| I was bullied in elementary school and middle school. I also lost my long time friends around grade 6. In grade 4, I was taunted and spat on by a boy four years older than me and my whole class hated me. I never knew why they hated me so much. I switched schools and I still got the same results. I was targeted by other girls as I got older and nobody wanted to play with me. I was excluded from group activities. I had no friends most of the time. Even if I did, they’d eventually leave. I started to isolate myself by 6th grade. It had gotten worse that by the time I neared the end of 8th grade, I started to get suicidal thoughts. It got worse and worse. I also developed mini hallucinations and fear of other people around me. I never self harmed but horrible images sometimes would pop up in my head. I don’t know what to do. I never got over my past experiences of being bullied.
CONSIDER THIS:
- Being bullied can make you feel alone and ostracized. You are strong for enduring this cruelty even though no one deserves it.
- No one should be allowed to treat you this way. In the adult world, this may be called harassment. You are a human being. Let bullies make you a stronger person.
- Fortunately, there are people who do care about you. You can head to the Teen Central website and click the Learn tab then Bullying, Suicide and Self Injury to empower yourself with knowledge on the subjects. If you need someone to talk to, you can click the Help tab then call one of the hotlines.
- See a trusted therapist if necessary.
- The reason why people gang up on you and bully you may be because you’re an individual. You need to find where you belong in the world. You can do this by being brave and by continuing to be yourself. Individuals are unique. They are often artistic. You can express yourself with artistic activities like playing a musical instrument, writing or painting.
- Keep trying to find friends who love you for yourself. Don’t let people change you because your friends will like you as yourself. Everyone deserves to have genuine friends who share similar goals, hobbies, etc.
- You can realize that everything happens for a reason. Spirituality can teach us this. Head to the Teen Central website and click the Learn tab then Spirituality to learn more. Spiritual techniques that may help you are prayer, yoga and meditation. You can attend church services if you want to.
- Gain self confidence by learning new skills and trying new things.
- Learn to love yourself by taking care of your body, mind and spirit.
- You can turn your life around to inspire others by volunteering. Stand up to bullies with organizations like Stomp Out Bullying, Kind Campaign, The Trevor Project or the It Gets Better Project. More people are bullied than you may think. Help each other and join forces against bullies.
- Every time a bully attacks you, you can think of ways to let the situation make you a better person. Life is full of learning experiences and challenges.
- People probably pick on you because you’re better than them in some way. Maybe you’re a genuinely nice person, have high ethical standards or real goals. Whatever it is, this is a strength, not a weakness. You can find ways to turn the situation around for the better. For example, you can stand up to them by living by the law and threatening bullies with the police if necessary. You can be brave where others would be intimidated.
- You can keep a daily journal to express your feelings so you don’t hold them inside. You may also write down all the ways you’re grateful for your own life, for being yourself and for not becoming a bully.
HELP YOURSELF:
- In what ways can your future be affected with a positive mindset against bullies?
- In what ways is your life better by not becoming a bully?
- How can having goals and sticking to them make you successful in the long run?
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