Mean boys & girls..

Some people are just plain mean. Bullying has been a hot topic lately. It's something hard to stand up to and even harder to enforce. While we have rules and a "no bullying" policy, things really haven't changed. It breaks my heart to see people breaking others down the way they do. They obviously don't value themselves enough.

There are a number of direct consequences as a result of bullying. It's insane the way people just casually overlook them. Victims show an immediate increase in anxiety, sadness, low self-esteem, sleep difficulties, headaches, stomach pains, and general tension. Research done in Finland also shows that victims are more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders, and their bodies are less likely to fight off disease and infection.

Because of the way victims feel, it is more likely for them to miss more school, obtain lower grades, and a higher predisposition to violence. Many of the disorders previously mentioned can carry through to adulthood. Sometimes, they can cause difficulties with family, friends, and co-workers.

In some cases, suicide is turned to because the bullying is so severe and continuous. The MBNBD says that suicide rates among 10-14 year olds have grown more than 50% in the last three decades. In 2005, 270 children between the ages of 10-14 killed themselves due to bullies. That's 270 lives gone!! We could have prevented it 100%! Why do we treat others so inhumanely? Honestly, we treat animals better than we treat other people!

It's time to take a stand! We need to fight for what's right. The human race lives with their eyes closed. For some reason, we see more differences in others than we do similarities. Clearly, no one is better than the other. Let's stop acting like it!

Are you going to be a bully or a hero?