Depressed About Hair Loss; What Should I do?

This question comes from a member of our [tag]hair loss[/tag] social community and discussion forums: 

I’m feeling depressed about my hair loss; what should I do?

Patients feeling truly depressed by hair loss must seek out the help of a mental health professional as soon as possible. While alopecia itself is a legitimate symptom and requires treatment, the depression is more urgent. It’s also important to address the depression before treating the hair loss. A mental health professional will understand that the alopecia is a component of the depression, and treat it alongside the depressed thoughts. For example, a mental health provider may help analyze why the hair loss is causing depressed mood, provide coping mechanisms to help get through the day, and also refer to a hair loss physician to treat the alopecia.

While this may seem excessive, it’s important not to simply treat the hair loss and ignore the depression. It may seem like fixing the alopecia will fix the depressed mood; however, the depression may be related to a variety of issues, and ignoring it or assuming things could make the situation worse.
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Blake Bloxham – formerly “Future_HT_Doc”

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning

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