Getting a haircut

[Guest]

I dread that time where I need to go the hairdresser. I just sit there while they do my hair just hoping they don't start a conversation. If they do I always feel rude because I'll answer with a one or two word answer. Like "Are you up to anything this weekend?" then I'll answer "not much" I feel so embarrassed and it's so awkward sitting there. I wouldn't mind talking to them, I can just never think of anything to say.

 

[Costello]

Then tell them that. Without getting TOO personal, tell them about your anxiety in a lighthearted manner. Then turn the conversation towards the hairdresser and start asking questions about him/her.

 

[Guest]

I feel similar. I mean they just start to talk about some crap and I am sitting there and thinking "Stop talking, do my haircut! I will not look better anyway." I really hate it when thy kinda force you into a conversation, but they soon see that I am weird and stop talking with me.

 

[Guest]

Oh sitting in the hairdressers chair and being at their mercy is the worst. I never really trust them to do my hair the way I want them to, even when I describe how I want it, in great detail.


And then the talking horrible, I don't know them and then they want me to tell them my life story? No! Everyone is so extroverted. Gosh that annoys me so much.


I have been to one yesterday and he could not shut up, the only thing I said was 'yea yea' and 'really?'


And then he messed my hair up. I just wanted to scream at him, that he should concentrate on my hair not just talk talk talk.

 

[justsayyes]

You're not obligated to talk to them. Just do what feels right to you. It may seem rude but you're not exactly there to chat. If the hairdressers would get that hint that you're not down with talking, that's good. I've been to the same situations and for a long time i keep blaming myself for making a big deal out of the smallest things, so things like this doesn't bother me anymore. I talk when I'm comfortable. In similar situation, If i'm in a good mood, i do engage with hairdressers sometimes, but i always make it a point to ask whatever questions so they do most of the talking while i just sit there and listen (or pretend to listen). If they ask about me, i keep my answers short.

 

[pwarbi]

Back when my anxiety was at it's worst, going to get my haircut was something that I had to try and psych myself up for a few days before I actually went. The whole process was a challenge for me, from actually getting out of the house, going siting in a room full of people I didn't know, to having to try and make a conversation when I was actually having my hair done. There have been times when it's only been half done and I've felt like just getting up out of the chair and walking out, but thankfully I never got to that point.


I'm sure that walking round with an half cut haircut wouldn't have done my self esteem any good anyway and then that would have been something else for me to wory about!

 

[amy88]

My regular hairdresser knows me well enough to be light on the small talk - and I'm a lot more comfortable around her because of that.


I do get anxious though at any kind of appointment where small talk seems inevitable, like at manicure and pedicure appointments, for instance. I tend to just to my own nails because of that.


At times where my regular hairdresser has been away, I am the kind of person that just tries to look at magazines or something while they cut my hair. I feel like if I look like I'm focused on reading, they tend to keep the chat to a minimum

 

[lexinonomous]

I am a cosmetology student and have experienced silent clients before. I usually understand immediately. I assume that when people do not want to speak, it is due to either anxiety or simply having a bad day. I will try to make lighthearted conversation, but take a step back when I'm not getting any sort of response. As someone that has dealt with clients, let me tell you this...We will not judge you if you're not willing to have a conversation. You could even tell us that you have a bit of anxiety and apologize for being so quiet. Usually this will get us to understand and stop trying to talk to you. It's hard to not talk to a customer because we spend our lives talking to people in our chair. When you step into a salon, you need to realize that it's all about you and your comfort. We want you to feel welcome, happy, and comfortable. If that means not talking, so be it.

 

[vegito12]

I think it is stressful when you have to wait to get the haircut done as there can be many people and it can be something which can take time as some days there may be few hairdressers and more people so it means a longer wait time, and also if the hair is bigger then it can take longer to cut my hair and the cost is cheap so check the price when going to a haircut shop as some can be higher than others or cheaper so you can save some money in the process as well. I have seen some people who do try to get a conversation going and depending on my mood it depends on how much I want to talk and sometimes I think about the way the hair is cut as curly hair is something which people don't usually have experience with and the hair dresser usually puts water in my hair so that my hair can be cut and it can take time to cut for some of the new people. I have seen majority of the people see how the customer is feeling and choose their words carefully and if the person does not want to talk that much then they only have brief conversations and don't lead it to a long one which the customer does not want and it can be nice when the worker understands the customers needs and expressions as well.

 

[SirJoe]

The good thing about hair dresses is that they don't expect you to talk. They don't mind if you just sit there when you have your hair cut. They might try to start talking to you but will soon realize that you are not in the mood to talk and won't press you into talking.

 

[joshposh]

Honesty is the best policy. Just let them know that you are not trying to be rude and that you have a lot on your mind. There's nothing wrong with that, as I'm sure they have ran into a lot of people that say the same thing. Also, always remember that you are the customer, and the customer is always right.

 

[John Snort]

The one thing about avoiding talking to others is that you get yourself to believe that conversing with strangers or people you meet occasionally is really hard or it makes you uncomfortable, the moment you believe it, you'll find that it actually is [hard] and this avoidance will spread to other areas of your life. If you believe something is hard you could put it off till later. Though talking to your hair dresser might make you feel uncomfortable you ought to do some talking even if it's answering their questions with as few words possible. You'll find out that eventually conversing with the hair dresser gets easier.

 

[ProNine]

I don't actually have that kind of fear. However, what does have to do with hairdressers and haircuts are two things. First of all, I'm worried that the whole time I'm sitting there, I'm actually making the process more difficult by not tilting my head in a right way or that he'll keep having to fix it, and as such, I'm being a nuisance to the hair dresser. As for the haircuts, I'm actually concerned that if I cut my hair too short, my face will become too visible in public, and that I'd stand out because of my newly acquired hair cut.