Back in high school, I recall a day in my homeroom class where the boy behind me grabbed my dress shirt, twisted my nipple underneath it, and tried to get me to cry or call out. I resisted making any sound, stared him down, and didn’t react.
When you meet a bully, they’ll try to get you to react to something that they do to hurt you.
Back in high school, there were all sorts of kids who also came from broken homes and they took their anger and frustration out on the younger kids in the school.
Why didn’t the teachers stop such behavior? Often they didn’t see it. But this same type of behavior has happened to me in the workplace and in relationships.
The challenge is to resist the instigation and not to play into the hands of a bully.
Add alcohol or drugs to the mix and you could be in an extremely challenging time. How you choose to respond to the abuse is up to you. Will you lash out and react from the bully as that’s what they want from you? They’re simply trying to get a rise out of you and take pleasure in manipulating you.
If you live with someone who is trying to control you that way, get the help and support you need to deal with such behavior.
Recovery is not easy, and to struggle with such challenges on a day-to-day basis is hard.
Take time to be honest with yourself and reach out for help.
You don’t have to be treated so unfairly.
You deserve better.