Sometimes when we are under constant negative stress our hair falls out, turns gray or changes drastically from what it was before the stress. Before I go any further, I want to define “negative stress” as I see it.

If I go to the gym to work out, I am applying “positive stress” to my muscles so that they will respond by growing, thus making me stronger.  Negative stress on the other hand is stress that we put on ourselves that negatively effects our mental or physical well being.  Tony Robbins says that “stress is another word for fear.” If you think about it it is really true.  Negative stress is a mindset and below I will go into more detail on how I address it in a positive way.

( Note: I will be referring to “negative stress” as “stress” in the following paragraphs for simplification.)

Trauma, grief or depression can have many adverse effects on your body and your hair can be an external reflection of what is going on inside your body.

If the stress is external and not controllable by you or your decisions, you may want to find a therapist, counselor, group or clergy-person who can help you not only cope with the stress, but also give you tools to overcome the stress.

If your stress is internal, an effect of your decisions, it is controllable or manageable.  If this is the case, you can and should do something about it.  If you are alone in the matter, talk to a friend or family member who generally has a positive outlook on life.  If you are stressing about your hair loss, as I stated earlier, you are only making it worse.  Most people are like you and don’t have time to worry about other people (let alone their hair).

Evaluate the situation.  Is it as bad as you think?  Probably not! If you are overworked at your job or in your entrepreneurial endeavor, why are you?  Break it down.  Do you have to work the way you have been and are right now?  In most cases you can answer, “No.”  If it is temporary, look at it as such.  Mark on your calendar when the pressure will end (seasonal demand, meeting sales goal, pay off a certain debt, etc.).

If it is financially-based stress, and you are overwhelmed with payments or credit card debt, and are having trouble making payments, get help now.  There are organizations that will help you through it.  Many in your community (non-profit, church, synagogue) will do it at little or no cost – these people know you already have financial pressure and the last thing they want to do is add to it. There are also credit management firms who help you to consolidate your debt to one easy payment, ease you through the debt unloading process and protect you from bankruptcy.

Is what you are facing going to make a difference five years from now?

1.      Write out the Problem that is stressing you out as succinctly as possible

2.      Make it “Worse than Reality.”

3.      Write your “Reality Check.”

4.      Write out 3 – 10 ways you could possibly move forward with solving

the problem.  Some of the solutions may be just for fun, but get the        juices flowing.

5.      Move forward on one of the possible solutions – “Take Action”

Here is an example:

Problem: My hair is thinning out.

Worse than Reality:  I will be bald and all my friends will leave me.  Beautiful women will laugh at me. I will lose my job because of my hair loss.

Reality Check: I notice that my hair is thinning and I want to do something about it before it becomes more noticeable.  I want to feel more comfortable with my appearance when I go out and when I am giving presentations. Basically it comes down to maintaining or improving  my self confidence or self esteem.

Possible solutions:

1.      Follow Dave’s 10-Minute Method

2.      Try Saw Palmetto supplements for four months and track results

3.      Look into hair transplants

4.      Get my friend Cindy’s honest and confidential assessment about what women may think about my hair

5.      Read up on and work on being a more outgoing person

6.      Make a million dollars to compensate for my thinning hair ; )

7.      Buy a Corvette to compensate for my thinning hair :0

8.      Join a religion where I must always wear a head covering : )

9.      Shave my head two days before I go on vacation to Hawaii for two weeks to see how I like it

10.  Take supplements

11.  Stand on my head to increase circulation and stimulate my scalp

12.  Glue my fallen hair back onto head : )

13.  Get back into running with Tom

Take Action: Wednesday – go to Walgreens and pick up items for Dave’s 10-MM and my personalized program.  Thursday – Start Dave’s 10-Minute Method and follow it for three months then reevaluate.  Take Men’s Multi with good amounts of Zinc, Vitamin B6, B12, C and take a Saw Palmetto supplement.  Eat more salmon, nuts, lean meat and salad.  Lie on my bed and bow my head to the floor for two minutes every day.  Count hair fall out and track my my personal progress.

Now your issue is written out and is not a generalized fear that circles around in your conscious and subconscious mind day in and day out.  Writing it down makes you take a good look at your fear and helps you to see it for what it actually is.