Peladophobia: (noun) From Spanish pelado (“bald”) + Ancient Greek φόβος (phóbos, “fear”) The fear of baldness and/or of bald people. When I turned 21 my brother was a nightclub DJ at two popular clubs in the SF Bay Area. I frequented both with a “no line, no cover” privilege. This status was second in street cache only to my white and gold Trans Am. In the local clubbing […]

Is there anything you love doing so much that you wouldn’t mind dying while you did it? Erotic asphyxiation? Gender reveal firework? Tiger selfie? Telling someone you’re vegan? Probably not. Why? Because if you love doing something , no matter what it is, you want to keep doing it. Which you can’t do if you’re […]

I used to be the life of the party and hoarded friends like wine corks. I don’t know when or why I acquiesced on solitude, but today I prefer HBO and my own company. And it was long before a pandemic afforded me the excuse for social exile. As I age, I also find myself […]

Despite driving a pickup and owning steel-toed boots, I’m not a “man’s man.” I don’t look or sound tough, and I feel awkward at Home Depot. I own a gun, but it’s for caulking bathrooms. My life is a dichotomy in that I’ve spent years in Taekwondo, love football and rodeos, but have an affinity […]

Humans are incapable of unconditional love and support. We aren’t Jesus or Golden Retrievers. But friendships often get tested, which can determine if they fulfill even the basic tenets of a steadfast alliance. Nothing separates friendship wheat and chaff like personal crisis. The issue has less to do with the strength of the bond, and […]

101 Ways to Conquer Teen Anxiety made it to the Best Panic Attack Books of All Time We are happy to announce that 101 Ways to Conquer Teen Anxiety: Simple Tips, Techniques and Strategies for Overcoming Anxiety, Worry and Panic Attacks, made it to BookAuthority’s Best Panic Attack Books of All Time. BookAuthority collects and […]

It’s no surprise that levels of anxiety are surging right now. Repeated waves of COVID-19, and the lockdowns they bring in their wake, make this an incredibly difficult time for our mental health. There are many contributing factors to anxiety – with our lifestyle, environment, genetics, and even hormonal imbalances all having their part to […]

Have you ever wanted to use a taser on your own leg? Or, name your baby “Apple?” Or, get published to State of Anxiety? Well, your anxious, wayward dinghy has come in. For the first time ever, we’re interested in reppin’ and showcasing other voices. **(1) Are we lazy? (2) Guilt-ridden for years of ignoring […]

We tell people in the throes of adversity silly things in attempts to placate their angst. We also bask ourselves in a litany of clichés during stressful times to counter emotional suffering. We post them to social media, or tape them to our fridge next to that “Live, Love, Laugh” trope and the grocery list. […]