“My colleagues try to dominate me and make fun of me. And if I try to answer them, they just laugh at me. I don’t know how to reply.”
“I have 3 roommates, and I’m the butt of every damn joke. They’re all witty, and I can’t seem to think of anything quickly. When they make fun of me, I can’t think of a rebuttal. They make inside jokes and jokes that are only directed at me. They come up with new things every day.”
If you can relate to these quotes from our readers, this guide is for you. There’s a difference between two friends joking and someone making fun of you or trying to dominate you. If you’re looking to get more respect in general, you should read our guide with several tricks that make people respect you.
In this article, you’ll learn how to deal with someone who makes fun of you.
Sections
- What to do when someone makes fun of you
- Reasons why some people make fun of others
- Common questions
What to do when someone makes fun of you
When someone puts you down or makes you the butt of a joke, it’s normal to freeze up. Your mind might go blank, or it may seem like everything you say or do in response to the bully only makes the situation worse. Fortunately, there are several simple strategies you can use to shut down teasing and harassment.
Here’s how to deal with someone who makes fun of you:
1. Don’t give a predictable reply
If you respond to the bully in a predictable way, you are implying that they have said something funny, even though they haven’t. When you rise to the bully’s bait, they will feel encouraged to keep on having fun at your expense.
Here’s an example showing why a predictable reply can validate a bully’s comments and make the situation worse:
Bully: “So what movies do you like, you know, except for dirty movies? Hahahaha.”
You: “Haha, yeah right!” or “Shut up!” or “Haha, no I don’t!”
Bully: “I knew it! HAHAHA.”
Everyone around you will probably laugh along too, not necessarily because they don’t care about your feelings, but because they just don’t realize how bad you feel. And since the “funny one” got the response they were looking for, they’re more likely to do it again in the future.
2. Agree too much with the joke
This technique is effective and easy to use for beginners just starting to find their voice against the “funny guy/girl.”
Here’s the trick: While keeping a poker face, agree too much with their stupid question or statement. Don’t laugh or smile. Just give them your answer with a straight face.
The reason this works is that your response will be the opposite of what they expect. They will either be at a loss for words or they will look like a complete idiot if they try to push the joke further.
When you respond this way, everyone will see your disapproval and will realize that what the “funny one” said wasn’t funny at all. The situation will end awkwardly for the bully because they will be laughing alone.
Here’s an example of how you get the upper hand on the funny guy/girl by agreeing too much:
Funny one: “So what movies do you like? You know, except for dirty movies? Hahahaha.”
You: “Oh, you didn’t know? I only watch dirty movies.”
Funny one: “… well then.”
When the bully has backed off, change the subject and continue talking as if nothing happened.
If possible, keep ignoring the funny one and any further attempts they make at the same kind of joke. Being non-reactive while you “agree” makes your disapproval crystal clear to everyone. You’re basically treating them like your irritating little brother. This shows that you do not tolerate bad behavior like that and gives you the upper hand.
3. Ignore the bully
Sometimes, ignoring the bully is the best solution. It can work well if you aren’t a quick thinker or aren’t sure what to say when they make fun of you.
When you don’t respond to a bully, you take away their sense of gratification. That takes them out of the conversation and leaves them with no control over the situation.
So how do you actually ignore the bully?
- Don’t react at all. Pretend that you never heard their comment. At first, this might be difficult to get right. Most people fail when trying to ignore someone because their body language shows that they are annoyed. But it may get easier with practice.
- Continue the conversation as though the bully never spoke at all. This makes it clear to both the bully and the other people you’re talking to that you don’t accept, and won’t tolerate, their behavior. This is an important step because if you fall silent, it’s not clear whether you disapprove or just don’t know how to reply.
- If you blank out or don’t know how to reply, it’s better to use the previous technique of “agreeing TOO MUCH” with the bully.
To see how well this technique works, imagine this conversation between two friends, Cary and John, plus a bully:
Cary: “Who’s joining me at the beach tomorrow? It’s supposed to be a gorgeous sunny day.”
Bully: “Definitely not John—he’s too pale to be allowed to take his shirt off. He’ll blind you if you don’t have your sunglasses on!”
If you were John, you could respond like this:
“Going to the beach sounds lovely. I’m free after 12 if that works for you?”
Do you see how John’s response makes the bully seem rude? This example also shows that you don’t have to sink to a bully’s level by being rude or mean.
When you ignore the bully, they might try harder to fit into the group. So instead of making insulting jokes, they’re more likely to follow the vibe of the conversation.
If you ignore a bully’s comments for long enough, they may start playing nice to fit back in. In some cases, they might resign from the group altogether. Either way, if you can effectively ignore their comments for a long period of time, they might stop.
