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Are my friends fake or am I doing something wrong?
Hi, Sam! I started year 7 in September this school year, and ever since i joined, all my best friends from primary have been treating me like im a horrible person, and saying i did things that i didn’t do, and now none of them are invited to my birthday (i am having a small party with the only 3 friends i have at a theme park), they are getting mad at me and asking why they're not invited when we've been 'friends' longer. just earlier today, one of them got my phone number and sent me multiple hurtful videos calling me swear words and saying its my fault they dont talk to me because I have severe social anxiety, especially around them since they bully me and call me names! Please reply to this, idk who else to go to
Sam
Hi there,
A good friend should be someone you trust and feel comfortable with. It’s natural to have problems with friends sometimes, but they should always have respect for you and it’s not okay for them to be unkind. Sending hurtful videos with people swearing at you is a type of bullying and it’s wrong. No matter what others have said to you, it isn’t your fault.
If friends aren’t being nice to you, it’s okay to reduce the time you spend with them. It’s totally your choice who you invite to your birthday celebrations and no one should put any pressure on you to get an invite. The important thing is that you enjoy your birthday!
It can be good to talk to a trusted adult about the bullying. Your school has a duty to care for you, which means that speaking out to someone like a teacher can help the bullying stop. Think about keeping the videos and screenshots of any messages you've been sent as evidence. Keeping a diary of what's been said and done can also help you to show others what’s happening.
Being bullied can have a big impact on your mental health and levels of anxiety. But there are ways to help feel calmer and more in control. Make time to be kind to yourself and look after yourself.
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
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