May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the official month to shine a light on Mental Health Awareness. Still, I honestly believe that discussing mental health should go beyond May as more and more people realize how importance of the subject.
A mental illness is a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, behavior or mood. These conditions profoundly impact day-to-day living. If you have — or think you might have — a mental illness, the first thing you must know is that you are not alone. Although mental health conditions are far more common than you think, people just don’t like to or are scared to talk about them. My family is a prime example of this, and I am sure there are many families just like us.
I grew up in a traditional Haitian household, where depression was fixed with staying busy, lashing out in a fit of rage-out or anger, and not talking about whatever was bothering us. Mental illnesses were not a real thing. Instead, it was an “excuse” people used, possibly a consequence of their actions, but never a discussion that genetics, biological disorders, and stress can be the root of the matter.
As a developing adult and curly girl, I noticed times where my hair was thinning and falling out due to stress. Family issues and the pressures of everyday life were beginning to take their toll. But, I was not the only one dealing with this problem.
Family members would also complain about hair loss during stressful times. Some admitted to not being able to care for their hair during bouts of depression. And as we talked with one another about our problems, we would suggest relaxing and say things like, “try your best not to stress.” But is this the only solution to battle hair loss during stressful times?
I believe being aware of how mental health disorders can affect hair can go a long way in helping to combat hair loss. So I put together a shortlist of some mental health factors that can affect hair to help anyone struggling with this problem.
Stress and Anxiety
In today’s busy world, where most of us struggle to balance hectic work routines and personal lives, it can be challenging to keep stress levels under check. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it only worse by sending stress levels soaring. In addition, millions of people continue to face crises such as unemployment, isolation, financial strains, and the overall uncertainty about the times to come. So there is no wonder why more people, like myself, are inquiring about stress, anxiety, and hair loss.
According to Destination Hope mental health treatment center hair loss itself is not directly caused by stress or anxiety but rather the stress brought on by everyday difficulties for those suffering from anxiety. Anxiety and stress are similar conditions, but anxiety can be a lifelong struggle.
Studies have shown that stress and anxiety-induced stress can contribute to specific hair loss conditions such as Alopecia Areata. This condition can cause large clumps of hair to suddenly fall out for no apparent reason, causing patches of hair loss. In addition, some people may experience hair loss in other parts of the body. Although the hair will grow back, continued anxiety and stress can cause the hair loss to continue leading to different patches of hair and baldness.
Telogen Effluvium (TE) is another hair condition caused by stress and anxiety. It occurs when there is a change in the number of hair follicles growing hair. The number of growing hair follicles significantly lowers during the resting (telogen) phase of hair growth. This results in TE hair loss, which typically isn’t permanent. TE can appear as thinning hair with the hair on the top of the scalp thinning more than the sides or back of the scalp.
In addition, stress and anxiety can increase muscle tension, skin sebum production and increase hormones processed in the body. As the body works to combat these issues, the supplies needed for hair growth can be diminished.
Biological disorders
Biological conditions like OCD (obsessive compulsion disorder), bipolar disorder, and trichotillomania (impulse control disorder) are some of the mental health disorders that can cause hair loss, directly or indirectly.
A hair loss problem can come about due to the OCD behavior of a person suffering from the disorder. For example, this person can perform compulsive pulling of their hair daily. This action can lead to the hair being pulled out, leading to the condition is known as trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania (trik-o-til-o-MAY-nee-uh), also called hair-pulling disorder, is a mental disorder that involves recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows, or other areas of your body, despite trying to stop.
Hair pulling from the scalp often leaves patchy bald spots, which cause significant distress and can interfere with social or work functioning. As a result, people with trichotillomania may go to great lengths to disguise the loss of hair.
For some people, trichotillomania may be mild and generally manageable. However, for others, the compulsive urge to pull hair is overwhelming. Some treatment options have helped many people reduce their hair pulling or stop entirely. However, the psychological condition must first be treated to ensure the hair-pulling action will not continue.
Outside of pulling hair the OCD behavior of twirling the hair while thinking about something else or performing everyday tasks can also lead to the hair being pulled out of the scalp.
Individuals who live with bipolar disorder may also suffer from hair loss. This can be caused indirectly due to medications such as antidepressants, beta-blockers, mood stabilizers, etc., needed to address the symptoms of bipolar disorder.
So what works to help fight against hair loss due to mental health disorders?
The best way to treat the condition is to figure what is triggering it — your environment, hormones, or lifestyle choices. Then focus on slowly changing those things.
If you have TE, you must be gentle when styling your hair. Avoid blow-drying, straightening, or curling your hair until your condition improves. Frequent coloring or highlighting during this time can also damage and inhibit hair growth.
If you hair loss is related to OCD or trichotillomania seeking help from a professional can help you understand your mental health condition and provide treatment options so you can live a healthy life.
If your hair loss is related to stress, reducing your stress levels may also help. Journaling or mindful meditation may help manage your stress. Yoga and other forms of exercise may also help clear your mind and offer a healthy way to cope with stress and anxiety.
Hair growth and health restoration do not happen overnight. However, addressing life’s stressors and disorders can aid the timeframe in which it goes back to normal or close to it. But, keep in mind that it is always best to see a doctor if the problem persists.