at school there is a load of stupid and pathetic rumours going around about me, in my head im thinking its just stupid and i dont even know why im messaging you because there is nothing you can do but these rumours are horrible everyone in my year knows about them and they come up to me in class and at break even in the corridors and ask me if there true, i dont show it at school that they get to me but when im home i cant stop crying they are really tearing me apart in side and i sometimes bunk school now because im too scared to face them, even some of my mates have turned against me i have 5 mates at school and thats it. this is so stupid and its probably not even bullying but i just need some one else's opinion. thanks I*
Sam
Hi there,
Thank you for writing to me. I can hear that things in school are feeling really tough for you right now. You said that youre not sure if spreading rumours counts as bullying. This is definitely bullying and should be taken seriously. Whats happening to you sounds very upsetting and you deserve to be supported with getting it stopped.
I imagine its been really painful to see friends turning against you because of these rumours. You mentioned the 5 friends you still have in school. What do they think about whats happening? It can be really helpful to speak to the people close to you and let them know your side of things and tell them how you're feeling.
I am concerned to hear that you are bunking school sometimes because you dont want to face people. When things feel this hard it is really helpful to let someone know what is going on. It sounds like part of you is worried that there is nothing anyone can do to help. While telling someone might not make things get better straight away, the right support can make a big difference to people experiencing bullying. Your school has a responsibility to offer you help with this. Im wondering if there is a teacher you like, or someone like a student support officer, school counsellor or nurse that you might be able to speak to.
If youre worried that people might not understand how difficult its been for you to hear these rumours, you could try starting a journal of everything thats happened. You could write down everything that is said or done to you, when it happened, and how it made you feel. A journal like this can be a really powerful way of showing someone the effect that being bullied is having on you.
There is more information on our bullying page, as well as a whole section about it on the message boards. You might find it useful to see what other young people are saying about their own experiences of being bullied. You could even post a message yourself to ask for some support and ideas.
If youre not sure where to start, you could always talk to a ChildLine counsellor who can talk to you about some different options. Sometimes just telling someone whats happening can help things to feel better. You can use email, call for free on 0800 1111 or log in for a 1-2-1 chat.
Take care,
Sam
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