Thank you Paul for those supportive comments. I really appreciate them.
I am truely sorry that you have had people laugh at you. All i can say is that they are very ignorant people and not worth the time of day. If they were caring people they would want to know how they could help and give support.
As far as Jon goes - wish he would talk to people about how he feels and i think it is good if you can say "This sucks- it's not fair".
Anyway , just living one day at a time at the moment. That's all we can do. And hope that he grows stronger and learns to cope with it. Just like others here have had to do.
Thank you again for caring. Hope you and your family are well
Susan

Hi Paul
Thanks for adding me.
Sorry that you had to go through what you have. I find it distressing that people actually laughed at you. Alot of people have no idea how losing your hair can make you feel. I often think to myself - well i wonder how you would feel if you got it or your child or someone close to you got it. They would not be laughing then would they?

I know when Jon first got AA, and was suffering from anxiety as a result, a parent said to me "What's his problem - its only hair" I said "What if it was your daughter?"
I know that that is worrying you too- that one of your daughters could contract AA. I worry that another one of my children or could get it too.
I think you are right about the stress. I was told by my doctor that stress can bring on Auto-ammune diseases - you have to be predisposed to them of course but they can be bought on earlier by stress.
I would love to get Jon to chat with you. Unfortunately he hates having Alopecia and he is not willing to go on this site and chat with others. I joined the site in the hope that he would eventually get involved- no such luck as yet. Still hoping. I also joined to get support as it is upsetting when something affects your child and you can't do much about it other than to give them love and support. What we allowed to happen and should have been more alert to was the fact that he has isolated himself over the year and we are trying to claw that back but it is very hard to do when he is showing signs of depression and he is obviously not thinking or actually normally.
We are getting him help but it is slow in coming - though that might be a good thing as it allows him time to come to terms with it all.
I agree that talking to people - family, friends and other Alopecia sufferers is the best way to help you get through it. Jon isn't doing any of that.
Do you have any family or friends that give you support?
By the way i think going 'hat free' - getting to that point is so good. Congratulations
Susan

Welcome friend!

Hi Paul,
welcome... Hope u doin good! B
eside, i got AU since i was 13 years old.

Just Smile ya!:)

Sue

Hi Paul,
I just got diagnosed with AA last July this year. When my hair started fall of in May, I really didn't know what is wrong with me. I went to have 5 times for blood test, but doctor said that I am healthy. More stressful to hear that, but in the middle of June, I went to my hairdresser who has been 15 years with her, and she told me that I got Alopecia Areata, which I never heard before. And she asked me to go to my doctor and tell her that I got this..so I went. And after head biopsy, then..my dermotologist confirmed it!! but at the time lots of patches already...
Since then, I don't want to go out except work and gym with my head scarf. Lost all my self esteem and confidence. I got panic/anxiety attack while I am driving... until I shaved all my hair, I just notices my eyebrows thinning too, as I had quite thick eyebrows. And now, I don't have eyebrows left!! However, I have lots of regrowth, but I don't want too much hope. I accept it, now...even sometimes I still have panic attack here and there. Nowdays, I just trying to be relax, and let it open, I mean I just want to make comfortable either wearing wig, headscarf and even bald!! I feel little bit better.
Also, at the moment my eyelashes starting to fall of!! To let you know. Paul.. even I am a woman, I never wear any make up, but now...I starting with eye pencils just to cover myself. I don't like it!!! However, the more I am in denial, the more stress I will get.
I read in some info, you could be get Alopecia totalis, which loosing hair from your body.
Paul, stress is one of the trigger to Alopecia, but not the cause of it. I think what we should do now, start to accept it, we will loosing hair here and there...but you are still who you are...it won't be change just because we have Alopecia...Hmmm we are still in the long journey, but at least we could talk about it and yes, I feel more relief found this place and just talk and talk about it!!