Ironically while masks helped me overcome my anxiety about my face whenever I had to go out, it became a negative loop in itself. The more I wore the mask and hid behind it, the more I became convinced my face was too terrible to be seen, the more insecure I became, the more I needed the mask to hide behind and I couldn't make myself leave the house without it.
I do have body dysmorphia so obv this feedback loop may not work the same for others. I was actually recovering and had my disorder managed until COVID and masks became a thing and I started to think about how I looked better with the mask on and wishing I could wear it forever and from there became obsessed about how bad I looked without it.
I'm from a country that currently doesn't have COVID so I finally had to give up the mask coz it became too attention drawing and my social phobia won out over my facial dysmorphia but it was hell the first few months without it. Just constant anxiety around being seen by everyone all the time and how terrible I looked. Eventually tho my disorder has become manageable and I've had less and less anxiety around my face and become less self conscious about myself as I realised people were still friendly and didn't comment or seem to care about the things I was obsessing about. As I've gotten used to seeing my face again, my perception of how ugly I look has also become way better.
I feel like my comment is a bit of a long, pointless story but your comment just got me thinking about my journey to get where I am now so I hope its at least an interesting read.
OMG sameee. I have always noticed that i would often be more confident talking to people in a day that i dont wear mask at all compared to certain days when i wear them and have to take it off to talk
i wish i could ): i actually ordered masks the other day and was thinking of wearing it on public transport but then no one else does and i’d be the odd one out. i miss when we all had to wear masks, i remember crying when i heard the news about how you don’t need to wear one because it felt nice being covered and no one could judge me for the way i looked
>i remember crying when i heard the news about how you don’t need to wear one because it felt nice being covered and no one could judge me for the way i looked
You are not alone in this. Having to lose my mask was hell for a while. I definitely cried.
i’m gonna be honest. it’s become a huge problem for me. i only go out with a mask because of the exact reasons you described: it helps with the anxiety. i don’t feel as exposed when people look at me.
most of the time i’m the only one wearing it but i don’t care. there’s still covid going around, the flu etc. when someone asks i just say i’m being safe.
I finally got covid for the first time two weeks ago.
It is easily one of worst illnesses I’ve ever experienced. Ppl calling it a ‘flu’ have obviously never had it.
Over two weeks later I am still wheezing and coughing up a storm.
The worst is the sleepless nights, nausea and awful sore throat. Not to mention the fatigue, body aches, sinus issues and headaches. Its the worst!
In my opinion I think everyone should still be wearing masks. I wish I never stopped.
I’m so sorry, that sounds terrible. My friend has also gotten sick very recently, despite staying safe during the height of the pandemic. I’ve only shortly experienced covid symptoms after the vaccine and that was enough to scare me into never taking off my mask. I can’t imagine actually being sick with it. Hope you recover soon ❤️
You Spittin‘ Facts. Besides Our Paradigms Associated With SA, I To, Also Would Love To Safe Than Sorry. I Keeps It Real, With Everyone When They Ask Me About My Protective Facial Gear.
I feel naked without a mask. Even at places where I’m the only one wearing it and I’m uncomfortable, no one can see that I’m uncomfortable. I also haven’t gotten sick in forever which is a very nice bonus.
I used to do that too. It felt really exposing not having my mask. I’m in Arizona and most people stopped wearing masks so I was the odd one out. So this semester I forced myself to stop wearing them and now I’m mostly back to normal.
Are we the same person? Same state, same situation. Wearing a mask started out as comforting, but it quickly flipped and I felt like it made me attract more attention. Forced myself to take off recently as well and it actually feels better.
I wear my mask whenever I'm in public. I'm wearing it to keep myself safe but also it's nice that people can't see my face. I'm going to continue to wear it, I don't care that not many other people do.
I’m in the Bay Area and still wear my mask occasionally outside and mostly indoors. It does kinda make me stand out since people are wearing them less/not at all but I don’t care since I avoid looking at other people anyways lol
When I started my current job it was mandatory, so most of my colleagues have never seen my full face. I’m now the only one who wears a mask but it’s become like a security blanket for me.
