Mental illness can affect sufferers in many different ways.
For some, it may cripple their sense of self-esteem, distort the way they view their appearance, create a dark cloud over thoughts about their future, and bring about a sense of loss, confusion and dissatisfaction with the world around them.
While time, therapy, medical assistance, family and friends may help sufferers learn to cope or overcome the psychological disease, for others, it can be the help and compassion of a stranger who, even for a few hours, may give them the slightest bit of hope that life needn't be so lonely and dark.
Last week, hairdresser Kayley Olsson took to Facebook to share the heartwarming story of a 16-year-old who, she wrote, was too depressed to brush her hair.
Olsson reveals the young girl came in for an appointment, asking to have her hair cut off in order to avoid the 'the pain of combing it out' for a forthcoming school picture.
She wrote of her client: '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.'
After thirteen hours of un-matting the girl's hair and curling it into ringlets, Olsson explained: 'We finally made this beautiful girl smile and feel like she IS worth something!
'Her last words to me were: "I will actually smile for my schools pictures today, you made me feel like me again"'
The hairdresser urged her followers to realise the importance of recognising the severity of mental health.
'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,' she wrote.
Here's the text in full:
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"
Here come the tears, again.
