“I was bullied all through secondary school. I was a quiet boy so that made me a target for name-calling, isolation and some physical violence. This was in the 1980s, which may explain the school’s halfhearted attempt to intervene and my own parents’ reaction, which was this was my fault for “letting it happen” and asking why I didn’t stand up for myself.
“I was the only person in our year who he had any semblance of a relationship with but, unfortunately, the difficult home life I had meant I was easily influenced and gravitated towards him – his brash confidence was an umbrella I felt I could shelter under. However, part of the deal meant I had to endure the daily ritual of his torturous bullying.
“Seeing people from school nowadays is hard for me, I hope they understand I was a deeply unhappy teenager at home and school and mocking others felt like a suit of armour that shielded me from the pain, however temporary. By the time I went to college my way of thinking was utterly toxic – I was convinced others were judging my appearance and behaviour as much as my bully had.
“I carry it to this day. I remember so distinctly starting college and being shocked people were speaking to me openly and kindly. I became such a happier person. I’m now 31 and this still impacts me everyday. I’m still on antidepressants and my sense of self worth hangs on by a delicate thread. It feels like people could flip again, could turn around and ruin my life on a whim, for sport. It showed me the cruelty of humans and that’s not something I’ll ever forget.
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Source: IrishTimes - 🏆 3. / 98 Read more »