Are you being bullied?
Sometimes, bullying happens so much that people get used to it and start to believe that it's a normal part of everyday life.
But bullying's not normal. Nobody should think of bullying as the normal bit of hassle you get at school or work.
It's important to remember that if you're being bullied, it isn't your fault, it's the person bullying who has the problem. You don't have to put up with it.
Bullying is a widespread problem and one of the hardest things about it is admitting that it might be happening to you.
We all like to think that we can look after ourselves, but we might sometimes play down behaviour that counts as bullying because we don't want to make a fuss, or hope it will go away.
Tell tale signs
Bullying takes on many forms, with some of the most common being:
- Teasing and name calling
- Damaging somebody's stuff
- Spreading rumours about somebody
- Leaving someone out of a group
- Threatening someone or beating them up
This list doesn't cover everything, because there are many ways that someone who bullies can get to their target.
Bullying at work
Bullying doesn't just happen in schools. Being heavily criticised for your work or the way you do your job, name calling and teasing are all forms of bullying and can be difficult to deal with.
Virtual bullying
With more and more of us using email and mobile phones, bullying doesn't even have to happen in person. Silent phone calls or abusive texts or email can be just as distressing as being bullied face-to-face.
Why pick on me?
It's hard to say why people sometimes pick on others. From something as trivial as the colour of your hair or where you come from, people can target others because they stand out from the crowd in one way or another.
People are sometimes bullied because of:
- Their weight
- Their race
- Their looks
- Their social background
- Their popularity
- Their schoolwork
- Their sexuality
- Their religion
Effects of bullying
The saying goes that sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me
Well, the reality is that words can be very hurtful. Violence or verbal abuse can make you feel stressed and unwilling to go to school or work. You may find that you're getting more headaches and not sleeping properly.
In some cases, people who are being bullied have trouble eating. They can even wet the bed. If this has happened to you, it's nothing to be ashamed of because stress can affect the body in many ways. Think of it as a sign that you need help with your situation.
