Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicolas Srut.
Hi Nicolas, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In the beginning–there was a little boy who was just 7 years old who had his hair begin to fall out. While this came as a huge shock to me and my family, we thankfully knew the culprit–alopecia–because my grandfather had the very same condition that causes hair loss. For me, I started to lose my hair in patches. A clump here, a clump there, and inevitably leading to losing it all. Though you can imagine that as a 7 year old, I did NOT want to shave my head completely bald, and even if I only had a few patches of hair, it was better than nothing. My mom was the one who helped me take that final leap of faith. And to tell you the truth? It wasn’t as bad as I thought socially–until middle school.
For whatever reason, MIDDLE SCHOOL is where being bald became an extreme oddity, and made me an easy target for bullying. The first girl I ever liked told me when I asked her out, “I like you a lot, Nico…I just think I would like you more if you had hair.”
The next girl said the very same thing. So in 7th grade, I went to get a professional wig for people with hair loss because suddenly through the physical and emotional bullying from my male peers, and the emotional pain of constant rejection from the girls I liked, I figured that a person NEEDS HAIR to be accepted and loved. Of course, this is simply not the case. But it is what I needed for my own self-worth and self-image at the time.
Fast forward to 9th grade, freshman year of high school, when I realized that I was sick of hiding. I was a very athletic kid, and I was involved in tennis all throughout my school years–so I had to wear special adhesive to keep that wig on while I went to play tennis every day after school. The thought that I was one bad glue job away from the wig slipping off, or one hair pull away from total social rejection made me feel like I had a dirty secret. I felt like a fraud. I felt like I was lying to everyone. I didn’t feel like me.
So, I decided one day as I was getting my passport renewed to take my picture without the wig, after having worn it for 2 years. As I was getting ready to go get it renewed, I thought to myself, “Okay, I know I am getting sick of hiding. I’m sick of not being me. Do I really want the photo on my passport for the next 10 years to be of some coward with a wig–or do I want it to be of ME?” Of course I chose the latter.
To my surprise, the first day I went back to school, totally bald this time, only ONE person asked me about it. Everyone was really cool about it. I also think because I went in with the right attitude of “this is me”–people just didn’t question it.
As my authentic self, I made more friends, felt at ease, let my personality shine through, and actually had my first serious healthy relationship. And get this: she said what really made her attracted to me more was when she saw me take off the wig. She found it to be truly inspiring.
After really learning to love myself bald again, and being able to step into my own power, I realized that no matter what I did professionally, I wanted to be able to help people like me with alopecia learn to be confident and comfortable in their own skin. Since my family is Indian and Czech, having both immigrated to America in previous generations, and both sides being in the medical field (my Dad is a doctor and my mom is a nurse), expectations for my level of education were high. Very high. But I knew in my heart of hearts I didn’t want to be a doctor. My parents were cool with that idea–as long as I was still successful and making good money in something else. I have come to understand that they really just wanted to see me not struggle. All this to say that when I saw the opportunity to utilize social media to share my voice, to be that representation for people with alopecia, and to create my own alopecia mentoring organization, The Naked Confidence Campaign–they were flabbergasted at my proposal. But more than anyone, my mom, stepdad, and sister saw that fire in me. They knew that there was no stopping me if I set my mind to something. And although they may not have understood it–they believed in me.
After my first hilarious viral video where someone asked me “Where are your eyebrows?” And I drew on angry eyebrows in response to their question, I had a guy with alopecia named Mike message me. He confided in me that he wears fake eyebrows in public and a hat, and seeing this silly video of me moved him, because he wanted the confidence I had to embrace my alopecia. He wanted to ditch the hat and the brows and just be himself. I put my heart and soul into Mike and I’s conversation. And a few days later, he messages me again. And guess what? He did it. For the first time, Mike went in public without a hat or fake eyebrows. He thanked me. I thanked HIM for the chance to help, and I applauded him for his commitment to himself. It was from this moment that I truly realized what social media could become. Finally, I would have the opportunity to help MY people. And as time has gone along, I realized that my message was not just for people with alopecia–it was for everyone. Embracing the thing that makes you unique, and choosing to be yourself despite how you might see yourself as “different,” despite the bullying, despite any ridicule–is a message for everyone. And I’ve been able to broadcast that through a plethora of hilarious videos.
