No, you are not. Those that acquiesce to the mask make me nervous and anxious. I try to avoid all mask'ers as much as possible. I hope this is just a fashion fad and that it goes away soon. But right now my panic level rises whenever I see one coming towards me.

arfie, Thor2008 - I am the opposite. I feel nervous when I stay close to people with no masks (in public). Where I am, more people wear masks so it seems natural. I feel uncomfortable seeing people not wearing masks . I, however, understand how people with masks can be a scary and uncomfortable sight to some. The masks are supposed to protect others from getting virus from us.

Good to know I'm not alone, Thor. Thank you.

Doing my best to keep our social distance at least triple your marshal law madates, Lavender and I have a child prostitute's social distancing skills. I promise you won't get your mask within 20 feet of me for longer than it takes to scurry past you with my head down and heart racing. Sorry to offend you. Sorry you offend me. My preferred social distance is the 1/4 mile to the end of my driveway. Thank you for keeping your propers on the proper side of my property line. I remain far more afraid of you and your marshal law than any flu bug. Please don't make us do this EVERY flu season.

Arfie - makes a good point, inevitably. This bug is going to join the pantheon of other bugs that we live with. We can not shut down the country each time someone gets the covid. We as a country can not wear masks to the end of time or social distance (BTW where is the science that says six feet is somehow the max distance that covid can travel) forever. Who is talking about the plan to live with covid? How are we going to protect the aged?

I wear a mask when required by the places I must go.

When I am round people who wear or do not wear masks, I am polite, and move quickly past.

There are many views on masks, and what works for one person may be the opposite for another person. Neither person is wrong.

Feelings are strong. Doing what works for you to keep your well-being healthy and in a better balance is the best anyone can do.

Thanks for letting me vent guys. Phobia means, "Irrational Fears." This particular phobia wasn't much of a problem until my civil liberties and mental health tools were ripped away and replaced by masses of surgeon imitators and marshal law militia.

Then we get to being forcibly isolated with personal grief of myself, my 3 heavily traumatized foster charges and selfie-stick social workers/court workers/educators attached. Add in the meaner maskies who further traumatized those young, not-at-risk children with endearments like, "Filthy Little Germ Bags." I think losing their world might have traumatized these children even more than becoming orphans.

Whatever your place in the Great Isolation of Coronaville, healing hopes for all. No exceptions. Whatever your strictly personal phobia, are any of us safe yet? May the great social experiment end before the next round of riots.

I may be more fearful of future rounds in future flu seasons than all the psychotic aberrations of surviving child sex trafficking put together. I am near hysteria for the current day victims who have been callously isolated with their abusers while the maskers forced their safety guidelines on the world. Even filthy little germ bags deserve compassion. Is there an app for that?

Mid - I, too, don't get rude to people who don't wear masks when I see them in public. When I didn't wear mask, nobody got rude to me. arfie - Didn't expect my reply would upset you (if it upsets you). It meant to be a "friendly" chat. Too often I speak before I think. I like Mid's comment - "What works for one person may be the opposite for another person," Apology (to arfie) for my insensitivity. Thor - Always a fan of you. I have different views on the virus and shut down but they are not important. I am new here and saw a lot of arfie's posts, and they are great.

I mean .. a fan of yours.

I have an immune system that attacks my muscles.... so as much as I HATE wearing the masks, it is critical for a number of us silent sufferers. Muscles to breath, take food from plate to mouth, to talk, etc make me mask-up.

I have taken a no judgment attitude... we are all on different journeys and we need to just accept there are those who are needing to be more protective and cautious.

When out, I look at the eyes.... avoiding the masks. It reminds me to see the person and remember we are all in this together.

You are fine, Lavender. Repeat, phobias are irrational fears and this one has been shoved down my throat for over 3 months now by a world league propaganda machine. I am so deeply repressed that I am ready to join the looter squads in the urban centers, just for the venting value. I am in serious need of improper social distancing. How ironic is it that marshal law has turned live school, church and psychotherapy into Improper Social Distancing?

It doesn't help that my life was in turmoil from an unrelated series of unfortunate events before The New Normal of Coronaville arrived. The collateral damage of keeping the maskers safe has been horrific. We will be a long time assessing that damage and even longer in healing ^it^.

The good news is that we live on a farm. The 1/4 mile to the end of my driveway is social distance enough most days. Sure wish I had paid more attention to making my farm self-sustaining rather than wasting time on trying to fit in with the community. The days I have to go into town for supplies are horrific days for me.

Please don't ask us to do this every flu season. Have we broken the world's record for the longest flu season in history yet? Did anybody win the war?

Pre-Corona, I made it a point to make eye contact and attempt empathy with the folks who had to wear masks because of compromised immune systems. That is a rough row to hoe.

Alas, I can no longer tell you from the marshal law enforcers, fashion maskers and surgical team imitators, Bluejay. Seems at least as unfair as further traumatizing hurt children.

That’s an interesting phobia. What is it about the masks that bother you?
Unfortunately that is the reality today that masks are strongly encouraged.

Severe medical trauma. The flashbacks are horrendous and all my coping mechanisms are CFC (Closed For Corona). Glad you find my pain interesting, Kisses. Typical masker sadism, I imagine. I can only imagine because I can find neither my voice nor the trust to ask maskers anything, whatsoever. Not to worry. I am keeping my social distance far beyond the marshal law mandates.

Yes, that is today's reality, marshal law enforced. That reality will be a long, slow heal.

Are you safe yet? I'm certainly not.