The City of Angels or the City of Sins

Can Managing Los Angeles or Struggling in Los Angeles Affect Your Mental Health?

Los Angeles can be seductive. And the seductress can be a beauty or a curse.  I once was asked where I lived. At the time I was vacationing in Mexico City and the response to my answer of “Los Angeles” was a whimsically cautious response. This response came from a naively appearing person of knowledge as a simple “Ahhhh, the city of sinners.” I was dumbfounded as he smiled with innocence and juxtaposed the undercurrent of personified angels who had demonic traits. Or is that demons who had angelic traits. Los Angeles indeed can be a trap. Hollywood, beautiful tanned bodies, ethnic mosaics of extraordinary beauty, Greek sculptured bodies, perfect hair, eclectic styles, alternative visuals, ink-art-tattoos of the provocative.  Seduction. Wealth. So much wealth that Los Angeles County as of 2017 reported 58 Billionaires.  With so much indulgence how could anyone be depressed or unhappy?  Moreover, how could anyone not succeed in the mecca of opportunities?  This might be answered by ...

neighbors not knowing one another, Los Angeles’ AOD (alcohol and other drugs) in designer cocktails matched only by the trappings of the glitter of the entertainment industry, the music scene, and fashion.  In the midwest you might score a 90% in overall attractability. Yet in Los Angeles the competition is steep so what is a 90% in the midwest might just be an overlooked 71% in the City of Sinners.  Perhaps this is what makes many spiral and fade to the gaunt of drugs. The depths of despair. Frankly: The Los Angeles lifestyle is not for everyone despite the narrative of optimism of California, especially Los Angeles, being the Sunshine State and La La Land and the Golden State.  In the Article 10 Reasons Why Moving to Los Angeles Isn’t for Everyone we begin to have a discussion of the trappings of LA.  


So if you are living here, or if you have recently relocated to Southern California in the last two years and if you are in someway vexed and not understanding why you struggle with Los Angeles, realize that you might have been seduced and are now in a relationship with this Tinsel Town that is not as attractive as you first thought.  The beauty of LA and all its complexities is that if one is struggling with mental health, whether depression or just a general life cycle-type crisis, then this is a wonderful town to find activities that fit your typology.   If you happen to review the 10 Reasons Why article mentioned above, you might find item seven and the multitude of activities offered in Los Angeles as healthy ways to connect with Los Angeles.  This might also help in acclimating into Los Angeles, its community, and the people living here. What I have often suggested is volunteerism when trying to break into the LA culture.  The beauty of volunteering is that you can get out of the cycle of trying too hard to fit in.  The majority of volunteers at an organization have a common goal without a hidden agenda. This organic non-tangible often allows for an ease in meeting others and an overall feel good experience. And of course, seeking out a therapist or couples counselor might be a great way to manage your mental health until you get a grasp of the City of Angels.  

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