The Mental Toll of Hair Loss

While hair is often seen as an aesthetic part of being human, it plays a significant part in our identity. Losing this part of us that’s often associated with beauty and self-image can be extremely damaging to mental health. According to recent studies, individuals with alopecia are at a higher risk for developing anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. Experiencing hair loss can also contribute to a withdrawal from socializing with others due to fears around judgements. Furthermore, losing your hair can cause symptoms related to grief and mourning who you were before hair loss. From personal experience, I can attest to the fact that alopecia can significantly impact every aspect of your life. 

Many people, including myself, start coping with hair loss by wearing a wig or hair piece. While wigs are great, they can become easy to rely on, which can cause fears around others finding out that you’re wearing a wig. As a kid, I opted out of taking swim classes in middle school because of fears surrounding not being able to wear a wig in the pool. Sadly, I missed out on some of my favorite activities due to fears around people finding out that I was bald. This fear can cause hypervigilance, nervous system dysregulation and panic symptoms such as increase in heart rate and trouble breathing. 

Self-esteem is also often impacted when experiencing alopecia. Being bald or losing hair does not fit society’s beauty standards, therefore, our image of ourselves can shift. It can become hard to look at ourselves without hair because it can bring up very intense feelings. We may experience a sense of embarrassment, shame, sadness, and even self-hatred that can lead to more severe depression symptoms. Hair loss is not always something that we can control, causing hopelessness and a fixation on finding a cure as well. 

There are countless ways that alopecia can impact our mental health and daily functioning but, as hopeless as things can feel, there is hope that we can overcome these symptoms. It took me almost 15 years to fully come to terms with my alopecia and feel free from the shame and fear that had a hold on me for so long. Finding our worth, regulating our nervous systems, and coming to acceptance for hair loss can be so impactful in moving forward. We may not be able to control our alopecia, but we do have control over how we think about hair loss and ourselves. Some days may still be harder than others, but we don’t have to drown in our circumstances. I know from experience that it’s not always easy, but it’s possible and so worth it.