All Discussions Tagged 'depression' - Alopecia World2024-03-29T07:29:27Zhttps://alopeciaworld.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=depression&feed=yes&xn_auth=no5 years with alopecia, looking back on my first post heretag:alopeciaworld.com,2017-08-08:2022678:Topic:13885842017-08-08T17:05:22.560ZKeshiahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/Keshia
<p>Hey everyone, </p>
<p>I just looked back on my first post here and guess what it said: </p>
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<p>"<span>Really struggling tonight, looking back at me before I lost my hair, and I was so damn beautiful I can hardly believe it. I feel like growing hair is like winning the lottery... does anyone know if people who have been completely bald have grown their hair back? I feel incomplete... I am afraid to go ahead with life, I feel fake without hair."</span></p>
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<p><span>I can't…</span></p>
<p>Hey everyone, </p>
<p>I just looked back on my first post here and guess what it said: </p>
<p></p>
<p>"<span>Really struggling tonight, looking back at me before I lost my hair, and I was so damn beautiful I can hardly believe it. I feel like growing hair is like winning the lottery... does anyone know if people who have been completely bald have grown their hair back? I feel incomplete... I am afraid to go ahead with life, I feel fake without hair."</span></p>
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<p><span>I can't believe I ever felt that way. Alopecia has changed my life in ways I never thought possible. I wouldn't ever go back to having hair if given the option. Alopecia has taught me to embrace myself, and my body, in ways I never thought possible with hair! </span></p>
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<p><span>To those of you new to Alopecia... DO NOT FEAR IT. Grieve. Feel the loss. But know that better things are coming. It's all in your support systems, the way you view yourself, and having bald role models (that really helped me). </span></p>
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<p><span>SO MUCH LOVE TO YOU! Message me any time!</span></p>
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<p><span>Keshia</span></p> How to support partner who's consumed by his hair loss?tag:alopeciaworld.com,2016-12-29:2022678:Topic:13496002016-12-29T16:47:45.807ZDeahttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/Dea348
<p>Hi guys.</p>
<p>I decided to write here to share my problem and see if anyone had a similar experience.</p>
<p>My partner is in his early 20s and started to lose his hair. He thinks it's due to using a hair straightener on wet hair when he was a teenager. Also, having split ends and not cutting his hair didn't help.</p>
<p>When he visited a doctor a few years ago he hasn't done any proper examination, just told him he's ok. All that had a huge psychological impact on him. Now he doesn't want…</p>
<p>Hi guys.</p>
<p>I decided to write here to share my problem and see if anyone had a similar experience.</p>
<p>My partner is in his early 20s and started to lose his hair. He thinks it's due to using a hair straightener on wet hair when he was a teenager. Also, having split ends and not cutting his hair didn't help.</p>
<p>When he visited a doctor a few years ago he hasn't done any proper examination, just told him he's ok. All that had a huge psychological impact on him. Now he doesn't want to see anyone (neither dermatologist nor therapist) because he thinks no one can help him. And thought that he's losing his hair (and it's speeding up) is consuming him completely.</p>
<p>With all the information available on the internet, he diagnosed himself with scarring alopecia. I'm not saying he's wrong, but having a proper medical examination would be helpful. His hairline is receding and his hair is thinning.</p>
<p>All this combined with his depression and anxiety is causing him so much pain that he's saying he don't want to live anymore. As a partner, I don't really know what to do anymore. I care for him greatly, and I've told him so many times that he'd always be beautiful to me, with or without hair. But it doesn't seem to have any effect on him. I was suggesting visiting a doctor, trying alternative things like essential oils massage, going with him to the therapist...nothing helps. I am trying to be supportive and understanding.</p>
<p>What else can I do? I really care for him greatly, and it hurts seeing him like this.</p>
<p>What I want the most is for him to forgive himself and come to terms with a hair loss.</p>
<p>I wonder if anyone had any similar experiences? I really don't know how to help him, his depression is turning every possible positive into negatives. :(</p> Depressiontag:alopeciaworld.com,2016-05-18:2022678:Topic:13227682016-05-18T13:46:15.104Zlosing_ithttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/booboo
<p>Hi al</p>
<p>I have had alopecia for 25 years now and my hair has grown back fully twice in that time. I have been enjoying having almost a full head of hair (never got eyebrows and eyelashes back but will take what I can get) for about 3 years. It is now however aggressively falling out again. I feel like as a 35 year old who has had this condition for so long should know how to handle it however it seems to have brought on the worst spate of depression and anxiety that I have ever…</p>
<p>Hi al</p>
<p>I have had alopecia for 25 years now and my hair has grown back fully twice in that time. I have been enjoying having almost a full head of hair (never got eyebrows and eyelashes back but will take what I can get) for about 3 years. It is now however aggressively falling out again. I feel like as a 35 year old who has had this condition for so long should know how to handle it however it seems to have brought on the worst spate of depression and anxiety that I have ever experienced.</p>