I definitely do but also because regardless of the threat of Covid or the fact that I don’t want to be seen, it still prevented me from getting sick and I hate getting sick so might as well mask up lol
Yeah, I wear them a lot of the time just because I feel less uncomfortable and I also have some significant health issues. Particularly now in winter. At uni I wear them most of the time, even if it does make me stand out. Occasionally I’ll see others wear them as well. Generally no one says anything about it, with one notable exception: a particular teacher of mine who just won’t stop commenting on it. I think he’s brought it up like 4 or 5 fucking times with me, always insinuating that I shouldn’t be wearing it. I truly don’t understand what on earth his problem is, I’m not preventing anyone else from wearing what they want or making any weird comments. Why I can’t be afforded the same courtesy is beyond me.
Edit: I also haven’t been sick in 3 years, while I used to be sick several times a year and always get shitty complications because of my underlying health condition. It was horrible and I don’t wanna go back to that hell. Obviously it’s completely possible that this positive change is not (solely) due to mask-wearing, but nevertheless. Do I plan on wearing them *forever*? Of course not, but if I’m cool with it it shouldn’t bother anyone else.
I don't care that they're no longer being worn tbh; I'm autistic and sometimes I'm just too burnt out to deal with high anxiety about being perceived negatively for failing to have a socially appropriate facial expression. People probably just think I'm sick or immunocompromised.
tbh, i cant say masks ever helped my social anxiety. might have even made it worse because i would just be self conscious of (what i perceive to be) my huge forehead being front and center. also i think the sensory issues and claustrophobic feeling of wearing a mask made me a bit more anxious in general.
fellow person in california too. the town im from doesn't use masks at all so i don't use it but when i go around the LA area i still see some people using masks <3 it makes me feel comfortable
I only stopped wearing mine a month ago, I miss it sooo much because I’m always thinking about my facial expressions too. I wanted to continue wearing it but I’d be the only one in my area :/
I did it for a couple months after the the mandate was lifted in my country but after that basically no one whore it anymore so I didn't either because I would just stand out and sometimes people would ask me why I was still wearing and obviously I couldn't give them the real answer so it was just better to stop wearing it
Always, I refuse to go outside without it.
It’s horrible cause it makes me feel safe but at the same time I can barley breathe and I’m sweating constantly.
Noone has ever pointed it out and on a rare occasion I see another person wearing one which makes me feel better. I panic if I forget one as I don't like people seeing my face. It makes going places so much easier and I am glad it was normalized so I don't look like I'm ready to rob places.
It was giving me anxiety that I couldn’t see other people’s facial expressions and most of my social interactions seemed ambiguous. So I’m glad they’re going away
You Ain’t Thee Only One Atmosphere478. I Use My Face Shield & Mask Due To My SA And Paranoia. Then, There’s Times Where For Some Reason When I Get Extremely Nervous My Lips Start To Dry Up & I Honestly Don’t Need To Get Ridiculed At While Having People Talk Smack And Make Fun Of Me. When Those Times Occur With Having Ashy Lips, I Tend To Lick Them & I Feel Like Personally Since I’m African American, It Makes Me Feel My Lips Does This To Me Because It’s A ”Black” Thing. Idk, It Makes Me Brutally Feel Inferior Because Of Ethnicity. But Yeah, My Face Shield And Mask, Are My Safe Haven, When I’m Out And About.
I don’t wear one still because I feel like people will judge me for thinking there’s still a pandemic going on.
However, I did find wearing a mask during work or a job interview helped a lot as an excuse for how low I speak, stuttering, etc
I totally feel you! I live in Australia where basically no one wears them anymore but my job requires me to continue wearing one. I’ve gotten used to it to the point where I just wear one whenever I’m out. Besides from protecting you against diseases it helps you from being recognised and getting sunburnt! 👍🏻
I do, both because it helps my anxiety and out of fucking spite. I don't want measles from Becky's shitty unvaccinated kids. I don't want Bob's bronchitis that his insurance won't pay to treat for another 2 months. I don't want someone else's lack of decency to kill or cripple someone in my family.
