Submitted by Cynthia Walker Burton

She walked hurriedly, clutching her books tightly as she navigated the crowded noisy hall toward her locker. Almost there. “Good!” she said to herself, “He’s nowhere in sight.” But as she reached the sanctuary of her locker, he appeared close by in his football jersey. She desperately hoped he wouldn’t see her. Too late. He deliberately approached her with piercing brown eyes and a jeering look as he shouted an ugly offensive name at her cringing face. He laughed loudly, pleased with his most recent insult hurled at his classmate. Embarrassed, she said nothing and grabbed her books for the next class. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have another humiliating encounter with the intimidating bully. This was the fourth school year that she’d had to endure his cruel remarks and degrading name calling. “Thank God it’s my senior year. He won’t bully me after this” she thought with a sigh.

Were you bullied in school because of your physical appearance, disability, or social status? Did you suffer the sharp arrows of a bully’s attack just because you were assessed to be an easy target? There’s a name for adults who harbor and relive the agony and humiliation of childhood bullying: Adult Survivors of Peer Abuse.

While Adult Survivors of Peer Abuse is not classified as a distinct syndrome in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM), the psychological impacts are very real and can resemble PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and paranoia. Every day life can be scarred and marred with low self esteem, a lack of confidence, or trouble sleeping.

Maturing into an adult does not erase memories of bullying, because bullying is a wicked two-edged sword: it cuts deeply when you experience it, and it cuts as it lingers in your memory. It is truly a weapon of mass destruction.

Acknowledging you were bullied and choosing to move forward is the first step to healing. You may wish to seek professional counseling, confide in your clergy, join an Adult Bullying Survivors Group, or attempt contact with your former aggressor (use discretion and caution). These books may help: “Bullying Scars: The Impact on Adult Life and Relationships,” “Getting Past Childhood Bullying,” or “Life After Bullying: 3 Steps to Inner Peace.” The internet offers infinite educational resources: TED Talks, group chats, websites, courses, etc.

Don’t just survive: thrive! Resolve to no longer be a victim of bullying’s mass destruction. Ready, aim, fire!