When a loved one won't wear a mask
We're all in this together, and most of us don't care for wearing masks.
But while there is no vaccine yet for COVID19, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to it.
Wearing masks is essential, but what can you say to a friend or a family member who refuses to wear one or doesn't wear it properly?
Shaming someone into doing something they don't want to do is not effective and rarely works, said Rachel Gersten, cofounder of Viva Wellness.
“It puts people on the defensive and makes them less likely to actually listen and hear your concerns,” she said.
To get someone to do something without resorting to brute force, try creating a dialogue and using empathy.
“A good way to approach the conversation is to share with someone how you feel, rather than what you think,” Gersten said. “Sharing an opinion usually just leads to a debate, whereas there's often a more empathetic, compassionate conversation if you can phrase it as `I feel X way when you don't wear your mask around me.'”
Unless someone specifically asks for an opinion, don't just tell them to mask up.
“They're allowed to disagree with you, but despite that, they might be more willing to take your feelings into consideration and adjust accordingly if they don't feel like they're being told what to do,” Gersten said.
At the end of the day, some people aren't going to change their behavior, and that's their choice.
“You can then decide if you want to adjust accordingly based on what you need if they are unwilling to adjust or compromise,” she said.
If you are not comfortable, options include spending less time with them or not spending time with them at all while the pandemic is ongoing.