Why I'm Shaving My Head for Mental Health Month

I'm shaving my head for Britney Spears.

Well, that's partially true, anyway.

When Britney's public melt down and subsequent head-shaving occurred in 2008, that is one of the first times I saw mental health issues in a real person in a real way in a real public sphere.  It wasn't hushed up, it wasn't only talked about in whispers.  Yes tabloids were bastards and no she wasn't acting in her right mind, but I respect what she did.  It has never been said publicly what ailment Britney has, but a melt down she had nonetheless and some sort of mental illness, for sure.

So, when I say I'm shaving my head for Britney Spears I mean I'm shaving my head in solidarity of her and for each of us that suffers with a mental illness and doesn't hide it.  She undoubtedly was not making some kind of grand statement about mental illness, nor was she trying to bring attention to the issues, but she was trying to bring attention to her suffering.

When we use hashtags like #StigmaFree, that is what we are trying to do, too.  We are trying to bring attention to the suffering.

But we are also trying to normalize mental illness.

Since coming to terms with my mental illnesses, I have not been shy to discuss them.  I am not shy about the medications I take or the past I have.  This includes posting on social media.

Someone once told me to stop posting sad things on Facebook because people go to Facebook to "get their giggles."  I found this exceedingly offensive and am no longer friends with her on social media.  Do people go to Facebook for laughs?  Yes.  But social media is also an excellent way to share information and issues.  It's how I became vegetarian and then vegan.  There is a lot of power there.

This will also include my physical IRL life.

The hashtags we use and the suffering we experience are all a part of who we are and I don't think we should ignore any of it, nor should we ignore it in others.

Britney's breakdown in 2008 was so public and so painful.  I never made fun of her and my opinion silently changed of those who did.  It's the year I decided to see a therapist.  Even though I wouldn't go consistently for another few years, but it saved my life.  I don't remember if Britney's breakdown was a catalyst to that or a contributor in any way but looking back I can say that it definitely effected me.

So, when I say I'm shaving my head for Britney Spears I mean I'm shaving my head for me.

Please donate to this cause here.