How to Protect Yourself From Bullies

Bullies come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center…

Almost 30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. In a recent national survey of students in grades 6-10, 13% reported bullying others, 11% reported being the target of bullies, and another 6% said that they bullied others and were bullied themselves.

Why is it that millions of people are harassed by their own peers in such a frequent manner? One widely accepted Freudian theory is that these bullies are using defense mechanisms to reduce the anxiety they have difficulty coping with. Depending on what form of bullying a victim is facing, it is usually clear to tell what type of defense mechanism the bully is using. Examples include…

• Verbal bullying (name calling, threats): Projection
• Social bullying (exclusion, extortion, ridicule): Projection
• Physical bullying (assault, sexual assault): Displacement
• Cyber bullying (using the internet to harass others): Depends on the situation

The Meat & Potatoes

So, what can you do to prevent bullying? Here are a few options:

1. Completely avoid the bully by moving to Sweden. Internationally, Sweden reports the least amount of bullying. Plus, you get the benefits of trying every flavor of the ever-so-popular Swedish Fish candy.

2. Running away from your problems isn’t always the best path to take. You should always tell an adult if you’re being bullied. They have an easier time buying tasers.

3. Stay in groups. Bullies are less likely to target you if you’re surrounded by witnesses/friends that can defend you. If you’re alone in this world and can’t find a friend, do NOT join a gang. The best option you have left is to become a Pokémon. Certain Pokémon have the ability to learn moves such as Agility and Double Team. This comes in handy if you’re trying to fool a bully into thinking that you’re in a group.

4. Bullies are also less inclined to pick on you if you present yourself as a confident person. Confident people rarely get picked on because they can brush off others’ rude remarks and stand up for themselves. Even if you don’t feel confident, you can do any of following actions to help you appear that way: having a smile on your face, walking proudly with your eyes looking straight ahead, and/or getting a tattoo of Kimbo Slice on your arm.