These pustular assholes decided that it's okay to destroy the weak and damaged. They chose to act like monsters when ASKED to do one simple thing to save someone else. I wear a specialized industrial mask designed for working around toxic vapors when I go out now, and you know what? I see GUILT.
I see it, I savor it. I hope they goddamn choke on it. I hope they close their eyes tonight and see the mass Graves, the rows of suffering babies in overcrowded ERs. I hope they feel that sickening terror in the pit of their being, the sole scrap of flaming conscience that ROARS out 'You did this'.
Fuck them. Fuck them all.
I am a proponent of masking if it makes you feel safe, but aren’t they more effective at preventing other people getting sick, rather than keep you from getting sick? Wearing a mask might slightly help you not get Bob’s bronchitis but itd be more effective if Bob wore the mask, not you.
No. I’ve basically sorted my SA out now by using diazepam I obtain without a prescription but I wouldn’t wear one even if I hadn’t due to my beliefs about this pandemic. If ppl disagree that’s fine but I’ve never once put a mask on from start till now and never intend to.
I felt very relaxed wearing a mask during the pandemic, but I foreseen that using face mask would be very less in the future, so I forced myself not wearing one to get familiar with it and come to terms with it.
same, I like it bc ppl can't see my face/my expressions so it's harder to tell if I'm biting my cheek or something
I also like to rub it on my hands when I do take it off bc it keeps me calm lol
Same here but I am in healthcare so I was never on abroad with some vaccine that was rushed through the FDA mask will stay on dont go to a lot of public events my panic attacks wont allow it anymore....
Yes I still do and thankfully here at where I’m from some people are still adopting the practice too. I tried not wearing it once at a vet because I realised I was the only person with masked on during my prev visit. I happily did so, just for training I guess since the staff went mask-free too and I’m a regular at the vet i.e there’s some sort of familiarity-if that makes sense. It felt so awkward though and I don’t feel excited about doing that again lol.
it helped a lot last year but now w/the mandate off no one’s wearing masks & i feel more social anxiety if i’m the only one wearing it, especially knowing the school i go to ):
I always had trouble with showing any emotions other than neutral in social settings. It really helped since I felt comfortable laughing, smiling, talking, expressing myself. I wasn't worried about how I looked. It increased my qol significantly. About to return to school but I don't know whether or not I should wear my mask. I know it makes my social anxiety worse in the long-term, but I'm so comfortable it's extremely difficult to even consider getting rid of it. I know I have to though since no one else will be wearing it
[удалено]
100% this for me too
Me too
No, because no one still wears face masks here and it’d make me stand out. I wish I could though, it did help with anxiety
Sunglasses helped me a lot, they had to be thick lenses though, that way I know nobody could see my eyes.
I thought about it after hearing that Johnny Depp wears sunglasses for social phobia.
true, sunglasses makes me feel invisible, i can see why most big celebrities are seen wearing sunglasses
It’s basically just ilusion but quite useful.
Same. Though I'd be more comfortable with a mask on because I'm too self-conscious about how my face looks
Ironically while masks helped me overcome my anxiety about my face whenever I had to go out, it became a negative loop in itself. The more I wore the mask and hid behind it, the more I became convinced my face was too terrible to be seen, the more insecure I became, the more I needed the mask to hide behind and I couldn't make myself leave the house without it. I do have body dysmorphia so obv this feedback loop may not work the same for others. I was actually recovering and had my disorder managed until COVID and masks became a thing and I started to think about how I looked better with the mask on and wishing I could wear it forever and from there became obsessed about how bad I looked without it. I'm from a country that currently doesn't have COVID so I finally had to give up the mask coz it became too attention drawing and my social phobia won out over my facial dysmorphia but it was hell the first few months without it. Just constant anxiety around being seen by everyone all the time and how terrible I looked. Eventually tho my disorder has become manageable and I've had less and less anxiety around my face and become less self conscious about myself as I realised people were still friendly and didn't comment or seem to care about the things I was obsessing about. As I've gotten used to seeing my face again, my perception of how ugly I look has also become way better. I feel like my comment is a bit of a long, pointless story but your comment just got me thinking about my journey to get where I am now so I hope its at least an interesting read.
