It’s okay to make jokes. We do it all the time with our friends and with our family. Some things can be said, but some things can’t…and shouldn’t be said. Our words can be more powerful than we think. 

There are many different forms of bullying. Verbal, cyber, sexual and physical. But no matter what type of bullying it is, they can all have the same effect. Freshman Emily Hammock has been through verbal bullying since the fourth grade.

“As I got older, the bullying for me got worse,” Hammock said. “Mainly it was the people that I was really close to. They started to drift and act horribly towards me. They just knew how to get under my skin.” 

The bullying hurt Hammock’s mental state a lot.  

“When they all left me I started to blame myself,” she said. “I tried to fix things but it would never be enough. So I just cried and cried.”

Freshman Mia Kessler had a bad verbal bullying experience.

“People called me a fake and a copy. It affected me a lot because you think that if you’re nice to everyone, they will be nice right back. But no,” Kessler said. “Especially when your own friends turn against you. It just really affects you and hurts deep inside.” 

We can help people who have these terrible feelings and thoughts. If you know anyone who is struggling like this, bring it to a trusted adult’s attention. Try to talk to them and help them out. We need to make sure to get people help before it may be too late.

Bullying can impact people in so many different ways. The suicide rate is seven times worse than it was two years ago. Studies show that bullying is a major impact on suicide. 

We can help to slow or stop these rates entirely. All we have to do is stop and think before we do something.