DR MAX THE MIND DOCTOR: Why we rebels must heed the rules on masks

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Feeling hot and sweaty. Failing to make yourself understood. Can’t hear what people are saying. Unable to see their faces. Welcome to the world of face masks!

I’ll admit it. I absolutely hate wearing these muzzles — they’re the bane of my working life.

As a psychiatrist, reading people’s facial expressions is a big part of my job and it’s hard when they are sitting in front of you and only their eyes are visible.

What a miserable world it is where we now can’t see someone smile at us! Welcome to the world of face masks!

Now masks are infringing on my personal life, too. I have to wear them on public transport and, from next Friday, they’ll be mandatory in all shops.

What a miserable world it is where we now can’t see someone smile at us!

But what really irks me is that I — and other key workers — spent months commuting without a mask right through the peak of the pandemic, despite government and scientific advice at that time that wearing masks was not essential.

Yet it’s only now, as infection rates are nosediving and the worst of the pandemic is over (fingers crossed), that masks are becoming compulsory.

Even ministers don’t seem to really understand their own advice. Some wear a mask to pop into Pret to get a coffee, while others are pictured waltzing around mask-free.

On top of that, even the scientific community hasn’t reached a consensus on this issue. Covid-19 is transmitted via droplets expelled from the mouth. While data shows a mask can trap large droplets that might infect other people, they aren’t as effective against smaller particles.

And it wasn’t long ago when the Government said that face masks may even harm efforts to control the virus by making wearers complacent. No wonder people are confused.

In recent weeks, I’ve observed that people tend to fall into two groups when it comes to masks: those who are keen to stick to official guidance and err on the side of caution, and those who resent being told what to do and feel angry at having to change their behaviour, especially when the reasoning behind it isn’t clear.

People tend to fall into two groups when it comes to masks: those who are keen to stick to official guidance (pictured) and err on the side of caution, and those who resent being told what to do and feel angry at having to change their behaviour

Neither of these positions is right or wrong, but they aren’t arbitrary — they reflect key social mind-sets, which psychologists have called ‘tight’ and ‘loose’.

Those with a tight mind-set are cautious. They like rules, order and structure. They value a sense of safety and are prepared to make significant sacrifices — including to their personal freedom — for this.

These are the people who were happy to adhere to every stricture of lockdown, were worried about it ending and who are perfectly willing to wear masks in public.

Those with a ‘loose’ mind-set on the other hand tend to be sceptical about rules and regulations, are risk takers and disorder, uncertainty and ambiguity are not a huge issue for them.

They resent being told what to do by authority.

I definitely fall into the latter category and found the whole lockdown wearisome and irritating. Now I feel quite rebellious when it comes to face masks. 

Psychologists say that these two different approaches to life — tight and loose — have contributed to conflict in some families during lockdown, but on a national level both are vital.

We need some people to urge caution against relaxing the rules too quickly. Equally, it’s important for the economy’s sake and everyone’s mental and physical health that those with a loose mind-set push to open things up and get back to normal.

While both sides might be frustrated because they think things are either going too slowly or too fast, this push and pull is important in finding balance.

And masks — and the vexed question of wearing one or not — are a perfect example of this.

I’m not convinced by the science supporting face masks, and I don’t see the logic in wearing them now, but I accept they can serve an important psychological function by reassuring the cautious and coaxing them out of lockdown.

I’m trying to view it as doing my bit to get the economy back up and running. So I’m going to just grin (not that you’ll see from behind my mask) and bear it — and I hope you’ll join me, too.

Sixty per cent of Britons would be happy to pay more taxes to fund the NHS, according to a survey this week. That’s good news.

I think the best way to harness the current positivity towards the NHS, and help the nation with an ongoing debate about what the state should and shouldn’t pay for, is to introduce an ‘NHS tax’.

It would have to come with a cast-iron guarantee that the money was only used for the NHS and social care. There would also need to be a corresponding drop in general taxation to account for the new NHS contribution.

This would help challenge the prevailing idea that the NHS is ‘free’, reminding us all more starkly that we all pay for it.

As new treatments or interventions were developed, they would be part of a national debate as to how much they would increase the NHS tax contribution — and whether or not the NHS should pay for them.

Torment of living a life full of secrets 

These days one would hope being gay would no longer be a taboo. And yet in certain sections of society it remains so. 

In an open letter shared by the John Fashanu Foundation (which tackles homophobia in sport), an unnamed Premier League footballer has opened up about the torment of being in the closet, and how fearful he is about revealing his sexuality to fans.

Living a life full of secrets is miserable. I should know; I realised I was gay at the age of 14 and, after a year of torment, decided to either kill myself or just accept my sexuality.

It was tough at times, believe me. I was on the receiving end of sustained homophobic comments at medical school — one consultant refused to talk to me the entire six months I worked for him.

Thankfully, things have changed a lot in medicine since then — just as they will in football.

I’ve no doubt this player, if and when he comes out, will be on the receiving end of abuse, and it will be tough for him — at first at least.

But he’ll also be surprised at how much support and love he’ll receive.

He’ll come to realise that the most important people in his life don’t care about his sexuality. Being gay has shaped who I am and given me a perspective on life that I wouldn’t change. I hope he can reach the same place too, someday.

The truth about fastfood and fat 

The Government’s healthy eating guidelines have been slammed as being too expensive for ordinary families. In a recent report, called Hungry For Change: Fixing The Failings In Food, the House of Lords said low-income families are often left with ‘little or no choice’ about diet.

This is embarrassingly naive and perpetuates an erroneous view of why poorer people are more likely to be obese and have a bad diet.

Research shows those from poorer backgrounds have limited ways of giving their children treats, so they use food — a trip to McDonald’s or a KFC, perhaps.

Using nutritious foods to make meals from scratch is cheaper than a takeaway. People aren’t obese because they can’t afford good food, but because they choose not to eat it.

The problem is psychological, not economical.

Research shows those from poorer backgrounds have limited ways of giving their children treats, so they use food — a trip to McDonald’s or a KFC, perhaps.

More affluent families have a greater range of options — days out, for example — and they are more likely to focus on ‘healthy’ food as an essential part of good parenting.

Let’s not forget the role that the decline of ‘home economics’ in schools has played in this — probably because it was considered old-fashioned and sexist. We now have a generation who can’t cook a decent meal for themselves. Ministers need to understand the psychology that underpins people’s choices around food.

Experts have long been warning about Britain’s childhood obesity epidemic. And yet fewer than half of councils have reopened their outdoor play areas, despite being allowed to do so since July 4.

What madness is this? Covid-19 poses an infinitesimal risk to children. But being able to play outside, to move around freely in the fresh air and sunshine, is vital for their physical health.

Instead they’re sitting at home, glued to social media. Cooped up day in and day out, not seeing their friends, all of that must take its toll on their mental health.

What kind of life are we condemning them to? For our children’s sake, let them play out this summer.

Dr Max prescribes...table napkins from Ferguson’s Irish Linen 

I know, I know....probably not what you are expecting. But as regular readers will appreciate, ever since the lockdown I’ve been trying to focus on celebrating the small pleasures in life. 

I’ve also vowed to support UK manufacturing whenever I can. 

And so this week I treated myself to some simple, but beautiful, linen napkins from Ferguson’s — the last remaining, established Irish linen weavers in Northern Ireland.

They’ve really made mealtimes feel that extra bit special!