4. Ask the bully to clarify what they mean
Sometimes you want a good comeback to make someone shut up when they make fun of you. This can be quite tricky when you blank out or only come up with a reply when it’s all over. (Read more about how to never be nervous around people.)
Here’s a comeback you can use in almost any situation:
Interesting that you’d say that. How do you mean?
This one is good if you want to confront someone about what they said. It takes all the fun out of it for them when they have to explain themselves. And just like the method of “Agreeing too much,” it doesn’t give them the response they expected.
5. Memorize and use comeback phrases and quotes
If you want to be a bit wittier and are prepared to be slightly mean, you could try using some comebacks. Here are a few ideas:
- Remember when I said you’re smart? I lied.
- If I wanted to kill myself, I’d climb your ego and jump to your IQ.
- You should eat some makeup. That way, you’ll at least be pretty on the inside.
- Acting like a dick won’t make yours any bigger.
- It’s amazing how stupid people can be. Thank you for the demonstration.
- You’re about as useful as a raincoat in a desert.
- Your ass must be jealous of the shit coming from your mouth.
- Do you ever think about how your life would be if you grew up in a better family?
- You’ve got all your life left to be a douchebag. Why not take the day off?
- I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings when I called you dumb. I thought you knew.
- You know what? You always make me so happy…when you leave.
- Too bad you can’t use makeup on your personality.
Use these phrases with caution. In certain situations, they might backfire. For example, if you’re dealing with someone who is highly confrontational, a comeback might make them very angry. When you use them, it’s important that you do it in a joking manner—you don’t want to risk starting a fight.
6. Draw attention to their bullying tendencies
If you’re dealing with someone who often makes fun of you or puts you down, you can deal with their comments by acting as though their behavior is just an immature, embarrassing habit rather than something you should take personally.
This spoils the bully’s fun because although you’re acknowledging their behavior, you aren’t letting it get to you. It’s an unexpected response that may leave them confused.
You can do this by smiling, chuckling, or rolling your eyes and saying something like, “Ah, classic [Name],” or “Oh right, there he/she goes again!” The trick is to act as though they are merely a nuisance rather than a threat.
Here’s an example showing this approach in action. Imagine that you’re telling some friends about a second-hand car you bought recently. One member of the group, James, often puts you (and others) down. He knows you earn a low salary and sometimes takes shots at your job and income.
You: I’m finally picking my car up on Thursday. I can’t wait! It’s not brand new, but I got a good deal. It’s hard to get around this area on public transport.
James: Amazing, I’ve never seen someone get so excited about a second-hand car. But I guess you have to get excited about simple things if you earn peanuts.
You: Haha, classic James!
James: What?
You: You know, putting people down? [Laughs] It’s your thing.
James: It’s not! I’m only saying that it’s kind of pathetic to get so excited about a cheap car.
You: See! [Smiles, rolls eyes] Typical James! Anyway… [Changes topic]
This technique puts the bully’s character under the spotlight and diverts attention away from you. Don’t engage with their comments or get drawn into an argument—that’s what they want you to do. Just label their behavior, dismiss it, and move on.
7. Learn how to be more assertive
Research suggests that being more assertive might protect you from harassment. According to a 2020 study into workplace bullying published in the International Journal of Nursing Practice, people low in assertiveness may be more at risk of bullying.[1]
This may be because assertive people stand up for their rights and defend their personal boundaries, which might make it easier for them to shut down teasing and other disrespectful behavior quickly.
If you feel that you’re too submissive, you might want to read about steps you can take to be more assertive.
8. Work out whether you’re dealing with a toxic person
It’s important to know the difference between a real friend who has made a mistake and a toxic friend who doesn’t truly care about your feelings. A real friend is always worth a second shot, but you need to cut toxic friends out of your life.
However, try to remember that nobody’s perfect. For example, most of us make ill-judged comments or zone out of a conversation from time to time. Don’t be too quick to assume that someone is toxic just because they’ve been rude a couple of times. You want to look out for patterns of behavior before jumping to conclusions.
Here are some signs that your friend may be a toxic person:
- They do things without your permission and may disrespect your boundaries. For example, they might borrow your possessions without asking first.
- They try to make you feel guilty or use emotional blackmail to get what they want. For instance, they might say things like, “If you really cared about me, you’d lend me $50 for gas” or “If you were a real friend, you wouldn’t mind babysitting for me,” even if they know that you don’t want to lend them money or take care of their children.
- They are nice one-on-one, but they try to boss you around when you’re in a group. Real friends treat you with respect, regardless of who is around.
- They don’t pay much or any attention to you during conversations; they might use you as a sounding board or therapist.
- They don’t apologize when they hurt you or let you down, even when you let them know how you feel.
- When they tease you, they focus on the things that they know make you insecure. For example, if your friend knows that you are self-conscious about your weight, it would be toxic and unkind of them to make jokes about your size or shape.
