Uncombable Hair Syndrome

A couple weeks ago, I read an article about a white girl who has uncombable
hair syndrome. I thought it was a joke, but it wasn't. At adolescence a lot of
children outgrow their uncombable hair syndrome, but I can tell you as a
black person it never leaves.

I still can't believe that this kind of hair in non-blacks is considered a
syndrome. My hair has been uncombable since I can remember. When I
was a young child, I had my hair pressed, so it would be straight, and that
made it easy to comb. The only drawback (aside from having a hot comb
being pulled through my hair) was as soon as my hair got wet it was uncomb-
able again. When I was 11, I got a Jerry Curl. The Jerry Curl required hours
of my time. At first I had to have my hair shampooed. Then it was chemically
straightened, rinsed, rolled on perm rods, drenched in processing lotion, rinsed
again with the rollers in, and rinsed without the rollers. And then I had to spray
curl activator on my hair every day. After awhile, my hair was so over proc-
essed from the Jerry Curl that it looked lifeless. A couple years later I got a
relaxer, and it straightens the new growth only, but when it was put over my
Jerry Curl most of my hair fell out. After my hair grew back, I continued to get
relaxers, but I don't like those either. Sodium Hydroxide, the main ingredient
in most relaxers, is also the main ingredient in drain cleaner. That doesn't
sound safe does it? I've been getting relaxers for years, but I don't want to get
those anymore.

I was never taught to love the hair I was born with, but now I'm going to find
out what it's like to love my hair without pressing it or using chemicals to
straighten it.

When You Need Mental Help

I don't dismiss psychiatrist or psychologist, but they don't always know
how it feels to be going through what you're going through.

When I was a child I was mean and unhappy, so my parents took me to
therapists. My father said that when I talked to therapists I told them what
they wanted to hear, and when we'd get home I'd go right back to being the
same way. I only remember one therapist...As I sat across from this guy, he
tossed a thick hardback book down on the table in front of me and yelled,
"You need to read this!" I don't know what book it was, but I think he was in
need of some therapy too.

My low self-esteem was making me crazy. I think if I would've had someone
to talk to who had recovered from low self-esteem, that person could've given
me some advice on how to like myself and how to be happy.

I think sometimes you need to speak with someone who knows how it feels
to be in your situation. If you've been abused, talk to a therapist who was
abused, and improved their life in spite of the abuse. If you have a drug
problem, talk to an advisor who was once on drugs, but now has a sober and
healthy life. If you're being bullied, find someone who was bullied who was
able to lift their self-esteem...But if you can't find someone to talk to who 
has had your unique issue you need to talk to someone who will listen to 
you who has a kind heart. Talking to anyone is better than talking to no 
one.