The notion of the "trauma haircut" — that is, making a drastic hair change during or after times of distress — is a pretty common one. In fact, Collins and Park opened up about their own "trauma haircuts" in a recent interview with the New York Times.
Hair holds emotional weight and memories, so much so that cutting it off can be a form of letting go of those memories that hold trauma, and a tool of empowerment.
For many survivors, the haircut as a symbol of emotional change represents that feeling of renewed empowerment: an indication that the person finally has control over her or his own life again, or at least some small part of it.
The emotional shedding process
A breakup or other traumatic experience are common times for us women to cut their hair as we see it is the one thing we can take immediate control of; we all know it is often a struggle to adjust our feelings and move on right away.
"When you feel poorly, it is natural to make changes to your external body in the hopes that it will make you feel better internally as well," Berman told InStyle. "There is something about a drastic cut that can feel cathartic after a break-up, like you are cutting off the dead weight and becoming lighter and freer."
It is symbolic of letting go of the past, getting out of our hair whatever has been troubling us, cutting old ties and lightening the load to go forwards into a new future.” She adds: “This doesn't mean that having long hair ties us into old tradition, however.
Cutting off one's hair is subconsciously a symbolic attempt to take control of one's thinking and make a change. It's therefore possible for hair hacking to be a symbolic “cry for help” from the subconscious mind.
Many people will see this occur. The type and amount of hormone present in your body when you are under stress will create changes to the texture of your hair.
“It's likely we are hardwired to feel emotionally connected to our hair,” says psychologist Vivian Diller, PhD. “We've associated it with status, wealth, and royalty since ancient times. Thick, rich hair has always meant health, sensuality, and youth, so it continues to mean that to women today.”
Its not abuse to insist on a short and sober style for a boy. However girls should be discouraged from cutting their hair, and it's abuse to cut it very short. Shaving the head as a punishment is a form of abuse. Legally, cutting off a person's hair without permission generally counts as assault.
As much as it seems like a bottle of bright-red dye is a cry for help, more than likely, actually a brave statement: “I'm still here, and I'm still me.” It's control, it's change, and it's fun–all valid reasons to switch things up.
For someone with bipolar, depression may become so intense that the sufferer is willing to inflict self-harm in order to escape or relieve his emotions. These self-mutilating acts (cutting, hair pulling, excessive scratching or head-banging) are dangerous in the moment and can leave lasting emotional scars.
“Tonsurephobia is the fear of getting a haircut. This something Samson had, for sure, but it is also something to a lesser extent some men fear when they enter a barber shop. This anxiety is increasingly the case when you get a little older.
Trichotemnomania: obsessive-compulsive habit of cutting or shaving the hair.
Trichotemnomania (TT) is characterized as the cutting or shaving of hair, which is an obsessive–compulsive habit. TT takes its name from a fusion of Greek words: thrix (hair), temnein (to cut), and mania (madness).
feel isolated — disinterested in the company of family and friends, or withdrawing from usual daily activities. feel overwhelmed — unable to concentrate or make decisions. be moody — feeling low or depression; feeling burnt out; emotional outbursts of uncontrollable anger, fear, helplessness or crying.
Playing with your hair is one of those actions everyone seems to do at least once during their day. Silkup explains that hair touching can be considered a symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in extreme cases, and is sometimes used as a coping mechanism to help people deal with feelings of anxiety.
Trichotillomania. This condition is an impulse control disorder caused by anxiety or stress. Often called “hair-pulling disorder,” people with trichotillomania have the irresistible urge to pull out their own hair, eyelashes or eyebrows. The area of hair loss is usually asymmetric and follows an irregular pattern.
Alterations in physical appearance are one quite common lifestyle change as a reaction to stressful events. Kiecolt (1994) postulated a theory of intentional self- change following multiple stress events, at least one of which being a critical stress event of personal significance.
So while it is true that your hair changes consistently over time, the seven year cycle applies to less and less of our head as you age. "As time goes on, the part of our hair that cycles every seven years is increasingly restricted to the back of our head," says Wesley.
As we've noted, damaged hair repair isn't possible because the protein bonds and cuticles have been permanently altered. Instead, the focus should be on maintaining hair to prevent further damage. If your hair is severely damaged, the most extreme solution is to cut it off and start fresh.
And according to Gilboa, some parents who employ shaming are genuinely trying to instill consequences. “However, humiliation tactics such as hair-cutting debase children without imparting lessons and can damage the relationship between parent and child,” she says. “What does cutting a girl's hair actually teach her?”
Changing things up with a hairstyle is a great way to boost confidence and when you feel good in a new haircut your self-esteem is instantly boosted as well. A new haircut also shows that you are not afraid of trying out new things and can be a way of getting out of your comfort zone.
Asymmetrical hair styles shows a woman as being more fun, adventurous and a go-getter like someone with a blunt cut. The blunt cuts show a person who is direct and to the point, not a time waster. Those who choose bald or shaved heads are romantics. The choice of color also speaks about your personality.