<p>I am in the middle of what can only be described as a black hole and really can`t see any way out of it. I think I am okay some days but other days I get home and I can`t stop crying and lashing out (verbally) at my partner. I am fairly convinced that if I continue this way not only will I end up losing my hair, I will probably lose my job and worst of all my other half. Our relationship seems to have degenerated into a situation where I am always being cared for as a victim, rather than an equal. This leaves my partner feeling emotionally exhausted.</p>
<p>I have booked an appointment to see the doctor and am considering treatment for depression, has anybody else been through this? I have read that antidepressants can actually cause hair loss which seems awfully ironic when that would be the root cause of the problem. I just don`t know what else to do, at the moment I literally can`t see a way out of this situation I am in.</p>
<p>I can`t bear the idea of wearing a wig again, I really hated everything about it. I am not really looking for advice on how to cover up, I just need to hear that there is a way out of these awful feelings. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p> Confusion and depression. Anyone want to share their journey's ups and downs?tag:alopeciaworld.com,2013-08-17:2022678:Topic:10813772013-08-17T02:00:36.693ZEpohttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/Eepo
<p>Hey,</p>
<p>For those who haven't read my other forum posts, I am a young adult with extensive alopecia areata (I would say that I am at about 60-65% loss now). I am currently at month 7 of dealing with my alopecia areata.</p>
<p>I have tried and stopped prednisone (1 month course), and other than the horrible side effects, I have not noticed hair growth.</p>
<p>I have been getting cortisone injections since early February, every 3 weeks, and there have been a fair number of…</p>
<p>Hey,</p>
<p>For those who haven't read my other forum posts, I am a young adult with extensive alopecia areata (I would say that I am at about 60-65% loss now). I am currently at month 7 of dealing with my alopecia areata.</p>
<p>I have tried and stopped prednisone (1 month course), and other than the horrible side effects, I have not noticed hair growth.</p>
<p>I have been getting cortisone injections since early February, every 3 weeks, and there have been a fair number of regrowths.</p>
<p>I am potentially about to start a new medication prescribed by my dermatologist, an oral liquid steroid that you take once a month (name is unknown for now, I haven't picked it up from the pharmacy yet). Not sure if I will take it, will have to research it first. I will probably add another forum discussion tomorrow once I know the name.</p>
<p>As great as the regrowths have been (seriously, I am really happy for regrowths!), the fact that my losses are still at 100-200 hairs every day is really upsetting. I am so confused, and although I know that keeping a positive demeanor with a "you know what, it'll be okay" attitude is what will make my body stop being so anxious, it's way easier said than done.</p>
<p>I don't think it is coincidental that the first spot I got back in January coincided with a traumatic family event, and to be quite honest, I am not so surprised that the hair loss is still so bad because I am constantly stressed, anxious, nervous and sleepless due to said family issue (my older brother has a genetic heart disorder, and since January, there have been quite a few incidents that have happened... as recently as 3 weeks ago.)</p>
<p>I know what I SHOULD be doing - making sure that I am healthy in every other way, happy, reduce my stress, etc and I do do things to aid my body, but it is so hard sometimes when I think about my brother, you know? So I can do all the yoga, therapy, organic eating, etc in the world, but at this moment, I still get so stressed and upset.</p>
<p>With my hair loss being at some weird state of regrowth and loss, I decided to purchase a fancy schmancy wig since I don't see my hair loss slowing down for a long while. If you are in NYC or are coming into NYC, I really recommend Bitz n Pieces. The service was amazing, the people were so comforting and nice, and the wigs feel amazing. Incredibly expensive (mine was $2200) but the owner of this salon makes wigs for everyone from chemo patients to Cher so I figured hey, might as well go big and get a wig that gives me perfect hair every day.</p>
<p>I know I am blessed to have an amazing support network, with really good doctors, therapist and general help, and I should be so grateful. But I am still just so sad about this all. I am not in a place of acceptance yet. For example, I do not see myself mentally ready to shave off what little hair I have left. I cry every time I see handfuls and gobs of hair. I feel so ugly even though all sorts of people compliment me everyday. I feel shallow and guily when I feel sad about my hair loss, because I technically am healthy in every other way while my brother has a heart problem that had few solutions or treatments these days. I feel hurt when people say "it's just hair!". I feel angry when people diminish my alopecia which we all know is at least some part an autoimmune disorder, and say it could be worse... I could have actually been sick.</p>
<p>I am confused about my emotions, and as a person who had a major depression episode years ago, I am scared I might go back into a depression even with all my support.</p>
<p>All in all, I am totally on a really wacky roller coaster ride, and I have a lot more to go, don't I?</p>
<p>What are your stories/what has your trajectory been like?</p> New to alopecia and having a VERY hard time coping!tag:alopeciaworld.com,2013-08-01:2022678:Topic:10760182013-08-01T20:38:45.209ZAshlehttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/AshleB
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>This is my first time posting to the forum. Today has been quite hard to handle. Im going to purge my story:</p>
<p>I started noticing significant hair loss a little over a month ago. I have vert thick, curly, dark hair and in between haircuts I would use sheering scissors in order to keep the bulk down. And so it began, a little over a month ago I used the sheering scissors and assumed for the following week the hair that was shedding was from the scissors.</p>
<p>I began to…</p>