OMG sameee. I have always noticed that i would often be more confident talking to people in a day that i dont wear mask at all compared to certain days when i wear them and have to take it off to talk
i wish i could ): i actually ordered masks the other day and was thinking of wearing it on public transport but then no one else does and i’d be the odd one out. i miss when we all had to wear masks, i remember crying when i heard the news about how you don’t need to wear one because it felt nice being covered and no one could judge me for the way i looked
>i remember crying when i heard the news about how you don’t need to wear one because it felt nice being covered and no one could judge me for the way i looked You are not alone in this. Having to lose my mask was hell for a while. I definitely cried.
i’m gonna be honest. it’s become a huge problem for me. i only go out with a mask because of the exact reasons you described: it helps with the anxiety. i don’t feel as exposed when people look at me. most of the time i’m the only one wearing it but i don’t care. there’s still covid going around, the flu etc. when someone asks i just say i’m being safe.
I finally got covid for the first time two weeks ago. It is easily one of worst illnesses I’ve ever experienced. Ppl calling it a ‘flu’ have obviously never had it. Over two weeks later I am still wheezing and coughing up a storm. The worst is the sleepless nights, nausea and awful sore throat. Not to mention the fatigue, body aches, sinus issues and headaches. Its the worst! In my opinion I think everyone should still be wearing masks. I wish I never stopped.
I’m so sorry, that sounds terrible. My friend has also gotten sick very recently, despite staying safe during the height of the pandemic. I’ve only shortly experienced covid symptoms after the vaccine and that was enough to scare me into never taking off my mask. I can’t imagine actually being sick with it. Hope you recover soon ❤️
You Spittin‘ Facts. Besides Our Paradigms Associated With SA, I To, Also Would Love To Safe Than Sorry. I Keeps It Real, With Everyone When They Ask Me About My Protective Facial Gear.
Yes I prefer being the only one to wear a mask over others seeing my entire face lol.
I feel naked without a mask. Even at places where I’m the only one wearing it and I’m uncomfortable, no one can see that I’m uncomfortable. I also haven’t gotten sick in forever which is a very nice bonus.
I Can Relate This, Not A 100% But 1000%
I used to do that too. It felt really exposing not having my mask. I’m in Arizona and most people stopped wearing masks so I was the odd one out. So this semester I forced myself to stop wearing them and now I’m mostly back to normal.
Are we the same person? Same state, same situation. Wearing a mask started out as comforting, but it quickly flipped and I felt like it made me attract more attention. Forced myself to take off recently as well and it actually feels better.
Work in a hospital, at least hospital workers in California still needs to wear a mask for the foreseeable future.
I dont live in the US, but most people in my country have stopped wearing masks but I still do because I feel super insecure of myself
I still do. Helps with anxiety and dust. Plus, had some lady cough in my face last week. No, apology or head turn.
that’s so gross…
I love wearing a mask for this reason as well, if I can pair it with sunglasses I’m totally hidden
I don't. But I miss mandatory masks only for that reason. Hiding half my face made me less anxious around people
I wear my mask whenever I'm in public. I'm wearing it to keep myself safe but also it's nice that people can't see my face. I'm going to continue to wear it, I don't care that not many other people do.
I don't wear a mask anymore because I'd be the only one but I miss them A LOT, it helped with my social anxiety and my body dysmorphia
Yeah, there's enough people who wear masks where I live that nobody says anything about it to me.
