My phobia began in the infant school playground when a boy came up to me and removed the Guy Fawkes mask that he was wearing right in my face. Immediately I last the power of speech and many years of speech therapy restored it but, 50+ years later I still have a slight speech impediment.
I could never go to the circus and even when my parents tried to introduce me in private to the man, who I knew, behind the Santa Claus costume at a church Christmas fayre, I still bolted from the hall when he arrived 10 minutes later; and I knew who was behind the whiskers.
Many years later a similar thing happened to my son in a local store. I told the child off which started a spat with his mother who couldn't or wouldn't see the postential harm. Fortunately the effect on my son was transitory.
It might seem like harmless fun to many but I would caution anyone because of the potential harm. Also, street robbers use masks to hid their identity and that can exacerbate the problem for coulophobics. But I doubt if crimminals could care less.
I could never go to the circus and even when my parents tried to introduce me in private to the man, who I knew, behind the Santa Claus costume at a church Christmas fayre, I still bolted from the hall when he arrived 10 minutes later; and I knew who was behind the whiskers.
Many years later a similar thing happened to my son in a local store. I told the child off which started a spat with his mother who couldn't or wouldn't see the postential harm. Fortunately the effect on my son was transitory.
It might seem like harmless fun to many but I would caution anyone because of the potential harm. Also, street robbers use masks to hid their identity and that can exacerbate the problem for coulophobics. But I doubt if crimminals could care less.