Bullying : Killing the Human Spirit
Bullying : Killing the Human Spirit
The effects of bullying on a young child could be potentially devastating to the emotional self.
I have seen terrible effects of bullying on many of my patients which persisted up to their adulthood. Hence, I firmly believe that young children need to be allowed to express their feelings of being bullied and be guided on how to assert themselves against the bully and be empowered to protect their self esteem and dignity.
Child bully must be taken seriously!
Children who were bullied often suffers from a condition called Learn Helplessness. This term was coin by famous psychologist called Martin Seligman. The child would feel trapped in a cycle of being bullied and feeling powerless and subsequently suffers further bullying by the assailant. Sometimes the child would become a bully themselves as a defence mechanism.
The first step is to allow the child to have a safe place to express his/her experiences of being bullied or abused. Do not be judgmental . Try to empathize.
The child need to be educated about his/her rights for self protection and dignity. Skills such as assertive and communication skills are of great importance. Help the child to speak up. If the bully is resistant to warning, then higher authorities need to be alerted. If necessary, police may need to be involved if there are elements of criminal intimidation or assault.
The child need to be taught and empowered to be a SURVIVOR and NOT a victim.
Walking and Mental Health – TIME magazine
click on the picture to view the whole section.
Elyn Saks (The Fight against Stigma of Mental Disorder)
Elyn Saks ( The Fight against Stigma of Mental Disorder )
Ted Talk by Elyn Saks, Professor of Law from USA. She is sharing about her struggles and victories in her journey as someone who has mental disorder called Schizophrenia.
People who suffer from mental disorder deserve respect and dignity. Let us continue the fight against discrimination and stigma towards those who are suffering from any type of mental disorder.
Among the common mental disorder includes Anxiety disorder , Depressive disorder , suicidality , Bipolar disorder and Schizophrenia.
“Any other organ in my body can get broken and there’s no shame, no stigma to it. My liver stops working, my heart stops working, my lungs stop working. There’s no shame when any other organ in your body fails, so why do we feel shame if our brain is broken?”
Quote by Rick Warren ( His son died from suicide due to mental disorder )
Principle of Pleasures : Part 2
Principle : All pleasures is bought with the price of pain.
We pay the price either before we enjoy it or after we enjoyed the pleasure.
For good healthy pleasures, we pay the price before we enjoy it. The price of self discipline and self control. And a strong will to focus on what truly matters. Later, we are able to enjoy true peace in our minds and our hearts. Some could find peaceful solitude. Others may enjoy true happiness with people who matters in their life.
As for false pleasure, we enjoy the pleasures first and later ask ourselves “ What have I done?”. We pay the price of pain later. The price of painful regrets.
Excerpt from seminar by Dr. Ravi Zacharias
Rules for pleasure
Rules for pleasure
Let’s assume that I need to put up a few nights in a hotel within a city, away from my home, to attend a conference. I may wish to explore the city and have a little drink. I may even feel tempted to visit the red-light district with a few friends.
During these period, I need to be mindful of my boundaries/limits. I need to know that certain activities may be pleasurable but it may hurts the feelings of my spouse.
Well, there are indeed guiding principles on experiencing pleasures in life.
F.W. Boreham described three rules for experiencing pleasures.
1) Whatever that refreshes us but does not compromise our final goal/purpose in life is a legitimate pleasure.
2) Any pleasure that jeopardize the sacred rights of another person is an illegitimate pleasure.
3) Experience pleasures in moderate amounts and do not indulge.
Rule No. 1 :
Simple pleasures which help us to relax and gives us joy are legitimate needs. However, it should not compromise our value system or lead us away from our desired purpose in life.
So what’s the catch here? We need to discover “What is our final goal or purpose in life?”
Rule No. 2 :
We need to experience pleasures within the boundaries of mutual respect and observing the dignity of our loved ones as well as our fellow human beings.
Rule No. 3 :
We need to enjoy pleasures in reasonable and moderate degree and amount to avoid indulgence or addiction.
Pleasures without conscience are illegitimate pleasures
Mahatma Gandhi