Now, 5 years later, I went from one silly viral video that garnered me 3000 followers, to hundreds of viral videos, over 16 million followers across all of my socials, grossing over 10 BILLION views–all by showing people they can be confident and comfortable in their own skin. I have been a featured creator at VidCon and was able to speak about alopecia and self-acceptance on panels. I had a segment in Jada Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk to discuss alopecia. I have been able to create my own international organization The Naked Confidence Campaign that reaches hundreds of alopecians worldwide, and we do hangouts on zoom every month where we talk self-confidence, personal growth, and well–just life! For the first time since I’ve been a kid, where I knew no one else with alopecia, I now know hundreds of people across the globe with alopecia, and have met dozens personally.
I wanted to be able to help people like me accept and love themselves as they are–and I have been able to accomplish that, and SO MUCH MORE. One of the things I’m proudest of is the DMs I’ve received from hundreds of people thanking me for my videos and how they helped them with their self-confidence, from people both with and without alopecia. One in particular that stands out to me is a teen who told me that the reason he believes he is not bullied in school is because of my videos. He was able to mention that he has alopecia, the same condition as me, and because the kids understood that, they didn’t bully him. That’s amazing. The dream that I had at 14 became a reality just a few short years later when I was 20. And it is still alive and well today. I am happy to help people grow in their own self-confidence and self-worth. I truly believe everyone is worthy of all the great things life has to offer, and nothing that makes them different should keep them from it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
After starting my journey as a content creator, it has not been a smooth journey at all. Only 2 years into my journey, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mood disorder characterized by short periods of extreme energy (which is a huge oversimplification) and longer periods of devastating depression. It is said that for people with bipolar disorder, 1 in 3 have an attempt at their own life. 1 in 4 are successful. That is how devastatingly depressed we can get–and I am proud to admit that I survived those depressive episodes in states where I absolutely wanted to leave this world. The depression is something largely out of your control. And for me, it affects my mental cognition to a debilitating level. To put it in simple terms, imagine you know yourself to be brilliant, creative, outgoing, and competent one moment. Then the very next, for absolutely no reason, suddenly your brain power stoops so low that you can barely hold a conversation, you can’t follow a TV plot line to save your life (it’s like having pseudo-dimentia), you can’t pick up and learn new information well, your creativity is shot, you can barely speak, your physical coordination goes out the door, and overall you become a shell of a human, with a horrible sinking feeling in your chest 24/7. Every task becomes grueling. The mere thought of getting out of bed feels like an impossibility. I felt like pure misery personified. And for no reason other than a neurological and chemical imbalance entirely out of my control.
I was struggling with this, this inability to work, be creative, and express myself, communicate with people effectively and entertain people–all after I dropped out of college and decided to pursue something incredibly difficult to find a. career in. Imagine making your dream come true against all odds, going against your family’s teachings, to watch it all seem to fall apart because of a mental health condition you can’t control that robs you of your personality, and, well, EVERYTHING that makes you who you are? It’s enough to make someone want to take their own life. And I nearly did. Not until I found a great psychiatrist who was able to give me the proper diagnosis, help me find medication, and help me stabilize my mood and find a sense of balance again. To this day, I still stave off depression, but I am in a much better place.
I feel more like myself again, I am able to be me, and I am able to make videos that bring people joy, I have my creativity back, I am out socializing again (for a while I was agoraphobic), I am able to do what I love, and life is good. Because I was my own mental health advocate, because I knew I needed help–I was able to heal. I take my meds every day, I go to therapy every week, I go for walks every day, I eat a clean diet, I socialize, I stay creative, and I do all the right things to fight depression. These things are key to staying balanced. And I wouldn’t trade bipolar disorder for anything. The powers of empathy and human understanding it has given me are unparalleled. To know that life can throw challenges at us far out of our control has been able to help me forgive others and love others no matter what.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I feel I have answered this question in the first part paragraph I submitted.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I enjoy reading a lot. One of the most transformative books I have ever read is Greenlights by Matthew MacConaughey. For anyone looking to deepen their understanding of themselves, learn to ask themselves the right questions to know their purpose, or who just wants an inspiring read that can motivate them–I highly recommend it. I also enjoy the philosophers who teach more Eastern ideals, Alan Watts and Ram Dass. The teachings that life’s purpose is to enjoy it, and that everlasting peace comes from truly loving what you do, and finding ways to bring service to others, and to listen to the universe more to understand what you need to do to achieve self-realization are things I keep in mind every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/theromanempire
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