Empty face syndrome

After almost a year of unavoidable use of due to the pandemic, the obligation in open spaces is lifted (as long as the interpersonal safety distance is respected), generating a great variety of emotional reactions in people: which for many was a moment expected, for others it is the opposite. And it is that, to a greater or lesser extent, we have become accustomed to wearing it. With many people that we see regularly (coworkers, classmates or teachers, new neighbors, etc.) during the last few months we have interacted by seeing the upper half of the face.

According to a recent study, one in five respondents thinks to continue using a mask in open spaces, and 23% admit that they do not feel comfortable or safe without it. What is happening?

Causes

Empty face syndrome is formed by a factor set that indicate psychological discomfort when going without a mask when other people are present. It is not considered a disorder or a mental illness that appears in the manuals, but it is a problem that is in the street and that has to do with our current social reality.

The main indicators are:

• Feeling of vulnerability and helplessness when going without a mask.
• Anxiety, fears, feeling exposed, etc. for exposing your face.
• Rejection of social contact or avoidance of certain situations.

Two different origins

There are basically two underlying fears of going without a mask:

• Obsessive fear of contagion.
• Fear of showing up personally to others.

Depending on the source, treatment will require a different approach.

Why happens?

Human beings associate concepts in order to understand our reality. With the beginning of the, immersed as we were in circumstances of uncertainty and instability, we assimilated that “mask = protection”. In the same way, "No mask = lack of protection". The problem begins when this meaning is maintained despite the fact that circumstances change and the threat or danger that led us to make the association has disappeared or is much less. If there is no danger or the risk is minimal, the mask is no longer a protection.

Also by association, protection not only applies to the virus, but we extend its meaning to an emotional realm. The mask then becomes a also psychological protection, a barrier that prevents us from showing ourselves, our expressions, defects, etc. The mask as concealment.

Who does it affect the most?

Some people are more likely to develop empty face syndrome.

• Base anxiety profiles or people who have previously had a previous episode related to anxiety.
• Panic attacks or generalized anxiety.
• People with extreme,, or physical complexes (especially the) may be more prone to develop this syndrome since they tend to live social relationships with great anxiety.

These types of profiles tend to maintain avoidance behaviors, that is, they protect themselves by stopping doing things. This way of working does nothing but increase fear. E.g. they stop showing up physically, meeting friends, and in more extreme cases they may even stop leaving the house.

Finally, some people also continue to wear a mask for fear of reprimand from the wearer or for not giving a certain social image (for example, disrespectful, denial, etc.).

How to deal with it?

The key to the solution is adaptation. Human beings are not machines, we need time to reposition ourselves psychologically. Just as it took us a while to adapt to wearing the mask, it can also take time to get rid of it, and it is normal for negative emotions to appear. How quickly we do it will depend on personality characteristics. It also occurred after confinement with what was called the cabin syndrome: Difficulty staying home later turned into fear of going out.

It is essential to understand the origin of the problem, since the treatment will be different if we are faced with an obsessive fear of contagion or if the fear is to personally expose ourselves to others (where treating self-esteem and self-concept will be basic).

Some general recommendations are:

• Remember first of all that you are not obliged to go without a mask, you can continue wearing it whenever you want or carry it by hand if you get nervous.
• Give up avoidance behaviors by gradually exposing yourself. Make a list of situations, from least to most threatening to you. Start with the easiest and gradually increase the degree of difficulty.
• Restructure your irrational thoughts, taking into account your context. It is not the same if you are vaccinated or not, if you have risky people in your charge or not, etc.
• Remember that the mask is a barrier. Just as it protects us, it also distances us from others. Seeing the face helps us regulate our emotions.
• Pay attention to the benefits: breathe better, less heat, it does not let us see well ...
• Do a goodbye ritual: write something on top of your mask, burn it, bury it in a symbolic place, etc.
• Do not hesitate to seek help from a specialist if you need it. They have a large medical staff of psychologists who can help you overcome these situations.

CALCULATE YOUR PRICE

• Empty face syndrome is formed by a set of factors that indicate psychological discomfort when going without a mask when other people are present.
• Some people are more likely to develop empty face syndrome, especially those who have basic anxiety profiles or who have previously had a previous episode related to anxiety.
• It is essential to understand the origin of the problem, since the treatment will be different if we are faced with an obsessive fear of contagion or if the fear is to personally expose ourselves to others (where treating self-esteem and self-concept will be basic).