Bullying. We all here about it happening, it’s probably happened to you, but to what extent?
For me personally, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. Kids can be cruel. Kids can be cold, unforgiving, and harsh. They can push you to your breaking point. I want people to be aware of this. It’s not something to joke about.  I was bullied for eleven years. I was three when it started, and it ended when I was 14. I will NEVER get those years back. Most of the memories I have from when I was younger, are of getting beaten up and crying. I do have a lot of good memories, but the most vivid ones are from the pain I experienced.
The effects aren’t just immediate either; they have lasting effects on a person. Bullying left me with anxiety and low self-esteem it’s led me to bad decisions, which I’ve learned to overcome. The bullying didn’t just hurt me, it affected my family too, it hurt them knowing I was being hurt, it hurt my friends, they couldn’t do anything to help. It was left up to the school to handle, and I can honestly say, they didn’t do much. My grades suffered, I wasn’t that happy kid anymore, I turned anxious and dreaded going to school, I still do, 3 years later. Those feelings have never gone away. I learned to fear school, and to fear other people. I’m getting less sensitive to the anxiety, but it’s still there at the end of the day.
I want people to wake up to the fact that it could be worse than what I got; bullying could lead to worse, in some cases, even suicide. I want people to be aware that it still happens and it shouldn’t be brushed off as kids ‘just being kids’. It’s a serious matter that needs to be dealt with. In today’s society, I hear more people insult each other than compliment, it needs to stop.
My own personal experience has opened my eyes to this pain that other people feel on an everyday basis. All teens should always be aware of being bullied, in my view, we are the most vulnerable, and we don’t always have our parents looking over our shoulders anymore, so you need to become self-aware. I’m sure you’ve heard this talk so many times from middle school to high school, but as a high school student myself; we don’t always pay attention. You need to be conscious of some of the really important indicators that bullying is taking place, whether it’s to a friend or yourself, and if it is happening, go tell an adult, or someone you trust right away. The problem may not go away on its own, mine sure didn’t, it took years to get away from it, and it’s still not gone. I said earlier that I still feel the effects, that’s 100% the truth, there are still days I think it’s not worth going to school, or going out with my friends, there are days where I still can’t get over what I’ve done because of the bullying. There are some effects that may never go away; psychological damage that will haunt you forever, scars that last, low self-esteem, and anxiety. Just remember things aren’t always as they seem, if you suspect someone is being bullied, or if you’re being bullied, please go get help.
It’s bullying one day, but the pain lasts.