Can overcoming bullying make you stronger?

- Emilien M., Ulysse R. & Justin P.

Bullying is a significant issue in today’s society that affects one in four students globally and we can all agree that it needs to be stopped. Although many people struggle from the impacts of bullying, some who have been through this harassment claim that it has had positive long term effects on their character.

Firstly, bullying through verbal and physical abuse, as well as cyberbullying, has contributed to the suffering of many students worldwide. Specifically, many renowned young celebrities have been through bullying at a young age and have decided to share their painful experiences.

Carrie Hope Fletcher, a singer, writer, and actress states that her classmates repeatedly accused her of ‘showing off’ and excluded her. After initially trying to resist this harassment, she eventually ‘just accepted being ostracised’. However, this may not be the case for the majority of victims who struggle to accept their exclusion. Fletcher has since used her experience to release videos and publish a book ‘All I Know Now’. This book offers advice for young teenagers who are also going through bullying. Therefore, she has used her experience to help others, showing that although she suffered, she overcame it and is in a better place. It would, on the other hand, be better if people didn’t have to go through this harassment in the first place, and there was never a need for this book.

Michael Phelps is another celebrity who has used bullying to his advantage. The swimmer and 28 time Olympic medalist claims that it made him ‘stronger going through that’. In this situation, the athlete finds that overcoming bullying has helped him become a more successful and determined person. This is most likely exception to the norm, as many struggle after undergoing traumatic experiences of bullying. “ Michael Phelps is a celebrity who has used bullying to his advantage. The swimmer and 28 time Olympic medalist claims that it made him ‘stronger going through that’. ”

Verbal bullying is the most common type of bullying: the vast majority of people have probably been called names at some point in their life. Namecalling is based on many different factors but, most importantly, defaming people on their differences, however,our differences are what make us unique. People should learn to embrace their differences and not exclude others because of them. Imagine how boring the world would be if we were all the same? By being called names, some people may learn to accept themselves for who they are, and with their unique differences, strive in their path to success. On the other hand, this is not the case for most individuals. When one suffers constant verbal bullying, it still harms the victim in the long term and causes many psychological damages.

one of the anti-bullying posters

“ If you see bullying, flag it, report it, speak up. If you are a victim of bullying, be strong, speak up, know you shouldn’t have to deal with such treatment. ”

Cyberbullying is also a very common, albeit new, type of bullying which carries drastic effects. Fortunately, cyberbullying is also one of the easiest types of bullying to combat. Cyberbullying is generally carried out through social media, and if you are bullied online, a possible solution is to stop using social media. Being detached from it can be seen as a good thing, as social media is known to carry negative impacts on mental health. Also, some individuals who dealt with cyberbullying have said that it made them more resilient to hate and bullying which one can face in adulthood, therefore preparing them for real life. On the other hand, cyberbullying can be persistent and damaging, as people behind screens often take that as meaning they can say whatever they want. This is not the case. A lot of the time cyberbullying is combined with both verbal and physical bullying, which just deepens the wounds it leaves. Furthermore, cyberbullying is present everywhere: on the internet, on your phone, you’re mindlessly scrolling through your Twitter feed, and bam, it’s right there. It can reach you in the safety of your home and can hence be detrimental to one’s self-esteem and confidence.

In conclusion, it can be said that what doesn’t kill you can make you stronger in certain circumstances. Even though most are left broken from being victims of bullying, some still claim to have been positively impacted by the initially tough experience, enabling them to develop a thick skin. But these cases are rare and, in truth, the victim would have lived a happier life without it. So, yes, overcoming bullying can make you stronger, but you shouldn’t be broken in the first place. If you see bullying, flag it, report it, speak up. If you are a victim of bullying, be strong, speak up, know you shouldn’t have to deal with such treatment.