Topic: emotions

Why So Many People Are Angry On The Internet (And How It Hurts Your Mental Health)

Why So Many People Are Angry On The Internet (And How It Hurts Your Mental Health)

Millions of people log on to the internet every day, and man oh man, some of them are really pissed off. Although the majority of people try to keep their comments on blogs, websites and forums civil, there seems to be a growing number of people who just let their anger fly. We’ve seen it ourselves here at Blisstree, and just about every site that dares to opine is filled with angry commenters, too. Debates and differing viewpoints are what most of us hope for, but when that crosses the line into personal attacks, insults and name-calling, it creates a toxic environment on any site.

To find out just why there are so many pissed off people in cyberland, we consulted with Dr. Azadeh Aalai, a professor of psychology at Montgomery College who specializes in anger management and is a frequent contributer to Psychology Today‘s First Impression blog.
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I’m Breaking Up With My Inner Naysayer (And Anyone Else Who’s Getting Me Down)

I'm Breaking Up With My Inner Naysayer (And Anyone Else Who's Getting Me Down)

I am working on increasing my pranic energy through a new primal power meditation I just read about. Sounds impressive, right? It’s not. I’m told that I’m supposed to envision vast amounts of positive energy flowing into my body from all directions while seeing myself bathed in a glowing light and projecting that same light all around me. I thought it would give my meditation the boost it sorely needs (seeing as how I have yet to master this practice). I also thought it would be a great way to get me to think more positively and start my day on an upswing. But it’s not quite working out that way. More »

The Body Positive: Why Women Use Cosmetics For Emotional Support

The Body Positive: Why Women Use Cosmetics For Emotional Support

There’s an episode of Mad Men where Peggy is laughed at for suggesting they sell Pond’s cold creme by playing up how it made a woman feel (beautiful) instead of assuring ladies it would help them snag husbands. Seems Ms. Olson was ahead of her time. A new study confirms what Peggy (and women the world over) already knew: People use cosmetics primarily for emotional reasons. More »

I’m Not Zen. But I Can Still Teach Yoga.

I'm Not Zen. But I Can Still Teach Yoga.

Yoga teachers scare me. I’ve often thought of them as being all love and peace and serene, living perfect lives with perfect spouses and perfect families. They don’t get mad or angry or jealous. They don’t have judgmental or negative thoughts about anyone — even the asshole across the street who calls the neighborhood homeowners association every time they don’t bring in the garbage can. They don’t care about material goods. They live in small, simple homes. And when not practicing yoga, they spend the better part of their days meditating and spreading love, light and positive vibes throughout the world. “Yogier than thou” is what I call them. More »

Decrease Wrinkles, Decrease Empathy?

Decrease Wrinkles, Decrease Empathy?

There’s a whole trove of communication research on how facial cues trigger emotions. The basic theory is that we automatically and unconsciously mimic the expressions shown on the face of someone we’re talking with and they mimic our expressions back at us, creating a feedback loop of facial expressions that triggers feelings of empathy in the brain.

But what if you’re physically incapable of this facial feedback loop because, oh, I don’t know… your face has been frozen in place by botulinum injections? More »

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