[L]earning how to relax is not one thing, but many. It is:
* an attitude: taking things more in your stride, and more calmly
* a physical skill: learning how to recognize and release physical tension
* a habit: developing routines that wind you down rather than wind you up
* restorative: a way of giving yourself rest and recreation, that can be interesting, or stimulating, or pleasurable, as well as relaxing
--- From Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler
Bullies often make people feel worthless: as if they had no value. [...] The most important thing to remember is that your worth is never determined by what others think of you (good or bad), especially not if your evidence for such an undermining self-opinion comes from the opinion of someone who bullied you.
--- From Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler
#bullying #anxiety #SocialAnxiety #shyness #GillianButler #quote #MentalHealth
It is surprising how many people with warm hearts and sensitive reactions, who develop ways of hiding their reactions in case they get picked on, come over as distant and cold when they feel nervous in company.
--- From Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler
#bullying #anxiety #SocialAnxiety #shyness #GillianButler #quote #MentalHealth
Bullies often feel extremely vulnerable themselves, and may not be well supported by the people around them. Their primitive need for acceptance and approval is often - though not necessarily - based on a potent sense of their own inadequacy or isolation. They may feel inferior and vulnerable too, and only have recourse to the more primitive ways of dealing with these feelings. They often pick on people who threaten them in some way, for example by being cleverer, or more competent, or more acceptable.
#bullying #anxiety #SocialAnxiety #shyness #GillianButler #quote #MentalHealth
Social anxiety focuses on the fear of being evaluated or judged: on the fear of doing something that will be humiliating or embarrassing; and bullies evaluate and judge their victims, and openly humiliate and embarrass them. It is hardly surprising that bullying can sometimes exacerbate social anxiety, and make it difficult to fight against it.
--- From Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler
#bullying #anxiety #SocialAnxiety #shyness #GillianButler #quote #MentalHealth
Their [victims of severe bullying] waking life may be dominated by a sense of dread, constantly keeping one the look out for 'dangerous' situations, by thoughts about what might happen next, and by memories or images of recent distressing experiences. Disturbing dreams may prevent them sleeping at night. Their daily behavior will be a product of all these experiences, which seriously interfere with their ability to do the things they wish to do, in the ways that they otherwise would.
— From Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler
#bullying #anxiety #SocialAnxiety #shyness #GillianButler #quote #MentalHealth
[Bullying] involves many different kinds of language and behavior. What makes any of these bullying behavior is the intention to control or exclude people [...] It works by making use of intimidation and humiliation.
--- From Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler
#bullying #intimidation #humiliation #anxiety #SocialAnxiety #shyness #GillianButler #quote #MentalHealth
Bullying is described in many books as 'primitive' behavior. What is meant by this is that it is often motivated by an almost instinctive desire to mask one's own vulnerability by controlling other people. If you are top dog, then you will be able to get your own way and other people are less likely to attack you.
--- From Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler
#bullying #anxiety #SocialAnxiety #shyness #GillianButler #quote #MentalHealth