Have you ever dreamed of owning a pair of sunglasses that could wipe your ass, clean your tub and call you pretty? Me either but when I heard about a pair that might help with anxiety I had to test it out.
Trick or Treatment: Wellness Week LA Recap
I swear I meant to post this before I left for our trip to Scotland (pix on my Insta right here!) but omg you guys. I realized I hadn't purchased the required nude shoes to go with my bridesmaid dress, so the week before we left my life became all about that journey instead. Anyway please excuse the delay as I transition back into our regularly scheduled mental health bloggery.
Saunas, Sweating, & Suicide: My Last Day at Wellness Week LA #TrickOrTreatment
Trick or Treatment exists to help those on their mental health journey find a treatment plan that is tailored to their needs. Sometimes therapy and meds aren't enough. Sometimes we can't afford or gain access to traditional treatments. Occasionally certain options just aren't our style. Trick or Treatment isn't about the products I review or the places I visit or the events I may attend. It's about shedding light on as many potential mental health treatments as I can gain access to, so that readers of this blog may be presented with an abundance of options to try themselves. Society may refer to these options as wellness "cliches," but much of these cliches are only described that way because they are truly beneficial to the many who use them.
Can a Stretch a Day Keep the Crazies at Bay? #TrickOrTreatment
Welcome to Trick or Treatment! The series where I test out cliche, wellness trends to see if they will make my mental illness journey less of a fucking mess. You can read the previous #TT on meditation right HERE if you’re new to my blog or missed my last installment. This particular Trick or Treatment is part of my experience at Wellness Week LA; a health/lifestyle event from June 3rd-June 10th, 2018. Ticket holders are matched with various fitness, nutritional, and self-care activities in the city, depending on their interests. If you'd like more information on WWLA, or the business I mention below, click their names for more!
Modern Meditation Classes: Stress Relief or Whitewashed, LA Bullshit? #TrickOrTreatment
I am the only one in LA who has ever taken a photo like this.
Welcome back to one of my favorite blog segments; Trick or Treatment! The series where I test out cliche, wellness trends to see if they will make my mental illness journey less of a fucking mess. You can read the previous #TT right HERE if you’re new to my blog or missed my last installment. This particular Trick or Treatment is part of my experience at Wellness Week LA; a health/lifestyle event from June 3rd-June 10th. Ticket holders are matched with various fitness, nutritional, and self-care activities in the city, depending on their interests. If you'd like more information on WWLA, or the business I mention below, click their names for more!
Trick or Treatment: I Drank This Magic Xanax Tea For a Week and Mental Illness Is Officially Cancelled
It's that time again! Sure, my blog is called Take Your Pills, but I know damn well that meds are not the only way to deal with mental illness. I'm always looking for different shit I can put in, on, or around my body to supplement my medicated journey, which is why I started #TrickOrTreatment. In case you missed the first one (you can go back and read it here), this segment aims to test out various alternatives to western medicine and traditional therapy.
Therapy Thursday # 10: I Tried Anger Management So You Don't Have To (But Maybe You Should, Tbh?)
TOPIC: How to tell if you're trying to win an argument instead working through one productively. According to my anger management class, winning an argument is not the goal, and only leads to the creation of more problems.
WHEN TO USE: If you have trouble resolving arguments with loved ones or people in general. If you tend to fight dirty and use insults, underhanded comments, physical harm, and other emotionally abusive tactics. If you're often irritable or lash out at others. If you think you could benefit from anger management.
HOW TO USE (With Examples): Here's how to tell if you're trying to win:
-You point the finger at the other person: "It's your fault I'm like this!"
-You bring up blackmail-worthy information to hurt the other person: "Remember when you dated that abusive guy before me? No wonder you're abusive too."
-You bring up past history: "Well, at 3 pm on October 7th, 1982 you forgot to wash the dishes! Why are you getting mad at me for forgetting today?!"
-You use black and white statements like 'you always' or 'you never:' "You ALWAYS forget to wash the dishes!"
-You become passive aggressive: You expect your partner to read your mind. You expect them to know how you feel without your having to express it.
-You use statements like, 'you're just like [insert person or thing here!]:' "You're just like my abusive ex-boyfriends' dog!"
WHY IT'S LEGIT: Realistically it's probably going to be hard to catch yourself doing these things right away. It has been for me. If I'm arguing with my significant other, for example, I like to have him catch me mid-fight when I accidentally pull one of those moves above. It's annoying but it helps me wake up and realize that I'm just trying to win and be mean.
ABOUT THERAPY THURSDAY: Join me every Thursday on my Instagram story (@domjoellehaikel) as I share with you a new tip/trick I learned in therapy over the years. If you can't catch the stories in time, look out for written recaps like these or on my