To empower you to find happiness and friendship, to find self-like, to find confidence in being yourself
Being bullied can feel absolutely awful. Bullying can come in different forms: Physical abuse, bullying through words, or by intentionally trying to isolate and exclude you. It can include things like hitting, shoving, insulting, threatening, cruel pranks, spreading rumours, and purposely leaving someone out.
Bullying among friends is difficult to spot. Hitting and name calling is easier to see than rumours and belittling. But just because they are your friend doesn't mean that its okay for them to make you feel bad.
Feeling like someone else has power over you is horrid. However, you can change this - it may not be simple but it is doable and you will feel so much better once you're freed of being bullied!
www.helpguide.org gives some useful tips on why people get bullied and for how to cope with being bullied:
- Don’t blame yourself. It is not your fault. No matter what someone says or does, you should not be ashamed of who you are or what you feel.
- Be proud of who you are. Despite what a bully says, there are many wonderful things about you. Keep those in mind instead of the messages you hear from bullies.
- Get help. Talk to a non-bullying parent, teacher, counsellor, or other trusted adult. Or call the bullying helpline listed below. Seeing a counsellor does not mean there is something wrong with you.
- Learn to deal with stress. Finding ways to relieve stress can make you more resilient so you won’t feel overwhelmed by bullying. Exercise, meditation, positive self-talk, muscle relaxation, and breathing exercises are all good ways to manage the stress from bullying.
If you need to talk about being the victim of bullying contact ChildLine:
Call them at 0800 1111. Calls before midnight are for as long as you need. Calls after midnight are shorter, to quickly help you get some peaceful sleep so that you can call them back when your mind is calm and refreshed.
Or use their website at https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/contacting-childline/
Websites Offering Support:
Bullying UK
offers anti-bullying support and advice. It’s part of @FamilyLives.
CBBC
has a number of video clips to help those being bullied.
Newsround cyberbullying special:
Watch here
ChildLine
is a website and helpline for young people and children. They can give you help if you’re worried about being judged and don’t want to speak to anyone you know. ChildLine advisers will listen to any child whatever the problem and give advice, and will do it anonymously if you want.
The ChildLine website has information and advice on bullying.
CNN
has an article about bullying amongst friends: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/29/living/bullying-friends/
Family Lives
offers a confidential and free helpline service (previously known as Parentline). Please call 0808 800 2222 for information, advice, guidance and support on bullying.
Helpguide.org
provides self-help tools for mental, emotional and social health together with a large number of articles covering topics from Abuse to Suicide Prevention.
Kidscape
equips young people, parents and professionals with the skills to tackle bullying and safeguarding issues across the UK.
National Bullying Helpline
The UK’s only charitable organisation addressing Adult Bullying and Child Bullying.
The National Bullying Helpline are a nationally recognised advice centre, endorsed by The Rt.Hon David Cameron, The Employment Tribunal Service, ACAS, Citizens Advice, OFSTED, The Samaritans, UK Employment Law Solicitors, GP surgeries UK wide, the NHS and other UK employers in the public and private sector – and you.
Most of the above, including Childline, refer cases to us.
This helpline was founded in 2003 and was the very first UK helpline which provided assistance to individuals struggling with bullying issues, whatever the nature of the abuse. Today, the helpline is unique in that it is the only helpline of its kind, established by qualified employment law professionals, providing operational, timely, support to both adults and children – whether the bullying is in the home, the community, the playground, the workplace or on-line (ie: Cyberbullying).
Helpline: 0300 323 0169 Telephone: 0845 225 5787 – They are open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
SupportLine
Supportline offers information for those being bullied.
Books on this subject:
Bullies, Cyberbullies and Frenemies
Friendships and peer relationships are one of the most difficult things about being a teen. Many face bullying of some kind or another, whether in person or on the Internet or social media. Written by Kidscape founder Michele Elliott, Teen Life Confidential: Bullies, Cyberbullies and Frenemies is a friendly, kind and practical guide to navigating these tricky relationships, and beating the bullies. Are there practical things you can do to stop being bullied – at home, at school and online? What are frenemies and how can you deal with them? How can you learn to make friends and respect yourself? If you’re a bully, how can you change your behaviour? This brilliant book will tell you what bullying is, where it happens and what you can do about it, as well as how to assert yourself and develop your self-esteem. Advice is supported by quotes from teenagers, who share their own experiences, and will help to make readers feel they’re not alone.
Bullying Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Deal with Social Aggression and Cyberbullying (Teen Instant Help)
incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help ease anxiety, fear, stress, and other emotions associated with being bullied. The workbook is made up 42 step-by-step self-help activities designed to help you learn anti-bullying tips and strategies; manage emotions such as anxiety, fear, anger, and depression; and learn constructive communication skills to help you express your feelings.With this workbook as your guide, you will also learn how to identify toxic friendships, how to build your own self-confidence, and importantly, how to ask for help when bullying gets out of control or if you are feeling suicidal.
Healthy Mind, Happy You: How to Take Care of Your Mental Health – Everything you need to know about anxiety and mental health
This reassuring, fact-packed book for girls and boys is all about how to maintain good mental health while growing up.
Dr Emily MacDonagh, a practising NHS doctor and OK! magazine’s popular Health and Parenting Columnist, talks about anxiety and mental health in a simple and friendly way.
Topics include:
- What is anxiety, and how can you manage it?
- Why do people have low mood and depression?
- How to understand and express your emotions
- Plus, expert tips and practical information on self-esteem, the physical changes of puberty, resilience, and lots more.
Mother of two and step-mother to teenagers, Dr Emily lives with her husband Peter Andre and children in Surrey.
Buy here
Stand Up for Yourself and Your Friends: Dealing with Bullies and Bossiness, and Finding a Better Way
helps girls learn how to spot bullying and stand up and speak out against it. Quizzes, quotes from real girls, and “what would you do?” scenarios give readers lots of ideas for dealing with bullies, including clever comebacks and ways to ask adults for help. Includes an anti-bullying pledge for girls to sign, plus tear-out tips to share with their parents.