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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TomV on November 21, 2000, at 9:51:34
I began to think about the pattern of my hair loss (moderate thinning on top) and realized that it all began when my depression and anxiety started to really get bad. Up until then my hair loss was very mild. My question is; could the stress from depression (and other stress factors in my life) be the cause of my hair loss? This hair loss precipitates my taking any meds so I'm pretty sure its not related to any med (which I've taken plenty of), and I currently take no meds. I wonder if I got my depression under control (and hence, the most major stress factor in my life) that my hair will begin growing again? Has anyone elese experienced something like this (hair regrowth , non med related response to depression subsiding?).
Posted by cletus on November 21, 2000, at 11:37:36
In reply to Hair loss due to depression, not meds?, posted by TomV on November 21, 2000, at 9:51:34
> I began to think about the pattern of my hair loss (moderate thinning on top) and realized that it all began when my depression and anxiety started to really get bad. Up until then my hair loss was very mild. My question is; could the stress from depression (and other stress factors in my life) be the cause of my hair loss? This hair loss precipitates my taking any meds so I'm pretty sure its not related to any med (which I've taken plenty of), and I currently take no meds. I wonder if I got my depression under control (and hence, the most major stress factor in my life) that my hair will begin growing again? Has anyone elese experienced something like this (hair regrowth , non med related response to depression subsiding?).
Tom.......I am a 26 yr/old male and know exactly what you are talking about.....I have always had problems with anxiety and stress throughout my life.....I would go through episodes that could last months in which the stress and anxiety would almost overwhelm me. This really became evident at the age of 18 when I left my comfy confines of home and headed out into the real world. I would notice that something (like going away to college, breakup with a girl, etc) would trigger a stressfull response in which I would dwell on the problem constantly. I would notice after a couple of months that my hair would most definetly thin out, which would further aggrevate my stress thus causing a vicious cycle. A couple of times when I was not as stressful, I would notice my hair returning to normal....however, usually something would pop up sending me into the anxiety/stress cycle and my hairloss would return.......not receeding but just general thinning on the top. There is very little hairloss in my family and all the doctors I went to had no explanation. I finally went to see a doctor (a great one) and I was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She explained to me that ongoing emotional stress (not just sporadic) will most definetly cause hair thinning. She told me that she would bet her life on it that was the reason for mine. She says that she has seen a ton of patients with the same problem and the hair will return to its normal state in about 3 or 4 months after the stress subsides.....upon hearing this, I went to a psychiatrist to deal with my obsessive/compulsive disorder (OCD) and I have been in treatment for about 6 months. I am currently taking 100mg of Celexa and my stress and obsessive cycles are greatly reduced. And sure enough, my hair is almost completly back to normal (it is unreal how much of a change there has been) and I feel great. It sounds like (with your moderate thinning on top) that it is not pattern baldness at all, but most definetly stress causing it. That is just that way our bodies handle it. Some people have different symptoms from what I have been told. I even asked my psychiatrist about hairloss due to meds and out of the hundreds of patients he has treated, he can recall one or two. He has heard of sporadic reports of people losing some as the body adjusts to the med but it is pretty rare and returns once the body is adjusted or the med stopped. Once suggestion I have read about is that some meds (ie Depakote) may cause an interuption with Zinc/Selenium utilization which helps hair grow. To combat this, I have read to take a Zinc/Selenium supplement with the med (ie Centrum Silver). Sorry to ramble but 1)I am at work procrastinating and 2) I know how frustrating it is to be going through what you are now dealing with. Keep working with your doctor until you find a med that works for you. I have talked on other message boards with other people that have had the same problem with their hair and once they found a medicine that worked for them, they have had similar results as myself. Good luck and hope you are feeling better soon!
Posted by Sigolene on November 25, 2000, at 3:00:11
In reply to Hair loss due to depression, not meds?, posted by TomV on November 21, 2000, at 9:51:34
I had terrible hair loss during many years. I was also depressed (i'm still depressed). My hair loss stopped when i did psychotherapy in which i experienced a powerful transfert (see psychoanalysis theory). This experience of the transfert was the solution for me.
SIgolène.
> I began to think about the pattern of my hair loss (moderate thinning on top) and realized that it all began when my depression and anxiety started to really get bad. Up until then my hair loss was very mild. My question is; could the stress from depression (and other stress factors in my life) be the cause of my hair loss? This hair loss precipitates my taking any meds so I'm pretty sure its not related to any med (which I've taken plenty of), and I currently take no meds. I wonder if I got my depression under control (and hence, the most major stress factor in my life) that my hair will begin growing again? Has anyone elese experienced something like this (hair regrowth , non med related response to depression subsiding?).
