Hi! I’m 16 and honestly I’ve been to 8 psychiatric mental health facility’s and 2 residentials. Just a week ago I got out of my eighth short term facility and when I try to off myself – its not that I want to do that – its the fact that I just never know what to do when people say the things they do to me at school. I have like 3 friends at school but they’re even mad at me right now and its for something that I didn’t even do. So I’m basically saying that i’m being bullied severely at school right now and I don’t know what to do about it cause my school isn’t doing anything about it. Honestly it’s the worst it’s been and they’ve constantly been bullying me since 3rd grade and i’m now in my junior year of high school so 11th grade.
HELP YOURSELF
- I am sure it feels really tough to handle the stress and loneliness that comes when a friend group is upset with you. Especially, when you feel like they were your only shield against the bullying you were already facing. But, all the help you have received and continue to seek shows amazing resilience. We, thank you for writing to TeenCentral about this and sharing your thoughts.
- Friendships are extremely important to all of us. If the loss of a friendship (even if it’s just a temporary loss) ever becomes too much to handle and you find yourself feeling really unsafe at any point, please reach out to an immediate response hotline or website like the Crisis Textline, which is staffed 24 hours a day 7 days a week with people who can interact with you immediately. Just Text “HELLO” to 741741 to start a conversation. Or visit their website at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.Do not put in the old number. The information above is correct and it is National. It does not matter in which state you live.
- There’s also no substitute for talking in person to someone you trust. If you’re feeling really upset, please consider connecting with a trusted adult who can help you sort out the details of the story and make a plan for next steps.
CONSIDER THIS
- Friendships are just like any relationship, they have their ups and downs, some make it and some don’t. You must have good communication. Have you tried opening up and talking to them one on one? Sometimes rumors and 3rd party communication tell a story that never happened. Think of the game “Whisper Down the Alley”. That phrase the first person starts with is rarely the same phrase the last person says out loud even though no one playing is trying to be mean. You can also check out our TOOL tab where we have a worksheet that can help you think about if your friends are toxic are not.
- Bullying is very difficult to navigate. Under our LEARN tab we have a whole section devoted to bullying because it is such huge topic. Clearly you are not alone in your feelings. I am sorry to hear that the school seems to not be helping as much as you hope they would. Have your guardians sought other learning opportunities, such as online schooling or charter school?
- Unfortunately, you can not control how other treat you but you can double down on how you feel about you and treat yourself. Build your self-esteem up, the taller and stronger your wall is the harder it is for them to break down. Make a poster with your name in the middle. Cut out pictures of things that make you smile and glue them on. Or, get some stickers that inspire you or make you happy. Then write some positive affirmations (self talk) all around your name. We have a list under our TOOL page. Every morning before school, pick 5 to say to yourself in the mirror. Just like building a wall, this does not happen overnight, and it requires you to have positive peers, which seems like maybe your current friend group isn’t as supportive. Give yourself credit, you are stronger than you think. You got this!
Last, try doing something to keep you mind busy and find a creative outlet. Here is an idea: Make Your Own Stress Ball – TeenCentral
