9781422288290

How to Act Like You’re Confident A bully has just started picking on you. What do you do? Act confident! Even if you feel just the opposite, try doing these things:

• Breathe deeply and slowly. • Stand up or sit up straight. • Don’t fold your hands across your chest; that makes you look scared.

• Speak calmly and loudly. • Look the bully in the eye. • Keep your shoulders tall and don’t slouch.

• Try to be friends with your bully. Yes, being friends with a bully sounds strange! But bullies are often lonely and have their own problems. They may not feel comfortable talking about those problems. If they know someone is listening and wants to be their friend, they might stop bullying. And if that person is you, they’ll stop bullying you! Ask the bully if something is wrong, invite him to hang out with you, and offer to talk. At the very least, your bully will be confused and will forget to bully you for a few minutes. At best, you’ll stop the bullying and gain a friend. • Find a group of friends you like and who like you. Sometimes bullies are people you think are your friends. If someone is bullying you, she isn’t your friend. Find people who don’t make you feel bad. Hang out with friends and family who make you feel good. Try new things—like art, sports, and music—to see if you can find a friend group that works for you. • Tell someone. Tell a teacher, a guidance counselor, a relative, or a family friend that you’re being bullied. If one person you tell doesn’t do anything about the bullying, tell someone else. Eventually you’ll find someone who can do something and will make the bullying stop. • See a guidance counselor or school therapist. Your school’s guidance counselor or therapist is there to help you deal with problems, like bullying. He can give you a safe space to talk about your feelings and help you find solutions to bullying. Just talking about the bullying can make you feel better. • Remember you’re not alone. Lots and lots of young people are bullied. Take a look around. You might notice other people who are also being bullied. Talk to them. Knowing there are many people just like you helps. Chances are, you know someone else who has been bullied. IF YOU’RE DEPRESSED OR THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE Get help right away! Adults take depression and suicide seriously, and so should you. If you find yourself sad all the time and have a hard time getting yourself to do things, you might be depressed.

What Can You Do to Stay Safe?

39