How To Cope With Bullies

 Bullying is one form of harassment inflicted by an abuser of more physical and/or social power and dominance than the victim. 

Bullying is often done with clear intentions of harming the target through different means.  

These means may include verbal harassment, physical assault, emotional blackmail, or other more subtle methods of coercion such as manipulation.

Bullies are often characterized as having authoritarian personalities.  

They also feel a strong need to control or dominate anything, be it a weaker person, a stronger person, or a situation.  

They have also been noted to display deficiency in terms of social skills and possess a prejudice against subordinates.  

A lot of studies show that most bullies have envy and resentment as motives for bullying.

 Researchers have identified other risk factors such as quickness to anger and use of force, addiction to aggressive behaviors, mistaking others' actions as hostile, concern with preserving self-image, and engaging in obsessive or rigid actions.

Bullying exists in any setting of inevitable social interaction, like schools, workplaces, inside the home, and around the neighborhood. 

This may even occur between different social groups, social classes, and even between countries. 

Like any kind of abusive behavior, bullying is a repetitive act done to gain power or control over another person, race, or country.

Bullying is generally classified into:

·Direct bullying. The bully displays physical aggression in the form of shoving and poking, throwing things, slapping, choking, punching and kicking, and beating.

·Indirect bullying. Also called social aggression, the victim is forced into social isolation. 

This is usually done by bad mouthing the victim, refusing to socialize with the victim, name-calling, mocking the victim, forcing other people to avoid socializing with the victim as well, and other forms of manipulation.

But why do bullies act this way?  

Some studies have shown that some bullies do it to be thought of as popular or tough, or sometimes just to get attention. 

Bullies are said to also do it out of jealousy or they may simply be acting out because they themselves were bullied earlier in their life. 

Some bullies are noted to have come from abusive families and neighborhoods.

Being submitted to bullying often may contribute to developing an inferiority complex, which is a feeling of being inferior to others in one way or another. 

Constantly being mocked or criticized in a negative way by bullies may force a person to start believing those lies and lose faith in themselves. 

Victims may also be more prone to developing stress-related mental conditions such as anxiety from oftentimes being bullied.

Victims should know that they’re not the problem, the bullies are. 

Victims should not start second-guessing themselves just because bullies telling them they're no good.  

Being different shouldn't rob you of your right to security.  

Don't be ashamed of your difference.  

It's not your fault you are unique.  

A good way to avoid being bullied is to go out in a group, it would make it difficult for bullies to single you out.  

If it doesn't work, it would help to tell someone you trust that someone is bullying you.  Having someone mediate for you does not make you a coward.  

Remember, keeping yourself safe should matter more than what others think.