It’s comments like this that ignite my soul and then the tears begin streaming down my face…I couldn’t believe that I could relate to a stranger about the same topic.

I always felt ashamed of how I looked…I felt like a guy with my conspicuous horseshoe pattern gleaming for the world to see.

I FELT ASHAMED- It sounds so powerful, yet so unnecessary at the same time. Why do we feel guilty? As if the power of beauty was in our control…as if we played a hand in our hair loss…I know I didn’t, it just happened…maybe it was the drugs, maybe it was the malnourishment from being depressed and ashamed of my hair loss. After 10 years of suffering, you realize…there’s no shame in who you are, physically. Period.

Definition:
shame n
1. a negative emotion that combines feelings of dishonor, unworthiness, and embarrassment–WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE!
2. the capacity or tendency to feel shame
3. a state of disgrace or dishonor
4. a cause for regret or disappointment.

Feelings of unworthiness- We are worth so much more than a couple hundred thousand strands on our shiny heads…WE have so much to offer…so much! We are kind, generous, helpful, beautiful, caring, supportive, loving…we just have to look at other aspects of ourselves that were dormant, that we neglected.

I felt ashamed because I thought it was my fault. I was embarrassed because I acted embarrassed, now if I made the choice to own my hair loss and be strong about it, then people would see that….It’s still me.