9. Ask the other person to change their behavior
Here’s a more diplomatic route you can take if you value a relationship. Keep in mind that this sentence works in any type of relationship where you are both motivated to get along.
It’s your responsibility to tell the bully how you feel if you want them to stop. They are at fault, but since they’re usually not aware of how their behavior affects you, you need to make them aware of it.
Here are some tips that will help you make yourself clear:
- Don’t generalize. Don’t say something like “You always try to dominate me.” Generalizations make other people defensive, and they aren’t particularly helpful because they don’t spell out exactly why you are hurt. Give a specific example instead.
- Tell the person how YOU feel, not what THEY should and shouldn’t do. This is achieved by using I-statements. No one can disprove that you feel a certain way, but they can argue back when you tell them how they should behave.
- Give them the benefit of the doubt and make it clear you don’t want to attack your friend and just want to fix the problem. For example, you could say, “You probably didn’t mean to hurt me.”
Here’s an example:
“Sometimes you say things that I don’t like. One example is when you joked about my new sweater. I feel belittled when you make comments like that. You probably didn’t intend to come across as mean, but I want you to know how that made me feel.”
It takes courage to open up to someone who’s causing you harm, but standing up for yourself will be worth it in the long run.
10. Tell someone that you’re being bullied
Opening up about your experiences can make you feel better, which will give you a mental edge the next time someone tries to put you down. Talk to a friend or relative about what’s going on. They might have similar experiences to share.
You could also try talking to a therapist who can help you come up with good strategies on how to deal with bullies both practically and emotionally.
We recommend BetterHelp for online therapy, since they offer unlimited messaging and a weekly session, and are cheaper than going to a therapist's office.
Their plans start at $64 per week. If you use this link, you get 20% off your first month at BetterHelp + a $50 coupon valid for any SocialSelf course: Click here to learn more about BetterHelp.
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Reasons why some people make fun of others
If you’ve been on the receiving end of bullying, harassment, or malicious teasing, you might have asked yourself what drives people to behave so badly.
It’s hard to know for sure why someone makes fun of others, but psychologists have made some progress in uncovering the root causes of bullying.
Here are some of the reasons why some people humiliate or bully others:
1. Low self-esteem
Some people may try to feel better about themselves by making fun of others.
A meta-analysis published in the journal Aggression and Violent Behaviour found a modest link between bullying behavior and low self-esteem.[2]
2. Genetics
According to an article by Harvey published in the Journal of Business Ethics, biological differences, such as genetics, may help explain why some people are prone to bullying behavior.[3]
In 2019, Veldkamp et al. ran a study with identical and non-identical pairs of school-aged twins. Their goal was to work out if a person’s genes or environment make them more or less likely to be a bully. The researchers found that genetic influences can make children more vulnerable to becoming a bully or a victim.[4]
3. A lack of empathy
A 2015 review published in the journal Aggression and Violent Behaviour states that there is a negative association between the ability to feel empathy and bullying behavior.[5] People who find it hard to imagine what those around them are thinking and feeling are more likely to make fun of others. This may be because they don’t fully understand how their actions affect their victims.
4. A need for control
Some people may bully because they want to control their environment.[3] For example, an employee might bully others in the workplace because they want to control who works on their team, who works particular shifts, and how the work is done. By intimidating and making fun of their coworkers, an employee may be able to have things their way.
5. Desire to increase their status
Some people try to become more popular by bullying others. The results of a 2020 study published in the American Journal of Sociology showed that bullies often try to establish dominance by picking on people in their social circle, including people they would describe as friends.[4] For example, a bully might try to make themselves look smarter or funnier than someone else by repeatedly putting them down.
6. Learned behavior
Bullying can be learned behavior that people pick up from their environment.[3] For example, an employee who sees a coworker go unpunished for making fun of others might be more likely to follow suit than an employee who works in a place with a zero-tolerance bullying policy.
7. Personality disorders
There is a positive association between personality disorders and bullying behavior. Vaughn et al. analyzed the results of a large-scale survey involving 43,093 adults and discovered that histrionic, paranoid, and antisocial personality disorders were increased risk factors for bullying.[8]
8. Adult Bullying Syndrome
Psychologist Chris Piotrowski has coined the term Adult Bully Syndrome (ABS) to describe the behaviors and tendencies of people who often bully others.
In a 2015 paper, Piotrowski explains that people with ABS show a set of distinctive traits; they are controlling, callous, self-centered, manipulative, and Machiavellian.[9] These traits are often seen in people with personality disorders.
Common questions
How can I deal with a coworker who makes fun of me?
There is no universal solution for dealing with a workplace bully. In some cases, ignoring them may work. If the problem persists, you could try spelling out why you feel hurt and ask them to stop. You could also try asking a member of senior management or your team leader for advice.