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>This is my first time posting to the forum. Today has been quite hard to handle. Im going to purge my story:</p>
<p>I started noticing significant hair loss a little over a month ago. I have vert thick, curly, dark hair and in between haircuts I would use sheering scissors in order to keep the bulk down. And so it began, a little over a month ago I used the sheering scissors and assumed for the following week the hair that was shedding was from the scissors.</p>
<p>I began to realize that a significant amount of time had passed and that surely the amount of hair I was losing was most definitely not from any at-home haircut. The hair loss went on until I frantically went to the doctor roughly 10 days ago, after noticing a few circular bald patches on the crown of my head. Thankfully, I was able to make and get an appointment that day, after forcing my husband to call for me because I was in blubbering tears for most of the afternoon.</p>
<p>The doctor was very non-emotional, basically telling me that yes, I do have alopecia but there isn't much I can do besides send away for some bloodwork to see if the hair loss is related to an underlying condition. I believe that I may have a thyroid condition, however I must wait to have this confirmed by my blood tests.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I am in the UK and with the free health care system it takes longer than in the US. I have to wait 10 days until my bloodwork comes back. Even then, if it is an underlying condition and I am able to be treated for said condition, I will still have lost a significant amount of hair and continue to every day. I also will not be able to obtain an appointment with a specialists or dermatologist for at least another 3-4 weeks, which seems like an eternity.</p>
<p>Has anyone else experienced this? I am sure you all have,obviously. Am I experiencing Alopecia due to an overload of stress I am under? I am currently writing my dissertation, trying to find employment, attempting to make sure I can secure my place here in the UK (as I am an international student)in order to provide an opportunity for my husband to receive health care coverage since he is Type 1 Diabetic (if we go back to the US we have no insurance coverage, which is crucial for his wellbeing), and my mother is in the US battling cancer. It is an uphill battle.</p>
<p>I luckily can still hide my bald patches with my hair, but I found more spots today and it is just making me feel so defeated. I am afraid that as I find more spots and lose more hair, they will eventually merge together and I will start experiencing hair loss in areas on my head I can not conceal any more. I am just starting my career, in a very forward facing, customer relations field and I can't imagine being able to be successful in my work endeavors and confident in myself in either a personal or professional setting.</p>
<p>I just want it to stop falling out. I feel that I have no control over this condition and it may be one of the hardest things I have had to mentally overcome. I am attempting to be obsessively delicate with my hair: I only wash it two-three times a week with baby shampoo, only comb it when I get out of the shower, wear it up constantly, started taking silica vitamins, and have began to rub lavender oil on it three times a week.</p>
<p>If you have any words of wisdom, suggestions on 'home-remedies', similar stories, or really anything at all I would great appreciate it. If there are any treatments that I should speak with my doctor about that you would recommend that would be wonderful as well. I have a follow-up appointment next Wednesday (Aug 7).</p> Anyone Else Just Tired?tag:alopeciaworld.com,2009-12-23:2022678:Topic:3921232009-12-23T07:03:20.990ZDiellehttps://alopeciaworld.com/profile/Dielle
It's like clockwork. Every time I get a little free time on my hands where there isn't anything to worry about (like now during my month long break from college) I get so depressed about my alopecia that I just feel so sick and tired of it all like I just want to be able to go to sleep and never wake up again because the effort of making my family and everyone else feel like I'm okay with everything is just too much. I love my family to death and they have been nothing but supportive but at the…
It's like clockwork. Every time I get a little free time on my hands where there isn't anything to worry about (like now during my month long break from college) I get so depressed about my alopecia that I just feel so sick and tired of it all like I just want to be able to go to sleep and never wake up again because the effort of making my family and everyone else feel like I'm okay with everything is just too much. I love my family to death and they have been nothing but supportive but at the moment they are under enough stress that I just don't want to push my own problems on top of theirs. I've been to a therapist in the past but other than getting a good cry out every now and again it didn't really help and if I go see her then my parents will know how bad I'm doing right now and I just don't want them to have to worry about me right now. I guess it hasn't helped that I had to start looking for a new wig again since my old one was getting worn out, because no matter what looking for a wig always makes me feel so angry and frustrated and just worse in general. But its also the everyday things like my twin sister and my mum getting haircuts and just anybody talking about hair in general. I've never told my mum or my sister how much it hurts to hear them complain about a bad haircut or talk about going to the salon because they would feel so bad that it would make me feel even worse about everything and I'm not going to go tell some strangers to shut up especially when they don't know I have alopecia. I"m just sick of spending all of these important milestones in my life feeling like garbage like high school graduation or starting college. Nothing feels like a fresh start or like it matters because I'm always feeling like I have to lie to everybody but my family about who I really am. I guess I'm just at a loss, I don't know what to do anymore. Any suggestions?