Bullying... how to deal with it

The world is a strange place...

I became very interested in the subjet after I discovered many years ago that my daughter was part of the inumerous cases of bullying in schools.
Bullying is when a person is picked on over and over again by an individual or group with more power, either in terms of physical strength or social standing.

Two of the main reasons people are bullied are because of appearance and social status. Bullies pick on the people they think don't fit in, maybe because of how they look, how they act (for example, kids who are shy ) or their race.
Every day thousands of teenagers wake up afraid to go to school as bullying is a problem that affects millions of students of all races and classes.

Bullying has everyone worried , kids,parents and teachers although we not always see it and may not understand how extreme bullying can get.
Some bullies attack their targets physically,others use psychological control or verbal insults to put themselves in charge. One of the most painful aspects of bullying is that it is relentless. Most people can take one episode of teasing or name calling . However, when it goes on and on, bullying can put a person in a state of constant fear.
People who are bullied may find very difficult to acomplish their schoolwork and their health might suffer. Studies show that people who are abused are at risk for mental health problems, such as low self-esteem, stress or even depression.

Here I leave some advise to those being bullyed.

• avoid being alone


• ignore the bully and walk away


• hold anger


• don't loose faith in yourself


• don't get physical


• practice confidence


• take charge of your life


• talk about it and share your fears with people you trust


• count on your family to support


• find your true friends


• keep your head up - no one is better than you

Bulliers are usually disturbed people in search of revenge for their own personal fears and do not measure the intensity of the pain and scars that this might leave in your life.

Bullying is silence; people who are being bullied often feel there is nothing to gain by speaking out ,therefore allowing it to continue.
Trying to ignore bullying doesn't always work, but sometimes people get bored if you're indifferent to their teasing.
If you try and note down instances of when you're being bullied, it can help you if you decide to talk to someone about your situation. Take down details such as when and where you were bullied, what was said or done and who was doing it.
People who get bullied often think they've done something wrong, but it's the person doing the bullying who has the problem.

Ps. This article was co-written by my daughter Bia.