My Top 10 Ways To Cope With Bullying

Bullying is never an easy thing for one to go through. Establishing some healthy coping mechanisms is highly important, in order to recover, and to heal from this challenging type of an experience. Here are my top ten ways for coping with bullying:

1) Journal - write out your thoughts onto paper; whatever you are feeling. Write freely, and express your emotions surrounding a situation. Releasing your thoughts onto paper, can act as a therapeutic experience for yourself.

2) Talk It Out - talk out and share your personal experiences with people who you are close to, whom you can trust. This can be family members, friends, relatives, teachers, counselors, group leaders, Church leaders, etc.

3) Do your Favorite Activities - what are the things which you enjoy and love to do the most? Doing these after traumatic experiences, even if you don't feel like doing them, can assist one to heal.

4) Engage in Physical Activity - release the stress of your situation, and negative emotions, through engaging in physical activities. You will likely feel better afterwards.

5) Practice Affirmations - affirmations are powerful statements which you can write down, say in your head, or out loud. Examples: "I never deserved this bullying," "These people were wrong in their actions," etc. These phrases can allow you to change your negative thinking patterns which may have been created after you have been bullied.

6) Online Support Groups - participate in online support groups, to connect with others who are going through similar experiences.

7) Self-Care - eat healthy meals, exercise, practice good hygiene, etc. Take good care of yourself.

8) Seek Professional Assistance - speak to a counselor, and get some support and guidance for yourself. If you cannot afford it, try calling a distress line in order to vent to a supportive volunteer over the telephone about your situation, or talk to a volunteer via a supportive online chat service.

9) Don't Blame Yourself - you are not to blame for the bullying. Nothing is wrong with you. It was a choice, on the part of the bully/ies, to engage in the negative behavior towards you. You did not deserve any maltreatment.

10) Know that you are not alone - millions of people around the world have been through experiences of having been bullied, for the very same characteristics you possess, and/or the situation you are in.

Good luck.