Psychological Issues From Hair Loss
From the first vestiges of civilization to modern
times, our appearance in public has always been a subject of importance.
Today, men everywhere now take much
better care of their looks.
Women on the other hand, have always been conscientious of their beauty.
So whether it is something that can be done regarding their body, or
their clothes, both genders find it important to present themselves
fashionably. How important?
Well, when something happens that drastically changes their
appearance, in a detrimental manner, people tend to get affected mentally.
This is especially true for hair loss.
When a man starts to loose his hair, it is possible to
be slightly affected and just shrug it off. It
is a common occurrence after all for a man of age to start showing signs of
balding. A large percentage of them,
however, are psychologically problematic. The
effects may not be severe for some, but it is typical for such a man to feel
his self-esteem greatly diminish. He
can also feel isolated, particularly if he sees he is the only one balding
amongst his peers. It gets worse if
bald jokes start heaping on the poor fellow.
Feelings of jealousy and despair can then start to fester.
Desperation is thereafter the next
step. Men can spend copious amounts
of money on ineffective hair products that market “guaranteed growth.”
The famous side-part cover up may
also be seen in these men. In rare
cases, if left alone, a balding man can fall into severe depression.
An unhealthy fixation with the need
for hair can also take place.
For women, the effects can be even worse.
It is presently not socially
acceptable for a woman to lose her hair, a primary source of youth and
beauty. When a woman experiences hair
loss, the same feelings of self-defeat and loneliness can develop, with a
more destructive slant. This is more
true if they are unmarried or not in a committed relationship.
The prospect of not being able to
attract a man can be a deep blow. Friends
and relatives also do not address the issue well, or fail to do so at all.
This is due to the lack of public
awareness regarding the matter. Even
worse, the topic does not arise during regular gynecologist visits,
especially if pregnancy or menopause are factors to be considered.
This is unfortunate, as women losing
hair should not be ignored. The
feelings of negativity can be very profound.
Both men and women should remember not to panic.
Talking to somebody close is very
important, and will alleviate some of the stress developing inside.
Make the people in your life know that this is a severe problem you
are dealing with, and that insensitive comments do not help.
Also, do not be afraid to seek professional medical care, to obtain
a more straightforward and objective assessment of your condition.
Meeting a therapist might also be necessary.
These negative feelings might not just stem from the hair loss, but
from something even more deeply rooted.
Never forget that there are far worse problems than balding, and just
because your hair falls out, that is no reason for the rest of you to fall
apart.
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