I had some anxiety attacks when we first were required to wear masks at work. I'm somewhat claustrophobic and it felt like I was suffocating, even though I really wasn't. It's just REALLY uncomfortable to wear them for hours on end, often in a supermarket vestibule with no air-conditioning.
I had to take half a low dose of Xanax at first (it's prescribed, I only take a half dose once in awhile, a month's worth lasts me around half a year) before work, so I was relaxed enough to "ease into" wearing the mask for the whole shift.
Now I've become accustomed to wearing it and know that I'm in control of it. If I need to breathe fresh air, I can pull the mask away from my nose and take a few deep breaths, before letting it fall back to my nose again. I also learned that physical work that makes you breathe heavier than when you're relaxed really does make a HUGE difference. It actually helps. A LOT.
That seems to be the biggest "trick" to wearing a mask for several hours in a row: inhale more deeply than usual.
|