and I have a little card in the lanyard holder with the name of my condition and a brief description. It makes me feel a little less anxious though because a lot of the anti maskers I see wearing them loud and proud (on Facebook show casing them) seem to just have the sunflower thing alone and no condition clipped to it.

Not that it's anyone else's business what your condition is I was glad I could get one that said asthma on it for the same reason. The emergency information is good too (although I do already have that on my phone).

@ENoeuf

I agree the lanyards have been hijacked for people who can’t or won’t wear masks - I guess they all have hidden disabilities (you can’t see asthma) and the worlds moved on so they need them.

I don’t think it’s particularly a matter of high jacking

My daughter has a hidden disability which means she is unable to wear a mask. She wears a sunflower lanyard (from the Hidden Disabilities website) and the card attached to it at the moment, is a mask exemption card (also bought from Hidden Disabilities) as masks are causing her the most issues at the moment. She has worn it in the past for other reasons.

Given the amount of abuse she has received for not wearing a mask over the last 18 months, she didn’t feel able to leave the house without some sort of visual cue for other people in the hope she would be left alone.

Tbh op I wouldn't tell people u can't wear a mask for asthma as even asthma uk have said that masks don't effect asthma sufferers

www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/what-should-people-with-asthma-do-now/should-i-wear-a-face-mask-or-face-covering/

What prob is your exemption is your anxiety that you can't breathe, so you should wear a lanyard for that reason. But if u tell people it's because of asthma if they are aware of the official medical guidance they may argue the point with you which won't be helpful

Ok well they’ve developed into it to meet a need that didn’t exist. As in - the use of sunflower lanyard was for hidden disabilities. Then masks became a thing, people could self id and although the government produced phone cards and printable cards people used the sunflowers who then developed cards in response.

All fine, it’s evolved. Means I don’t think much beyond ‘person not wearing a mask’ Whereas before I thought ‘person who may be ND’

We still use them but I don’t think they hold the same significance.

@Lovemusic33

These lanyards no longer mean a thing, so many have purchased them because they can’t or don’t want to wear a mask. I bought them for my DD’s before all the covid stuff, both my dc have autism, the lanyards made it easier to do things and visit places without people asking questions “why is dd holding her ears?” Or “why is dd flapping her arms?” But now they seem to be used to say “I’m not wearing a mask because I have anxiety…PTSD…breathing difficulties….etc…”. It’s made them pretty useless now for people like my DD’s.

If you don’t want to wear a mask or can’t wear one then don’t, you don’t need to justify yourself by wearing a lanyard.

I also had a lanyard way before covid was a thing. I wore it in situations where I was likely to get stressed and start stimming or have a meltdown. So busy, crowded, noisy environments or situations where my stupid need for things to be on time would be affected. (Train stations are the worst, all of those triggers and then the train might be 1minute late).

I wore the lanyard when masks were mandatory last year (after unsuccessfully trying to wear a mask), but this time round I've refused unless I need to for the original purpose. It's going to be so hard for us to claim the original purpose back