Loss of Hair by Joany

Loss of Hair by Joany - May 2023 Scholarship Essay

“Joany stop pulling your hair out,” my mom said “Sorry, Ma I can’t help it,” I said.
At the beginning of my junior year, I developed a habit of pulling strands of my hair out. This is when my fascination with our behavior began. I asked myself why I did this and why I couldn’t stop doing it.
That summer I enrolled in a psychology class taught by a psychologist who really showed me the different aspects of psychology and how it affects our everyday life. That was the first time I realized the importance of mental health. Coming from a low-income community, I was never exposed to mental health resources, I was raised that our mental health was not important. It was not until that summer and the AP Psychology class I am currently taking that I realized the importance of our mental health. After being exposed to these classes, I realized I had signs of anxiety but had no treatment assistance due to the lack of resources I am exposed to.
I realized that my fascination with our behavior could help my community that lacked mental health awareness. Pursuing psychology and continuing my education in medical school to become a psychiatrist could provide back to my community. I want to be that person that pushes the conversation about mental health in our communities.