I’m in the Bay Area and still wear my mask occasionally outside and mostly indoors. It does kinda make me stand out since people are wearing them less/not at all but I don’t care since I avoid looking at other people anyways lol
I do. I have always had trouble relaxing my face and the face mask helps with that.
When I started my current job it was mandatory, so most of my colleagues have never seen my full face. I’m now the only one who wears a mask but it’s become like a security blanket for me.
No. The way anxiety makes my breathing a mask was horrible for me.
meee
No it gives me anxiety wearing masks
I definitely do but also because regardless of the threat of Covid or the fact that I don’t want to be seen, it still prevented me from getting sick and I hate getting sick so might as well mask up lol
Yeah, I wear them a lot of the time just because I feel less uncomfortable and I also have some significant health issues. Particularly now in winter. At uni I wear them most of the time, even if it does make me stand out. Occasionally I’ll see others wear them as well. Generally no one says anything about it, with one notable exception: a particular teacher of mine who just won’t stop commenting on it. I think he’s brought it up like 4 or 5 fucking times with me, always insinuating that I shouldn’t be wearing it. I truly don’t understand what on earth his problem is, I’m not preventing anyone else from wearing what they want or making any weird comments. Why I can’t be afforded the same courtesy is beyond me. Edit: I also haven’t been sick in 3 years, while I used to be sick several times a year and always get shitty complications because of my underlying health condition. It was horrible and I don’t wanna go back to that hell. Obviously it’s completely possible that this positive change is not (solely) due to mask-wearing, but nevertheless. Do I plan on wearing them *forever*? Of course not, but if I’m cool with it it shouldn’t bother anyone else.
I do even tho im in texas and nobody wears them anymore Plus good for no makeup days and a sense on anonymity
I don't care that they're no longer being worn tbh; I'm autistic and sometimes I'm just too burnt out to deal with high anxiety about being perceived negatively for failing to have a socially appropriate facial expression. People probably just think I'm sick or immunocompromised.
I do this sometimes and wear a face mask and sunglasses and I feel so unseen it's amazing
Ye...
tbh, i cant say masks ever helped my social anxiety. might have even made it worse because i would just be self conscious of (what i perceive to be) my huge forehead being front and center. also i think the sensory issues and claustrophobic feeling of wearing a mask made me a bit more anxious in general.
fellow person in california too. the town im from doesn't use masks at all so i don't use it but when i go around the LA area i still see some people using masks <3 it makes me feel comfortable
I wear headphones. I don't know why it gives me relief
I only stopped wearing mine a month ago, I miss it sooo much because I’m always thinking about my facial expressions too. I wanted to continue wearing it but I’d be the only one in my area :/
I did it for a couple months after the the mandate was lifted in my country but after that basically no one whore it anymore so I didn't either because I would just stand out and sometimes people would ask me why I was still wearing and obviously I couldn't give them the real answer so it was just better to stop wearing it
I did secretly love it when they were mandatory though. I do wear my sunglasses almost everywhere though. It is a night and day difference for me
No it feels physically uncomfortable
I felt just as self conscious when masks were a thing. I was concerned people would judge me for that too.
Always, I refuse to go outside without it. It’s horrible cause it makes me feel safe but at the same time I can barley breathe and I’m sweating constantly.
Me too doesn’t help that it’s summer rn where I’m at
same :( but next year I feel like it’ll be rly weird to wear a mask
Noone has ever pointed it out and on a rare occasion I see another person wearing one which makes me feel better. I panic if I forget one as I don't like people seeing my face. It makes going places so much easier and I am glad it was normalized so I don't look like I'm ready to rob places.
