I took a long walk this morning...

[Aplunk1]

Mind you, it was 25-degree weather outside, which is hardly comfortable for a Las Vegas/SoCalian.

Anyway, a rampant of thoughts crossed my mind. Reflections, really. I know it sounds gay to discuss my mind on a hair loss forum, but whatever.

So, I followed up on the advice of my fellow HairLossTalk.com members here, and talked to my doctor. He is a leading specialist in antidepressants, and has the reputation for giving out more antidepressants than ANY OTHER DOCTOR in the US. Crazy, huh? Anyway, I told him I don't want to use my particular antidepressant anymore (which I haven't for a few weeks now), and he suggested putting me on a regimen of 5 DIFFERENT anti-depressant meds. In any case, I said shine on that.

I asked him about cognitive behavioral therapy, the benefits, and how it would help my anxiety. In short, the quack suggested that there is no benefit for taking cognitive behavioral therapy because depression/anxiety is a chemical imbalance, pure and simple, and therapy would only help *some* aspects of my life. He strongly recommends his 5-drug regimen, and vehemetly denied the chance of sexual side effects, long-term neurological damage, etc. when asked.

So, f*** that guy. I'm currently seeking a new doctor.

But more to the point, I've been losing lots of sleep. I'm not on a real sleep schedule anymore. I've been rather slow in working on my final research papers/studying. Nonetheless, I have been losing some weight ever since going off my medicine, which is a total good thing.

Getting little sleep last night, I was up early enough to venture out into the benumbing cold, and take a long walk. During my long walks, I often keep a huge amount of philosophical and intelligence thoughts running through my head. It's non-stop, and walking is when I do most of my reflection and thinking.

I realize that I want to make some changes. I am going to a local club to sign up for a new gym membership this afternoon, where I'm going to start hitting the weights some more. (I am also an avid cardio-exerciser when I want to be.)

I'm also sick and tired of coming to this forum. It's like a crack-addiction (I truly cannot relate to this one), and I want to man up to my hairloss. I want to look in the mirror and say, "Dude, I don't give a Fuuuuuuuuuck about my hair. I'm still good-looking."

That's what I want.

Now, more than ever, I feel settled, and ready to move on with my life. I still want to save up money, in case I want to settle for an Alvi Armani hair transplant in the future, and I want to save up for a vacation to Europe this summer. I want to take it easy on the drinking, which unfortunately has very bad tendencies in my family history.

These are the things I want, and I've observed them without anxiety, without impediment. These are the things I really want to work on, and with which to reward myself. These are the times to enjoy myself, reward myself, and feel good about myself. I don't want my sparse/thinning hairline to ruin it for me.

Here I am, in front of a public hair loss forum, appealing to the younger members here, as well as the older, more experienced, and ask where do I start off here? Am I doing the right thing? Should I still be seeking another doctor?

Godbless.

(BTW, I just realized I surpassed 3000 posts. I suck. :shock: )

 

[ginald]

aplunk....some thoughts from older but not necessarily wiser person:

1. as long as you continue to look inward, pondering on your problems associated with hairloss, you will never get off that treadmill.

2. you need to throw yourself into something that makes you forget about hairloss, something you enjoy, some activity which when you are doing it allows you to only think of that activity.
eg lifting heavy weights, playing football. however not jogging as this gives your mind free rein to wander.

3. take a few days break to recharge your batteries, go away for a few days.

4. take a new years resolution to limit your time on this forum and make a conscious decision to put hairloss in perspective...that you will not let it dominate your life and control your thoughts like it has done.

5. you are the master of your mind...it will do whatever you tell it to do. it's all about conditioning your mind to how you want to be. have you ever been to a hypnotist?....it works better than any medicine and gets to working on a subliminal level ie on your subconscious. it works from your very first session as well.

6. do this and you will be able to throw away the anti depressants.

 

[Skaff]

Obviously you've got some kind of depression, but I've seen your pics and your hair isn't something that should depress you.

 

[Guest]

Dude, sounds good! Do whatever makes you feel good. I'm pretty much in the same situation as you, I'd also need to say a big F.U. to hairloss to get me back on track concerning studying and then getting a job. I'm just so sick and tired of worrying about this sh*t, I should just shave my head
(again) and show it to everyone.

 

[Guest]

i even often go walk a bit and think about things. mainly i think about my new business project. i think less and less about my hairloss. thats a good thing i think. though , not even 3 months ago, it was much different. there i thought so much about my hairloss.

 

[IBM]

i even often go walk a bit and think about things. mainly i think about my new business project.

So what's your business project?

 

[DaSand]

Do what I've been doing Aplunk, trying to get off this forum and live life more. I'm not going to shell out money for a gym, I'm going to do my own gym with buying a bench press bar and lifting. I have my own weights too to tone me up. It all starts in the New Year.

I decided on weights day, the cardio I'd do before weights is 20 minutes of practing all the martial arts I learned. You never know when you will have to fight.

