Anyone can be affected by bullying at any time in their lives, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.
Bullying is never okay; no one has the right to treat another person in this way.
Bullying can take many forms. Some of these can include:
All forms of bullying can have a negative impact on your physical and emotional health and wellbeing, which can start to interfere with daily life and affect your self-esteem.
If you think or know you are being bullied, it’s important to prioritise your safety and wellbeing. If you are in immediate physical danger call 999 to get urgent assistance.
If you can, try and remove yourself from the situation and cut the bully out of your life. This may not always be possible though, in which case talk to someone you trust like a friend, colleague, case worker or parent/caregiver to get some help and support.
Remember, you are not alone, and you do not deserve to be treated in this way.
If you are not sure what to do, or you’re worried about talking to someone you know, try one of the helplines below where you can talk to someone anonymously; many of these services are open 24 hours a day:
Samaritans
Call 116 123
This service operates 24 hours a day and calls made to this number are free of charge.
SHOUT
The UK’s first 24/7 crisis text service, SHOUT provides free, confidential, 24/7 text message support in the UK for anyone who is struggling to cope.
Text SHOUT to 85258
This service is free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis, anytime.
Central Access Point
If you need urgent NHS mental health support, you can call the Mental Health Central Access Point, which is open 24/7.
Call 0808 800 3302
