Malika Haqq Quit Xanax For This Natural Alternative To Manage Her Anxiety
When I was little, my anxiety manifested in the form of stomach aches. Birthdays, Christmases, funerals, and first days of school were often accompanied by packs of Alka Seltzer and indescribable pain. As an adult, these stomach aches evolved into behavioral challenges and for the first time I was prescribed anti-anxiety medicine.
Klonopin, a pill that I later learned is a common drug in the prescription addiction world, was everything I didn't need in my life. First came the panic attacks, then came the blackouts, and finally, I decided that I was done with pills.
That is, until I took my very first ride to Xanny land and fell in love.
In college, I became dependent on unprescribed meds, namely Adderall and Xanax; one lifted me up while the other brought me back down and soon my addiction became the only way to feel normal. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, my experience is not unique and anxiety disorders affect nearly 40 million people across America. One of those people is 35-year-old actress Malika Haqq who recently said that after years of battling anxiety, she was able to trade in her Xanax for CBD oil.
In a recent interview with People, Malika got real about suffering in silence and the mentality shift that ultimately led her to ditch prescription pills:
"A lot of anxiety is very much about the way you process things in your head. So for me, I actually am processing that I'm doing better and feeling better because I'm doing something that's better for myself. It's crazy, but the truth is it really does help. It honestly has done a world of difference for me where anxiety is concerned."
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star said that while seeing a therapist for her anxiety issues, she discovered the Boston-based full-spectrum CBD line, beam, which has changed her life in more ways than she could have imagined. Malika says that since starting this new wellness practice, she's become the candy lady in her circle of friends, except her "candy" just happens to be CBD oil. CBD, which is legal across all 50 states, is now included in a number of natural beauty, skin, and health products, and for Malika, has been a game-changer when it comes to her perspective on anxiety for the better:
"It's almost like hitting a reset button that makes your body go back to a balanced state. It has been the reset button for me that balances everything out. It's not a heightened moment, it's not a dull moment, it's just right. And it's instant. I would relate it to if you're thirsty and you drink water, however long it takes to feel hydrated is how long it takes for the CBD to kick in, in my personal experience."
Don't get it confused, chemical imbalances are real, sis; Malika is NOT telling you to trade in your psychiatrist for a bag of weed and some CBD oil. The actress says that while Xanax is no longer how she chooses to manage her anxiety, there was a point in time where medication was totally necessary.
"It isn't that those things didn't help me, but I actually needed to be on medication. But the older I've gotten, I've gotten wiser and more protective of myself and the things I put in my body."
As a reality star that is constantly in the public eye, Malika says that initially it was difficult to open up about her struggles with mental illness publicly. Nobody can lie to you like you can, but as you get older, denial gets old, too. Malika said that ultimately her decision to talk about her anxiety came out of a need to be honest with herself:
"I think that the more you mature and become self-aware, you spend less time caring about what people think about what you're doing and spend more time actually taking care of yourself and your well-being. What I've learned is the best way to handle or deal with your discomforts in life is to be honest about them."
She said that although it isn't necessary to spill all your tea, sometimes the strongest thing you can do is find the courage to ask for help:
"It doesn't mean you have to scream them from the rooftops, but it's almost impossible to get help with something that people don't know about. So often we struggle with things out of fear that someone will judge us. There are so many people that are afraid to say, 'I'm struggling.' I'm going, 'I struggled, and I still do with stress on a daily basis.' I'm happy to be someone that's out there going, 'You don't have to speak up, I'll speak up for us.'"
Anyone with anxiety knows that living with mental illness is a marathon, not a sprint. Although every day is a new battle to become free of fear, she's headed into her newfound lifestyle with a warrior's mentality:
"Some days are better than others.Those days that I'm not doing that great, trust me — I'm CBD oiling it down, in the morning in my tea, then I'm going on about my day, just doing the very best that I can."
Read Malika's full interview here!
Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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It Girl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
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Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
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