Teenage bullying
It’s suggested that over 140,000 young people are bullied on a daily basis in the UK and it can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. If you’re being bullied it can affect every aspect of your life and make your time at school, college, home and with family and friends harder and less enjoyable.
Young people can experience bullying in many different ways, including:
- Social bullying: Spreading fake rumours or gossip; encouraging others to turn against someone or leave them out; online cyberbullying, posting negative comments or images and using humiliating nicknames
- Sexting: Feeling pressured into sending a rude or naked photo or video to someone
- Abusive relationships: Being pressured into having sex; physical, verbal and emotional abuse and controlling behaviour
If you’re being bullied, you might:
- Feel anxious, worried, sad, tearful, stressed, helpless or even angry
- Want to hurt yourself or someone around you
- Experience increased sickness, such as stomach pains or headaches
- Find it hard to concentrate or struggle with your school or college work
- Not want to be around your family and friends as much as you used to
- Have trouble eating or sleeping, drink too much alcohol or experiment with drugs
What you can do:
- Don’t keep it to yourself! There’s nothing wrong with asking for help or talking to someone you trust
- Remember it’s not your fault and you haven’t done anything wrong
- Try to keep and build your confidence by experiencing new things, writing down what you like about yourself or doing something nice for someone else
- Think about how you can respond to the bullying and then practise it through roleplaying or writing it down
- Block the person bullying you on your phone and social media accounts and don’t read or watch anything they post online
- Consider how you come into contact with the bully and try to avoid those situations where possible (walk a different route home or have a friend with you)
- Let your school or college know about the bullying, if you feel it’s appropriate
National support
The following organisations provide a range of useful information and advice for young people and parents / carers:
Anti-Bullying Alliance: Interactive anti-bullying tool for parents
CBBC Lifebabble: All you need to know about tackling bullying
Family Lives: Advice for families with teenagers, around communication and health and wellbeing.
Kidscape: Provides advice, training and practical tools to prevent bullying
NHS Moodzone: Bullying at work