Bullying.

We've all been there. Whether it be in a school setting, a work setting, or elsewhere. Kids nowadays, and adults even, think it is acceptable to make hurtful comments, thinking it will be perceived as a lighthearted joke. While some people are able to blow these comments off, not everyone can take these comments without taking it to heart. I walk the hallways of my school, and sit and watch as people degrade and harass fellow students. I see the trash talking, the talking behind someone’s back, the rude comments on social media, and I just sit and think, ‘Is this what it really has come to?’

People are afraid to step out of their houses in the morning, to step on the school bus, to take those excruciatingly long steps into the school wondering what awaits them just inside those doors. Children, beginning in elementary school, are coming home crying wondering why they are made out to be so different, leaving them feeling isolated, and at such a young age. I hear more and more people I know complaining about how hard it is to drag themselves to school day after day, just to get stomped on some more. People are scared, they are terrified, of what awaits them just inside those school grounds, those work buildings. Children are developing major anxiety at a much younger age, which will often lead them down a path of anger and depression, which will last a lifetime. People are afraid to reach out for help, for the fear of being rejected or judged. So instead of getting help, they let it sit inside them and well up, until one day, whether it be tomorrow or 10 years from now, they break down. They collapse, all the strength and stability seeping out of them. They sit and wonder, ‘Why me? Why now? Why can't things be different?’ These thoughts can last a lifetime, and it can leave them scared and feeling outcasted for the rest of their lives.

Bullying is common, too common, in social settings in this day and age. How can we help?

We can start by making a point of complimenting at least one person, or standing up for someone who looks like they desperately need it. We can spread awareness of bullying and what it can lead to. Bullying never ends well, whether it leads to self deprecation, deep anger, major anxiety, suicidal thoughts/actions, and even homicidal thoughts/actions.

So when we see someone being pushed away by others, or being judged for who they are and what they can not control, try to be an upstander. An upstander will not settle for people being degraded and harassed. An upstander will stand up for what they feel is right and what they feel is best. So how can you help? Be an upstander. Be there to defend those who do not know how to. You can make a difference by spreading kindness, one person at a time.