Last night was day 4 of an extreme meltdown for me. I’m having SEVERE anxiety and intrusive/obsessive thoughts about my hair everyday to the point where I had to cover all the mirrors in my house, since a hairdresser bleached it all 2 months ago when I asked to not have bleach put on it, and it’s broken off and thinned severely as well as the colour being ruined. About 4 days ago my scalp started getting this burning/prickly sunburn sensation (could be an allergic reaction to new shampoo, could be anxiety) but in my mind it’s only heightened my paranoia and made me even more worried about potential hair loss.

I had to call 111 at 1am last night (UK) because I could no longer cope with anything, I was shaking uncontrollably and having heart palpitations and I’d been crying non stop since 2pm and this had gone on for 4 days with less than 3 hours sleep a night. Ended up on the phone to the crisis team and have been prescribed 15mg of diazepam for 2 days until I can next see my GP. 

My anxiety and paranoia is all focused on my hair right now. I had thin hair naturally, then lost about 25% of it after having covid and another 25% at least since this hairdresser damaged it. 

Now I’m paranoid that taking this diazepam is going to affect my hair. I obviously straight away googled it after taking the first 5mg dose and apparently it remains in your hair for 90 days ?! And there’s articles about hair loss from taking it. Now I’m even more paranoid and the obsession and meltdown cycle of thoughts is beginning again. 

I don’t know if anyone here can help or advise on this matter or has experience with taking diazepam short term?