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Depression and alopecia
I think I'm not the only one who links alopecia with depression. It might be a psychological problem in it's essence. Or the psychological part might be of a great importance. When I first discovered a small bald spot in my hair, I was just going through great changes in my life. I was moving from depression to a normal life. It was a hard time, I was learning to live, to love, to forgive... and at the end of that hard process I found out I was starting to lose my hair. I wondered what it was but that was all. Another strange thing - I was very, very tired. I needed to sleep a lot, and sometimes it was hard for me to get up and walk a few steps to the bathroom... it lasted two years and when I recovered from the tiredness, I also realized my hair was ok. No bald spots. No problem. Life was great. I got a new wonderful job as a magazine editor, I got married and pregnant in a short time. Then I had three kids in a row. And so I got tired again and I got depressed again. I was exhausted. And a bald spot appeared again. And another. And another. I went through some psychotherapy, but as I was still breastfeeding my youngest baby, I could not take any antidepressant drugs. Now I just don't know. Perhaps some drugs could help me, but I am affraid of losing more hair. Anyone having the same problem?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Natalie on
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I went through a good amount of depression and panic attacks when I started losing all my hair. I now take 10mg of Lexapro a day, and it really helped curb those dark feelings.
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Permalink Reply by Olga Pavlickova on
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Lily - not yet. I am also overweight after the three pregnancies, so it might be an issue. I hope I'll see soon.
Natalie - is it that those dark feelings came after you started to lose your hair? I'm just afraid of taking any drugs - I'm afraid it could get worse. Does it have any effect on the hair loss / regrowth?
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I had alopecia for 8 years before it got really bad and started to all come out. I become depressed then and started having such back anxiety that I had a hard time functioning (ie. driving, going to school, etc.). It has not had any effect on my hair loss (good or bad), but it helped ease my depression/anxiety so that I could accept my alopecia and move on with my life. I am hoping to wean myself off of the meds soon, but I haven't talked to my doctor yet about it. Best of luck :)
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Thanks a lot. I'm feeling much more better now with the wonderful Spring and Sun. Hope all will be well for the rest of the year.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Jeffer on
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I went through a very similiar experience except that I had my three kids and then started on antidepressants. Once I went off of the meds I started to lose my hair (you can read my blog www.natural-treatment-for-alopecia.com/chris). I have suffered from depression but found that the antidepressants really don't help a lot or when they did, only for a short period of time.
I would get some hormonal testing done. If you are breastfeeding it may be as simple as a hormonal imbalance.
It could also be that because you have been through quite a lot of change over the years that your body is exhausted. The years of trauma that you experienced previously and now a busy life with three kids and a demanding career sounds like it could be more than your body wants to take on. Is it possible to get some help with either the job or the children so you aren't as stretched?
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