Severe Anxiety about going to the hairdressers, just wondering if anyone else affected by that?

[Cranberry18]

Was at an appointment last week and it took over 3 hours. No matter how many times I go or if I change hairdressers its always the same.
I've been to cbt, mindfulness and they do help to an extent but it never goes away and I'm not long started on Sertraline.
I don't want to stop going, its just something I force myself to do and I never really feel comfortable but put up with it for the end result.
I do have quite a lot of social anxiety and autism runs in my family so I always wonder am I on the spectrum or something.
Just wondering are there any fellow sufferers on here?

my mum experiences a similar thing, and she now uses a mobile hairdresser who comes to her home. its much less stressful (she finds).

Yes I have the same, I actually rarely go, and just cut my own. But it's always in the back of my mind that I should go for some reason, and about once every 2 years I force myself to! So Well done for getting yourself there and through the appointment.

My 9yr old son has autism and we can't get an hairdresser near him as he panics and screams. He was fine until the September 3 yrs ago and he refuses to go into the shop and if it weren't for me holding on to him he would have run into the road. Same hairdresser he has always gone to and no buildup to the anxiety. Hairdresser has visited the school and no haircut. He's lucky he has blond ringlets so he looks just fine.

I have real difficulty at the hairdressers and never went once in my teens and twenties. I could not bear being touched by strangers. For me this was because of a history of abuse but I imagine that people with autism might have issues with touch as well.

Have somebody come to your house

I hate going to the hairdressers. I go once every 6 months or longer if I can stretch it out. I have pretty bad social anxiety and just don't know how to chat with someone I hardly know, for an hour or so. It gives me immense feelings of dread and a pressure feeling in my chest. I just can see the knowledge in their eyes that I'm off somehow. The last time I went I couldn't really hear what the hairdresser was saying and I just ended up ignoring her, it was hugely awkward, I saw her give me some kind of look I didn't get.

I also have been wondering if it's possible that I have Aspergers (ASD). There are a lot of other things that could indicate this...

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I get very paranoid at the hairdressers as I have schizo affective disorder.
I've changed salons recently so basically I go there & im paranoid that they are laughing at me & talking behind my back.
I go at a busy time so I know they'll have less chance to get together & talk about me.

It doesn't help that I have really fine hair that people comment on! Also I'm there for a couple of hours having highlights etc.

The only way to get over it I've found is to go there, fake confidence, read magazines, drink the tea (I sometimes think maybe they spit in my tea), and pretend I'm enjoying the experience.
I do that with everything I'm anxious about.
Just put on a front & jump in with both feet so to speak.

I get anxious about the hairdressers too.

For me it's being confined to one space and it's hard to leave quickly if necessary.

I would also recommend finding a mobile hairdresser.

I dont like going to the hairdressers either I get nervous I have social anxiety , I dont go much once a year or so , luckily it doesnt take that long for me I just get it cut nothing else so ten mins or so I dont speak to them much when they do it normally , maybe the one I go to isnt that good but they dont try to speak to me much maybe they get the impression Im not a talker an dont bother, which is good, probably some hairdressers dont want to have to talk either

I havent been to a hairdresser since i was 10
I hate being touched by strangers, especially my hair. Plus when i was 10 the hairdresser really screwed up, cut my almost ass length hair to above shoulder as a "trim" and i have no trust in them

I have a hard time at the hairdressers I have to sit with my back to the room and take my glasses off so I can't even see behind me in the mirror it's a nightmare. I just go in for dry trims now. I have to go more often but I'm not there for any more than 20 minutes my hairdresser was very understanding once I explained.

I hate them too. I don't like people touching my head and I think the vulnerability of someone altering your appearance in a way that can't be predicted and at times actually make you look worse, is a biggie.
You can get someone to come to your house which removes the 'bitchy' intimidating vibe that some salons have.

I really appreciate all your replies, I don't feel so alone about it now. I hope it gets easier for the fellow sufferers on this thread too.
I'm thinking about trying out a different hairdressers for the next time and if that doesn't last then I'll look into a mobile hairdresser as I checked Gumtree and I couldn't see any for my area at the minute.

What is the reason you're anxious about going? Instead of it feeling like some kind of chore or a place that is uncomfortable for you why not think of it as a treat and a bit of a pamper for yourself? Some you time that you totally deserve with a lovely fresh look to come out of it x

I know what you mean @DanielleThompson, trust me, I've tried to enjoy it, I just don't! The small talk I'm not brilliant with at the best of times. Then the group chats between the hairdressers and clients while I'm getting my hair done make me feel uncomfortable and boring because I never know what to say. Also the last place I went to ended up being a bit rude and a couple of them sniggered behind my back at a mistake one of them had done on my hair. So the bitchy cliquey thing was too high for me there.

I totally get what you mean, people don't always understand how their actions are affecting others and professional they aren't. I would seek a mobile hairdresser if you have tried a few as others have recommended x

I'm not saying all hairdressers are like that. I think its just I had been going there for a while and they had kind of let their guard down as I wasn't a new customer any more but when they caught on i had realised what they were laughing at they stopped. I'm probably over sensitive a bit because of the anxiety anyway but I didn't think that was professional considering one of them is 40! You think she would know better x

My DH is like this. He hates forced small talk / 'banter' with strangers (with people he knows, it's fine), and doesn't like being touched by people he doesn't know well. I think the last time he went was just before our wedding, 8 years ago! Since then he just gets me to cut it. A proper barber would definitely do a better job than me, but we get by with YouTube tutorial videos! The suggestion of a mobile hairdresser is a good one.

Your DH does sound like me regarding the small talk with strangers @AHeartAPenny. He's lucky he has you to be able to do that for him. It would be perfect if I had a friend or relation who did hairdressing, but I don't! I do think I'm gonna end up with a mobile hairdresser, it sounds the best solution. Though I need to track one down first.

Mobile hairdressers are often cheaper too.