Bullying is something which is feared by everyone regardless of their age. We all face emotional or physical bullying at some point or the other in our lives. The goal is to either stop the bullying or handle it in such a way that it doesn’t change us for the worse. Let’s define bullying first just for the sake of everyone reading it. Bullying is the emotional or physical attack that one person inflicts on someone else, the pain and discomfort caused, is what drives the bully. Bullies are not powerful people as thought by the victims, they are in fact the weakest people that they can only derive happiness through the misery of others. Bullies usually are born due to some childhood trauma or some disturbing incidents. They have faced difficulties like an abusive, unappreciative parents or they have a lot of pent up anger and resentment towards themselves and they can’t find a healthy outlet for it. I will first talk about emotional bullying and then we can move on to physical bullying.

Emotional bullying: This is also the verbal bullying and is quite common. The traits of this would be, name-calling, insults, ridicule, snickering, threats, spreading rumors, and many other similar things. How do we handle it?

1. Ignore: A bully gets off on the anger and reaction the victim shows so if you don’t indulge, it will slowly stop as the bully won’t have the desired effect.
2. Smile: You can acknowledge the bully, smile and say something nice to them and walk away. They might retort but slowly, you will see that your kindness will wear them down. It will make them feel guilty.
3. Make fun: You should never make fun of yourself as that will just invite more ridicule. One should be able to laugh at themselves but not when it comes to bullies.
4. Listen to music: You can carry earphones and a music device around the spots you encounter bullies. This way, you won’t have to listen to them and you will also be able to ignore them without letting it affect you.

Physical bullying: It is the act of bullying where the victim is physically attacked and put in harm’s way. This can have anything from kicking, punching, pushing or anything else that involves physical contact between the bully and the victim. How to handle this?

1. Carry mace: You should always have something on you for safety that will not cause fatal harm. You can carry a spray that will sting when comes in contact with the eyes. This will give you enough time to free yourself and it will also scare the bully.
2. Self-defense: Try joining a few self-defense classes. This will give you confidence and a few tricks that you can use to intimidate your bully.
3. Alert the authorities: If you have proof of the bullying and the bullies, then alert the authorities and they will act upon it by punishing the bully.
4. Talk to someone: If you are scared and don’t know how to act, please confide in someone you trust for support and guidance.

The key here is not letting the bully win is by not losing your identity. You are never alone in your fight against bullying so reach out for help and someone will provide it to you. You can also try online portals for support. The weaker you get, the stronger they will be. Enduring bullying without confiding in someone will only lead to other mental illnesses in you so avoid that, reach out, be strong. Bullies can be tackled in numerous ways, I hope you find yours.

Image Courtesy: easyfreeclipart.com, Z Living

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