I'm not exactly sure why I was singled out, but I can tell you that throughout that time, I was intent on fighting my hairloss, and even when it seemed hopeless, I refused to accept defeat, and living a compromised lifestyle where I had to alter my ideals to be happy.
2008-2010 were the worst years of my life, but those years spent "in isolation" were dedicated to fighting my hairloss. They were very tough emotionally, but have paid off and I am currently reaping the benefits.
Not only am I no longer depressed even though the effects of some of the residual emotional trauma remain, which I am still working on rectifying, but I have not lost any hair in 2 years, and furthermore have gained hair. My receded areas are less noticeable because my hair now grows in longer, darker, and thicker, and I have peach fuzz covering the bald spots, even though for the moment it is only superficial coverage as they can only be viewed in certain lighting.
With hairloss no longer plaguing my mind, my vitality has returned to me, and I feel reborn at 30. I honestly feel and look younger at 30 than I did at 25.
And beyond all of that, through the battle and the search for the treatment, it caused me to address certain lifestyle habits and choices, and I am far healthier now than I ever was.
So, in some weird twisted way, the hairloss was somewhat of a blessing as it not only likely increased my longevity, but it also enabled me to appreciate what I have to a much fuller extent, and not take things for granted which I did when I had an unbelievable head of hair in my late teens.
So while I tortured myself for a few years, it was worth it as opposed to just accepting it even though I had enough hair remaining to where I had a fighting chance, and I knew the window was limited before it was too late. Without addressing certain situations, I would've continued on the same path and continued to deteriorate physically. So my late 20s should've been some of the best years of my life, but they were sacrificed for longevity, and it has been worth it so far. It's just that at times things seemed bleak, and I wasn't sure that I'd ever find the solution, because I knew that the odds were against me, which everyone continued to remind me of.
I only replied to the OP because I sympathize and I can vividly recall the details of that time of my life.
And as for disqualifying myself from asking a girl out because of my hairloss, what I meant was that obviously my hair loss had effected my self-esteem adversely, and with feeling so dead inside, it certainly made me less personable, and thus, less than desirable.