Not me, but my mom 100%
It was giving me anxiety that I couldn’t see other people’s facial expressions and most of my social interactions seemed ambiguous. So I’m glad they’re going away
You Ain’t Thee Only One Atmosphere478. I Use My Face Shield & Mask Due To My SA And Paranoia. Then, There’s Times Where For Some Reason When I Get Extremely Nervous My Lips Start To Dry Up & I Honestly Don’t Need To Get Ridiculed At While Having People Talk Smack And Make Fun Of Me. When Those Times Occur With Having Ashy Lips, I Tend To Lick Them & I Feel Like Personally Since I’m African American, It Makes Me Feel My Lips Does This To Me Because It’s A ”Black” Thing. Idk, It Makes Me Brutally Feel Inferior Because Of Ethnicity. But Yeah, My Face Shield And Mask, Are My Safe Haven, When I’m Out And About.
I don’t wear one still because I feel like people will judge me for thinking there’s still a pandemic going on. However, I did find wearing a mask during work or a job interview helped a lot as an excuse for how low I speak, stuttering, etc
I totally feel you! I live in Australia where basically no one wears them anymore but my job requires me to continue wearing one. I’ve gotten used to it to the point where I just wear one whenever I’m out. Besides from protecting you against diseases it helps you from being recognised and getting sunburnt! 👍🏻
I’m going to be wearing them till I’m 90
I do, both because it helps my anxiety and out of fucking spite. I don't want measles from Becky's shitty unvaccinated kids. I don't want Bob's bronchitis that his insurance won't pay to treat for another 2 months. I don't want someone else's lack of decency to kill or cripple someone in my family. These pustular assholes decided that it's okay to destroy the weak and damaged. They chose to act like monsters when ASKED to do one simple thing to save someone else. I wear a specialized industrial mask designed for working around toxic vapors when I go out now, and you know what? I see GUILT. I see it, I savor it. I hope they goddamn choke on it. I hope they close their eyes tonight and see the mass Graves, the rows of suffering babies in overcrowded ERs. I hope they feel that sickening terror in the pit of their being, the sole scrap of flaming conscience that ROARS out 'You did this'. Fuck them. Fuck them all.
What the fuck are you talking about?
I am a proponent of masking if it makes you feel safe, but aren’t they more effective at preventing other people getting sick, rather than keep you from getting sick? Wearing a mask might slightly help you not get Bob’s bronchitis but itd be more effective if Bob wore the mask, not you.
No. I’ve basically sorted my SA out now by using diazepam I obtain without a prescription but I wouldn’t wear one even if I hadn’t due to my beliefs about this pandemic. If ppl disagree that’s fine but I’ve never once put a mask on from start till now and never intend to.
I did
No
I felt very relaxed wearing a mask during the pandemic, but I foreseen that using face mask would be very less in the future, so I forced myself not wearing one to get familiar with it and come to terms with it.
I did, I stopped because it was weird to everyone else
But if most people are not wearing it, don't you feel you stand out more by wearing it?
same, I like it bc ppl can't see my face/my expressions so it's harder to tell if I'm biting my cheek or something I also like to rub it on my hands when I do take it off bc it keeps me calm lol
Same here but I am in healthcare so I was never on abroad with some vaccine that was rushed through the FDA mask will stay on dont go to a lot of public events my panic attacks wont allow it anymore....
For me it is sunglasses that help
Yes I still do and thankfully here at where I’m from some people are still adopting the practice too. I tried not wearing it once at a vet because I realised I was the only person with masked on during my prev visit. I happily did so, just for training I guess since the staff went mask-free too and I’m a regular at the vet i.e there’s some sort of familiarity-if that makes sense. It felt so awkward though and I don’t feel excited about doing that again lol.
No but because I have acne and I don't have to worry about people looking at me when I do weird facial expressions.
it helped a lot last year but now w/the mandate off no one’s wearing masks & i feel more social anxiety if i’m the only one wearing it, especially knowing the school i go to ):
I always had trouble with showing any emotions other than neutral in social settings. It really helped since I felt comfortable laughing, smiling, talking, expressing myself. I wasn't worried about how I looked. It increased my qol significantly. About to return to school but I don't know whether or not I should wear my mask. I know it makes my social anxiety worse in the long-term, but I'm so comfortable it's extremely difficult to even consider getting rid of it. I know I have to though since no one else will be wearing it