I also have been reading up on Asian-American and African-American history. I've found a lot of interesting facts that weren't told in college or school like Chinese Americans serving in the American Civil War.

I'm still having some blind opitism that HM will come out in 2009 or 2008. I'm saving up still and want to get an apartment with friends. I want to get TRC no matter what the price.

Walking is good, I do that on days I don't run. Usually, I walk around the neighborhood or on campus.

I wish I could say the same about anti-depressants, I might to stick with them or risk having another breakdown like last year. I see a counselor at school for free since they offer free counseling. He's helped me more than my psychiratrist and social worker combined. I haven't felt so liberated from my past in so long.

I also wrote some short stories in the past month. They're mostly about the beauty of interracial relationships.

Sure, I'm a NW3 turning into a NW4, but I'm not letting it influence me.

I visit this forum just to see if there's any news from Intercytex, Aderans or Curis, etc... I have to be realistic and tell myself "I need money for these things". I work to get my degree, I've been thinking about an MBA when I'm done. I find good work, save up and invest.

A lot of positive things happening this year too persuade me to keep on moving like holding a part-time job for two and a half years now.

Keep on trucking Aplunk!

 

[JayB]

Aplunk, i got criticized like hell for saying this last time but get OFF THE ANTI DEPRESSANTS if you feel that you are strong enough to handle life without them and your anxiety only stems from hair loss.

I had terrible anxiety but mine was purely situational. It began with hair loss and continued because the more nervous i was, the more hair i lost which in turn created a vicious cycle. My life was really taking a turn for the worst and i talked all this over with a different doctor because the one i saw was intent on making me continue taking anti-depressants for like the rest of my life. PLEASE. I swear they must have stock in the pharmaceutical company that makes them or something.

Anyways, i relayed my thoughts and told the new Doctor if i can just get an anti-anxiety medication to take like xanax on a need-only basis, I will be fine. From day 1 i only wanted something to take to help me calm down WHEN and ONLY WHEN i needed it. I hated the idea of taking a pill every single day that was f*cking with my seratonin when i wasnt depressed, i just got very nervous at times. So without even questioning he prescribed me xanax. I took it resistantly when i first got it, but i truly needed it, id try to fight the nerves off but eventually i was like screw it i need to conquer this crap. Let me tell you something from a friend to another friend, by taking the xanax only when necessary, i stopped getting used to the feeling of anxiety. it became a distant memory, further and further distancing itself. The happy times became more normal again for me like they used to be. That is the key to beating anxiety. you have to retrain your brain and forget that feeling of anxiety that has now become your natural state of mind. Today i no longer need anything...occasionally before a huge exam or lab practical i will take a xanax so i dont get nervous and mess up the exam but other than that my prescriptions have ran out time after time because i dont take the drug anymore..no need to...



Seriously, go talk with a different doctor. Sorry if this was so long, and im not saying it will def work for you...we all have diff brains and chemicals and worse cases of problems, but i think it just might...And please get excercise, study, read, see movies-- keep yourself busy THAT IS SO KEY to overcoming your current state of mind

 

[Felk]

We are always getting older.

You might think - my early twenties will end soon, so Ill have to learn to live as an older person in my late twenties and find new things I enjoy.

But that will soon end, and you will have to adjust to life in your thirties.

You might have kids by then, which will take up lot's of your time till you're into your fifties perhaps.

And once they've finally grown up and are out of the house, you might think you can have more time to yourself and can "live out your days in retirement"

But this doesn't last long, you won't have to "learn to live as an elderly man" as if this is a problem, because soon your body catches up with you and your health gradually deteriorates, your friends are harder to find, your activities and ability to do meaningful things are constantly diminishing.

And closely following this, comes your death.

Now later on in the course of all this when you look back, will you really believe the problems you have now at your age are all that bad?

Now, please don't misunderstand this post, it's message is life-affirming and optimistic. Thinking about your death motivates you to use what time you have. You need to stop seeing everything in life as "problems you need to get over" but as "opportunities that are constantly passing you by"

"The secret to health for both mind and body, is not to mourn over the past or worry about the future, but live in the present both wisely and earnestly"

 

[powersam]

come to australia and soak yourself in sunlight. cures depression and also pale skin

me and felk will take you out for some goon bags and tanned blonde women. i prefer brunettes but you are the guest of course. its really not as far away as you think, only 25 or so hours on a plane.

 

[haleystudios]

i just wanted to say that ALL of you are AWESOME..... not only has this site help with decide on Armani, but also has helped my path in my life and help me realize that what i was going through was just a broken heart. i thought i need anit-depressed, but most people tell me when you have a broken heart time cures all things to this medium level.... anyway thanks guys....

you guys are knowledgable and determined

 

[Aplunk1]

Haley,
thank you for contributing to the best hairloss community on the website. I, too, will be checking out Armani in the coming months. Keep us updated!