Bullying: Society's worst enemy

Have you ever walked around school a lot with a feeling that you've got all of these
friends but then one day they just completely stab you in the back? Well it's a feeling of
betrayal and distrust. Have those people who were once your so called "friends" just
started beating you down constantly, making you feel completely vulnerable and
worthless? Just being mean to you for no reason whatsoever just because it gives them
pleasure? Well, I've personally had experiences and I've known many people who have.

Today society faces a big struggle, bullies. Many people at school are bullied these
days because some people (the bullies) are constantly making them feel like they're
worthless and aren't good enough for the world. That eventually leads the victim to
suicide. The reason why the victim commits suicide is because the pressure and fear of
being bullied gets so high they just can't take it anymore. Not only does bullying cause
pain to the victim, but it also causes pain for the family and Friends of the victim. It
causes pain to the family and friends because they suffer from the loss of a loved one
and a dear friend if they commit suicide.

Although, some of the victims of bullies do not commit suicide. They turn into bullies
themselves. A question we all probably have is, why does it turn out that way? Well, a
study performed by Drs. Clayton R. Cook and Nancy G. Guerra. Shows that the victim
who becomes a bully has suffered from bullying and is influenced badly by his peers and
other people around him/her. This is what the Drs. Had to say, "The typical bully-victim
(someone who bullies and is bullied) also has negative attitudes and beliefs about
himself or herself and others, the study found. He or she has trouble with social
interaction, does not have good social problem-solving skills, performs poorly
academically and is not only rejected and isolated by peers but is also negatively
influenced by the peers with whom he or she interacts, according to the study".

I, personally have known several people who have been bullies and were victims of
bullying through out my life. For example, there was this person I knew who was bullied
all through elementary school. They moved away in 6th grade and came back in 7th or
8th grade (can't really remember which year exactly). When they came back, they had
turned into the very thing that they hated so much and what was causing them so much
pain, a bully. I had so many things going through my head, "Why did this happen? Why'd
you turn out this way? You hated it when you were being treated like this! Why are you
afflicting the same pain and suffering that you went through on someone else?" To me it
was very sad and confusing to witness this because they were being a hypocrite!
Another quote from the article by Dr. Cook and Dr. Guerra talks about what happens to
the bully and what usually happens to the bully victim. “A typical bully has trouble
resolving problems with others and also has trouble academically,” said Cook. “He or
she usually has negative attitudes and beliefs about others, feels negatively toward
himself/herself, comes from a family environment characterized by conflict and poor
parenting, perceives school as negative and is negatively influenced by peers.”
“A typical victim is likely to be aggressive, lack social skills, think negative thoughts,
experience difficulties in solving social problems, come from negative family, school and
community environments and be noticeably rejected and isolated by peers,” said Cook".

I have personally been a victim of bullying. It is seriously one of the worst things I have
ever experienced. In elementary school, some of the people that I considered great
friends at the time tragically turned into some of my worst enemy's. Everyday I came to
school worried about being made fun of and people just making me feel like I was
nothing to the world. I was also afraid that I was just going to be treated badly by
everyone and that they'd make me look like the bully. Which some would try to do at
times.

Even though I went through all of that in elementary school, Things got much better in
middle school. Instead of just giving them a taste if their medicine, which was my "plan
to strike back" all along, I decided I'd just continue to treat them nicely like I have been.
As a result, the tensions were settled, and everyone that gave me problems in
elementary school are now on good terms.

My purpose in writing this was to show that bullying is a major problem society faces
daily and that it needs to be stopped. We can all make a difference in someone's life.
Whether it is good or bad, we can all influence people. If any of you reading this are
currently being bullied, just take this in. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE! Never let your gaurd
Down. Things will always get better, which will always lead to a happy ending in the trials
you have in your life.