Action for M.E.

Bullying

Bullying can be very hurtful and cause a lot of pain - both inside and out. It can make you feel lost, scared and lonely. One thing to always remember is that even though bullying is wrong and inexcusable it's experienced by many others so you're not alone!

There are different types of bullying. It can be physically violent, such as being hit, or bullying with words. People often don't realise that mean words can be so cruel. Spreading nasty rumours about someone or ignoring them on purpose also count as bullying. If you are being bullied remember that it is never your fault.

Bullying can happen anywhere, in school by other pupils or even a teacher. It can also take place at home from family members such as brothers and sisters. Any form of bullying is a serious matter and no one should have to go through it!

If you have M.E. or any other medical condition, a bully may seek you out as an easy target. Bullies like to pick on people who seem different. You may appear physically weaker and more vulnerable and this is what a bully looks for when seeking out a new victim. Remember it is not your fault.

Here are some suggestions on what to do if you are being bullied:

Try to stay calm, look confident and get away from the situation as quickly as possible
Tell someone you trust - a friend, parent or teacher
Bullies sometimes make threats to scare you from telling someone - don't let this put you off, this is just what they want
Talk about what could be done and what you would like to happen
Don't think that its wrong to tell - bullies often have problems themselves which will only get worse if they get away with it
Practice what you want to say
Keep a note of what's happening
Don't give up if you're not taken seriously straight away, keep talking about it
Don't stop being yourself

If your friend or someone you know is being bullied:

Don't ignore bullying - you can help
Don't rush in to take over as it might not be safe
Let a teacher or another adult know what's going on
Try to be a friend to the person being bullied
Take a stand - don't take part in the bullying yourself
Try to be friendly toward the bully, it sometimes helps them stop if they're doing it for attention

Some children and young people find it difficult to talk about being bullied. Being bullied can make it harder to trust other people and not everyone takes bullying as seriously as they should. If this is the case for you, try making contact with ChildLine. They have people who are trained to listen and help you find ways to sort out your problems and worries.

There are no two ways about it, bullying is really nasty and no one should have to put up with it. It may seem really hard to tell someone but it's the first step to getting help. Bullies should be stopped for their own benefit and everyone else's!

Have a look at other help in our Useful Links page.