Color Psychology: Do you think colors affect emotions, appetites, or energy levels? Plenty of people seem to think so, as evident from all the advice out there on what wall color will best induce relaxation in your bedroom, what color can stimulate learning in schools, and even what color might reduce aggression among prisoners. Although psychologists have been researching color …
Read MoreBringing Issues to the Table: The November ASC Newsletter is out, featuring articles on expressing gratitude, coping with eating disorders, and dealing with grief and loss during the holidays. No matter how much you may love your family, if you are a Deaf person heading to a family gathering where no one signs and where you are more likely than …
Read MoreGuilt Defined: Guilt is usually described as “the sense of right or wrong”. As an emotion, it suggests conscience – that little angel sitting on your shoulder – and remorse. On the one hand, we feel guilty when we do something we think we shouldn’t have done; on the other hand, we feel guilty when we don’t do something we …
Read MoreBegone, Bad Memories: How would you like to erase some of your memories, perhaps zapping away the more painful moments in your life, never to be tortured by them again? In the news earlier this fall, State University New York Downstate Medical Center researchers reported discovering a molecular mechanism responsible for sustaining long-term memories in the brain. According to the …
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Depression and Deaf People: We recently had several requests to do a post specifically on depression and Deaf people. Depression is something that many of us may experience at one point or another during our lives. It’s important to know that being Deaf itself is not a cause of depression. Being Deaf people in a hearing-centered society, however, can put …
Read MoreWhat Exactly is Mental Health?: Mental health equals emotional well-being. It means feeling good about yourself, the people around you, your job or school, having healthy relationships, enjoying life, and being able to deal with its many challenges. Lots of things affect mental health: biology, psychology, education, politics, social structure, and religion, to name a few. In a chapter of …
Read MoreThe Overlooked Sense: Ask people which of their senses they’d be willing to give up first – chances are, it’s the sense of smell. Either that, or the sense of taste, with taste being more likely if they belong to the Picky Eaters Club. Smelling isn’t usually up there at the top of anyone’s favorite conversation topics list, but it’s …
Read MoreNot Just Drops of Water: Here’s an interesting finding. Frey compared the chemical make-ups of tears caused by eye irritants such as sliced raw onions, and tears caused by emotions. Tears caused by emotions were found to have more protein and beta endorphins in them. These emotionally induced tears appear to contain high levels of cortisol, an important hormone released …
Read MoreNot In My Backyard: “Prison fully accessible (in ASL and English) to Deaf inmates” finished at the bottom of this week’s Laurent, South Dakota, poll. The poll invited readers to rank their preferences for community services and businesses they would want to see in the planned Deaf town, before they would actually move there. An ASL- and English-friendly mental health …
Read MoreEvolving Definitions: Here’s an interesting psychology-related tidbit to think about. In their book, Deaf People: Evolving Perspectives from Psychology, Education, and Sociology, Andrews, Leigh & Weiner point out how we, as Deaf people, have changed in terms of how we define our self-esteem. The Old Days: Back in 1974, a study (Sussman) found that Deaf adults who thought they did …
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