Want to talk about indulging in those deliciously naughty delights that make life oh-so-sweet!? You’ve come to the right place.

Join us on a journey into the alluring world of guilty pleasures with the wise words of mental health professional, Jenna Quinn Lancor. We all have our own guilty pleasures, whether it's indulging in a pint of ice cream in the middle of the night or binge-watching an entire series on Netflix. But what if we told you that these indulgences can actually be beneficial to our mental health? So, grab a snack and discover with us how embracing these so-called "taboos" can enhance our overall well-being. Don't be afraid to give in to those deliciously tempting guilty pleasures!

My 10 Questions for Jenna

Question One

Hi Jenna! Thanks for chatting with me today! Let’s jump right in. What is your definition of a "guilty pleasure" and how do you think it relates to mental health?

A guilty pleasure is usually something that we believe will help us to feel good. And there is a sense of guilt associated with that, either given by the outside world (society) or from ourselves. There is a tug-of-war between wanting to lean into that pleasure, and also having an internal state of guilt or shame because of a judgement that we "shouldn't" do so.

Question Two

What scientific benefits are there in indulging in guilty pleasures?

I'm not privy to the exact research of this. However, it's worth exploring the question of "What about this is giving me pleasure?" And "What about this in eliciting feelings of guilt?" Is this guilt appropriate? I believe it's important to do our own self exploration of what feels good instead of giving our power over to "science/research" to give us permission.  

Question Three

Do you think engaging in a guilty pleasure can act as self-care?

Absolutely. Many of us feel guilt as soon as we say the word "self-care" or "pleasure". We may judge ourselves for wanting such things. It's important to note that oftentimes self-care and pleasure can overlap. 

 Question Four

How do you think societal pressures and perspectives play into how we view guilty pleasures?

When we don't take the time to think of what we want for ourselves, and practice compassion in giving ourselves what that is, then our mind will naturally lean towards what thoughts/images/beliefs and ideas we've obtained from our environment. If those around you use a lot of judgmental language as "Chocolate is bad. Getting messy, having fun, being playful is wrong." Than we will slowly begin to believe that too. 

Question Five

How can individuals overcome societal pressure or judgment related to indulging in guilty pleasures and feel comfortable embracing their personal interests?

If you want to become more comfortable with anything, you need to repeat that behaviour again and again and again. You need to lean into it. And then assure yourself that it's okay to release the judgement your mind feeds you. 

Question Six

Is there such a thing as too much of a guilty pleasure?

Too much of anything is too much. This is why all-or-nothing ways of living can veer us away from a value's driven life. Many of us want a rule book. "Please tell me what to do, so I will be okay." But life is not like that. Life is a constant check in, "How am I doing. How does this feel NOW." Perhaps it felt pleasurable when you had your first 5 pieces of chocolate, or watched the first 3 episodes of your favorite show. However, if you tune into this exact moment, does it feel pleasurable? Or painful? It's okay to change your mind. It means you're tuning in. It means you're growing.

Question Seven

Do guilty pleasures have different effects on people of different ages and genders? Are there any patterns you’ve noticed?

At Head First Health, we work a lot with professional Millennial women around perfectionism. They have a lot of judgement of themselves, and the concepts of "good and bad". When we are highly driven, we can often find ourselves living in our head instead of our bodies. Once we do the work of tuning in our bodies, we can begin to see what feels pleasurable. Then we work on getting the mind to let go of the judgement for what our body is drawn to. It's okay to honor what comes up, and to shift into a mind/body connection.

Question Eight

Does a person’s guilty pleasure help you understand a little bit more about them? Can you give us an example?

Yes. Usually what someone defines as a guilty pleasure, is something they are restricting from themselves. This can even show up in the form of thoughts. For some, even the THOUGHT of doing something can feel so immensely wrong that they feel shame when the thought pops up (which is what thoughts do. Especially, those we forbid). If someone has a history of eating disorder behavior, than their guilty pleasure may exist around food. If someone has a lot of shame around their sexuality they may just certain behaviors as "guilty pleasures."  

Question Nine

Okay, Jenna, we know we all have them, so what's a guilty pleasure of yours?

A current judgment I have of myself is around work and play. A "guilty pleasure" may be going to the park and playing, or having lunch with a friend during 9-5 hours when I "should be working". It's a narrative that I'm loving myself though in order to incorporate less rules, and more fun into my life.

Question Ten

Speaking of fun, what’s the most wonderfully weird guilty pleasure you’ve heard of?

None are coming to the top of mind. After 10 years of being a therapist not much shocks me anymore! We're all uniquely wonderful humans trying to navigate this thing called Life.