When growing up my parents taught me to stand up to bullies. (We’re talking about verbal abuse and manipulation, not physical bullying.) Following that advice as a kid led to mixed results yet it’s stuck with me into my adult years.
These days though, using this advice only seems to backfire. When I give them what they’ve given me, the bullies just get more angry and use that to justify their continued bullying. They see themselves as the victim.
Any suggestions that would be more helpful?
Easier said than done but don’t be on your own. Stick in groups of 2 or more friends. I got bullied in middle school because I really didn’t have many friends in my classes. In high school I joined ROTC, which typically means every squad member is your friend, and I never got bullied because they all had my back and I had theirs. Well, I might’ve been “bullied” a bit by superior officers but that’s kind of built in to the program.