How To Heal After You Have Been Bullied
Bullying is a traumatic experience which can occur in many different shapes and forms. It can take place in different settings and involve various people and it can even take place at different stages of your life.
However, each time it is equally upsetting and distressing for the person being bullied. Some people may carry this upset and distress with them even after the bullying has stopped. For example, school may have finished or you may have moved jobs but still find the impact of the bullying you experienced there to burden you.
So what steps can you take to move on after being bullied and heal?
Talk To Someone
This may seem like a very hard step to take but it can really help. Talk to someone you feel comfortable with like a family member or friend. Maybe you don’t know exactly what to say, if this is the case you could write it down in a letter or in a journal.
Sometimes talking to a professional may help as well. I know there is a stigma around counselling but there really shouldn’t be. Learning coping skills and methods can help resolve issues you were harbouring.
Take Time
It might have been four weeks since the bullying happened, four months of four years and that’s okay. Time really is a great healer. As you grow, try new things and meet new people the traumas of the past day by day will seem less able to define and control you. So remember to allow yourself time and heal at your own pace.
Remove self doubt or blame
After you have removed yourself from the situation overthinking can certainly creep in. You can start to question the details of what happened, you can question the cause and even doubt or blame yourself. Removing this self doubt and blame is crucial in the healing process. Self love and self care need to become a priority in your healing. Remember you did not deserve to be bullied, it did happen but it was not your fault.
Not Everyone Is The Same
Moving on, making new friends and opening yourself up to someone new can be really daunting and scary. You might wonder what the point is, or question will it happen again or simply be too afraid of losing them. I understand, this is normal. However, if you never take the risk you will never know. Remember not everyone is the same and not every experience will resemble past ones. So open yourself up to someone and something new and you might find true friendship.
It is easier said than done to move on and heal from bullying but if you have the strength to endure the bullying you have the strength to heal, to love and to laugh once again. Remember, you are stronger than you think and braver than you know as a bullying survivor.