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Coping with Anxiety While Wearing a Face Mask

We’ve all heard that wearing a face mask is important in helping to reduce the spread of
the Covid-19 virus. For some wearing a face mask can be anxiety provoking. Here are
some ways that can help you cope when wearing a mask makes you feel anxious.

1. Exposure
Anxiety is not uncommon for those wearing a mask for the first time. Just like when you are
doing anything else that is new to you- practice makes progress.

Start with trying to wear your mask at home for short periods of time. Gradually, you will find
longer periods of time wearing a mask to be more tolerable. When you start to feel more
comfortable- you can try wearing a mask while out on a short errand. Time your trips with
when places are less likely to be busy, and make a list of what you need before you go- so
you have a better chance of a quick in and out.

Keep slowly building your exposure over time and you will see that wearing a face mask will
get more manageable.

2. Breathing from your nose

Focus on your breathing when you wear a mask. Breathe deeply and slowly in and out
through your nose and not your mouth. Mouth breathing can mimic an anxiety response in
your body- making your body and brain think you’re anxious when you might not have been.
Breathing slowly through your nose is more calming and can promote a state of relaxation in
your body. To help remind yourself to breathe more slowly, it can help to count your
breaths. Breathing in your nose for 4 seconds, and out your nose for a little longer- 6 seconds. The slow, rhythmic breathing can be very helpful to calm our bodies when we are feeling anxious.


3. Mindfulness

Often when we are anxious it is because our thoughts have drifted to the future and we may
be thinking about scary possibilities. Pay attention to when this happens and bring yourself
back to the present. Mindfulness or grounding can be helpful in doing this. For example,
when you’re out and starting to feel anxious and worried about what could happen- focus
mindfully on the task at hand. Pay attention with your 5 senses in the present moment.
What do you see, hear, taste, smell, feel around you. This can help distract you from the
unhelpful or anxious worries and allow you to cope with being out while wearing a mask.

4. Be kind with yourself.

Be kind and patient with yourself. These are different times for all of us. Remind yourself that it
is normal to feel some anxiety when doing something new- like wearing a face mask.
Tell yourself that the anxiety will pass. Go into settings with your mantra ready, like “I can do this” or “I have done harder things”. If at any point you are still feeling anxious- keep going back to the slow, deep, nose breathing.