Posted by R.Anne on November 26, 2000, at 22:31:11
In reply to Re: Hair loss due to depression, not meds?, posted by Sigolene on November 25, 2000, at 3:00:11
I am familiar with psychoanalytic theory but there must be another word for "transfert" no? I'm trying to understand this and cannot seem to come up with the word--is it cathexis? I forgot.
++++++
> I had terrible hair loss during many years. I was also depressed (i'm still depressed). My hair loss stopped when i did psychotherapy in which i experienced a powerful transfert (see psychoanalysis theory). This experience of the transfert was the solution for me.
> SIgolène.
>
>
> > I began to think about the pattern of my hair loss (moderate thinning on top) and realized that it all began when my depression and anxiety started to really get bad. Up until then my hair loss was very mild. My question is; could the stress from depression (and other stress factors in my life) be the cause of my hair loss? This hair loss precipitates my taking any meds so I'm pretty sure its not related to any med (which I've taken plenty of), and I currently take no meds. I wonder if I got my depression under control (and hence, the most major stress factor in my life) that my hair will begin growing again? Has anyone elese experienced something like this (hair regrowth , non med related response to depression subsiding?).
Posted by Sigolene on November 27, 2000, at 3:48:08
In reply to Sigolene=what is a transfert?, posted by R.Anne on November 26, 2000, at 22:31:11
The concept of "transfert" is very complicated. But i try to summerize. It's the strong feelings that a patient may experience toward his/her psychoanalist. This feelings are related to what the patient, as a child, experienced towards his own caregivers. This allows the patient to understand the origin of his/her actual feelings towards other people. Exemple: (extremly simplified) if a child was rejected by his parents, when he grows up, he may also feel rejected by everyone even if it's not the case. He may also put himself in situations in which he will be sure of being rejected, to confort his fears.
I hope you can understand (my english is not very good). You can still go on specialized web site about psychoanalysis and find a better explaination. I had myself psychoanalysis, and it has solved lots of problems for me, like hair los for example.> I am familiar with psychoanalytic theory but there must be another word for "transfert" no? I'm trying to understand this and cannot seem to come up with the word--is it cathexis? I forgot.
>
>
> ++++++
> > I had terrible hair loss during many years. I was also depressed (i'm still depressed). My hair loss stopped when i did psychotherapy in which i experienced a powerful transfert (see psychoanalysis theory). This experience of the transfert was the solution for me.
> > SIgolène.
> >
> >
> > > I began to think about the pattern of my hair loss (moderate thinning on top) and realized that it all began when my depression and anxiety started to really get bad. Up until then my hair loss was very mild. My question is; could the stress from depression (and other stress factors in my life) be the cause of my hair loss? This hair loss precipitates my taking any meds so I'm pretty sure its not related to any med (which I've taken plenty of), and I currently take no meds. I wonder if I got my depression under control (and hence, the most major stress factor in my life) that my hair will begin growing again? Has anyone elese experienced something like this (hair regrowth , non med related response to depression subsiding?).
Posted by Sunnely on November 27, 2000, at 18:43:27
In reply to Re: Sigolene=what is a transfert? » R.Anne, posted by Sigolene on November 27, 2000, at 3:48:08
> The concept of "transfert" is very complicated. But i try to summerize. It's the strong feelings that a patient may experience toward his/her psychoanalist. This feelings are related to what the patient, as a child, experienced towards his own caregivers. This allows the patient to understand the origin of his/her actual feelings towards other people. Exemple: (extremly simplified) if a child was rejected by his parents, when he grows up, he may also feel rejected by everyone even if it's not the case. He may also put himself in situations in which he will be sure of being rejected, to confort his fears.
> I hope you can understand (my english is not very good). You can still go on specialized web site about psychoanalysis and find a better explaination. I had myself psychoanalysis, and it has solved lots of problems for me, like hair los for example.+++++++++++++++++
Hi Sigolene,
Is it possible that the term is "transference?" The opposite of which is "counter transference."
Posted by R.Anne on December 1, 2000, at 19:05:45
In reply to Re: Sigolene=what is a transfert? » R.Anne, posted by Sigolene on November 27, 2000, at 3:48:08
We call it transference and counter-transference. Now I know what you meant and you explained it well. Thanks r.anne
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