Mental illness isn’t something to be brushed off, but it can be brushed out with the proper treatment and loving support.
An Iowa hair stylist recently helped spread the word about the severity of mental illness and the toll the condition takes on those who suffer from it.
Hairdresser Kayley Olsson discovered the effects of depression first hand and how it can make the simplest take of brushing one’s hair impossible when a teen came in and sought out her services.
A 16-year-old girl sat in her chair with hair that looked like a tangled nest because she hadn’t brushed it for so long. The girl had been suffering from depression for a few years and felt so worthless that she couldn’t even groom herself.
“She got to the point where she felt so down and so worthless she couldn’t even brush her hair, she told me she only got up to use the restroom,” Olsson wrote in a Facebook post. “She starts back at school in a few weeks but she has her school pictures today.”
The girl told Olsson just to chop it off, but Olsson wasn’t about to let that happen.
She spent 8 hours in one day and 5 hours the next trying to restore the girl’s hair to make her feel beautiful again.
“It honestly broke my heart and we tried everything we could to keep this child’s hair for her,” Olsson wrote. “At the end of the day, I want this to be a lesson to people. MENTAL HEALTH is a thing, it affects people all around the world and of all ages!
Olsson says she hopes that people take mental health seriously and not just push people who are feeling down to get over it. Their brains won’t allow it and don’t possess the coping skills to do so. They need professional help and support.
The love and care that Olsson put into helping the teen definitely paid off.
“I will actually smile for my school’s pictures today, you made me feel like me again,” the girl said, according to Olsson’s post.
Olsson’s post eventually went viral with more than 77,000 shares.
You can read the full post below:
Today I had one of the hardest experiences with my client who I am keeping anonymous, I had a 16 year girl come in with who has been dealing with severe depression for a few years now. She got to the point where she felt so down and so worthless she couldn’t even brush her hair, she told me she only got up to use the restroom.
She starts back at school in a few weeks but she has her school pictures today. When she walked in she told us just cut it all off I can’t deal with the pain of combing it out, she called herself worthless for it. It honestly broke my heart and we tried everything we could to keep this child’s hair for her! At the end of the day I want this to be a lesson to people.
MENTAL HEALTH is a thing, it effects people all around the world and of all ages! PARENTS take it serious don’t just push your kids off and tell them to get over something they legitimately can’t. A CHILD should NEVER feel so worthless to not even want to brush their hair.
After being here 8 hours yesterday and 5 hours today we finally made this beautiful girl smile and feel like she IS worth something! Her last words to me was
“I will actually smile for my schools pictures today, you made me feel like me again”
Many are applauding Olsson for bringing the effects of mental illness to light.
“Thank you, Kayley, for helping this young lady feel better about herself,” one Facebook user wrote. “Having dealt with something similar than this young lady, I thank my mom every day for recognizing I was going through a nervous breakdown and was on the verge of killing myself. My doctors and my counselor were awesome!! I speak openly about what I went through and still fight with every day. I hope me talking about what I experienced and that there was help out there, will help save another life.”
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