What should I do if someone makes fun of me online?
In many cases, ignoring is the simplest way to deal with an online bully. Remember, you don’t have to respond to unkind remarks. On social media, consider blocking or muting the person who is making fun of you. If they repeatedly harass you or make you feel unsafe, report them to the platform.
So I’m in a dance group and a certain girl always make fun of my dancing and laughs and teases me of my dance in front of my other teamates I don’t like it what do I do?
Hi Emily. That sucks and it’s not acceptable behavior from her.
May I ask how old she is? And what have you tried so far?
One thing you can start to do is to try to get everyone else on your side. Become friends with the others and tell them how it makes you feel when that girl makes fun of you. That way they will back you up and everyone will think she’s an asshole. But it depends on how mature they are.
She’s 13. So I tried to talk but I couldn’t because it’s complicated her sister is the dance teacher and she does nothing about it. She just laughs with them. I don’t know how to be friends with them because it’s like they all don’t like me. I do this dance group for god that’s why I’m still in the group. Thanks for your help.
Tell them that you wish you had friends like them always have something encouraging to say
Love it! Indeed, we should surround ourselves with people that is good for our mental health. Not a toxic one. Because friends have big impact in our happiness. And we should choose wisely.
I’m going to try the last method with my mother in law tomorrow. I’ve talked with my husband about my frustrations of her dominating my house while she visits, and am looking to respectfully establish it back. She’ll be here for a whole month so it’s best it gets done ASAP ??
It’s great that you deal with that before it gets out of control. Best of luck!
Really liked the article and will definitely put it to use. My friends always make fun of me in the group it’s like I’m the punching bag. They don’t want to hurt me but it always ends up on me. Just today jokingly they took a hard object and throw it on me it hit my head and none of them seemed sorry … I’m so frustrated with them I just want to leave everything am done go home
I used to have this. A way to deal with it can be down to the way you respond to jokes and teasing. One thing you can do is not react to that sort of thing anymore. They need to respect you.
It might be easier just to get a new group. The others might bond together by bringing you down, which shows you are not seen as an equal. In that case just get out of there.
I have a work place “funny guy” bully. I tried ignoring him but it turned to passive aggressive mumbles and glaring at me 30 minutes before his shift through the window as he sits outside in his car with the lights on. I took this to Management and “funny guy” used that he was a person who use to help people and that he could never be rude. He turned it around and said I was someone not to be trusted because I told our manager he was being rude. I can’t get over that the manager sided with him and told me that “I’ll get use to him.” I’m not sure how to handle this situation. I’m not someone who can confront people easily.
Start with a window shade for those 30 minutes.
When he mumbles, ask him “Excuse me, I did not hear you. What did you say?” Practice. Show no fear.
Then quietly keep a log of the factual details of his worst actions/behavior according to your direct experience, the date and time, witnesses, the end result and how it negatively impacted you/the workplace. Put it on the list then let it go and instead focus on doing great work. Eventually, privately, take this list to HR.
Thanks for your wonderful article. I will practice one or all the steps you mentioned. However, I had a situation when I was at loss how to react. My classmates and I were having a casual conversation with our professor. When one of my friends remarked that I drive motorcycles, my professor quickly snapped that I was a little headed one and that I didn’t have enough courage to even question anyone who hits my motorcycle accidentally. He also added that I was not even fit for driving motorcycles. He did not only behave as a funny guy but also teased me in front of my friends. He made me feel like I was a total dumb head. Can you tell me how could I have possibly reacted in this situation?
Yes,tell him to pull his lip over his head and swallow,he’ll get the idea
For the motorcycle thing, I’d use the ignoring – so after the mean comments are over, pretend you didn’t hear them, don’t show any emotion and just continue where you left off, maybe repeat the fact that yeah you drive motorcycles it’s awesome, and continue the original conversation.
Laugh,exaggerate,and return.
– Ha ha ! Yes,you’re right professor.When I approach on my motorbike, all my neighbours hide they children in their basements and my doctor is informed in advance.I’m hopeless.
– By the way,Do you still drive that ancient Volvo, with a wooden dashboard which takes up 3 parking spaces.
Hang in there! High school is a blink in our lives. I graduated over 22 years ago and the pains of dealing with mean kids is still very real. My best advice, become a book worm and dedicate your time to education. My bullies started to fall offf the radar when I’d go be them the middle finger over what ever book I was reading. Soon, they gave up and moved on to other targets.
Having a strong skills or an outlet is s important. I was lucky to have martial arts as an option at my high school. In 9th grade so signed up. Being able to resist weak minded people (people who single out and pick on others are very weak minded and brittle people in my world) mentally and physically did wonders for myself esteem.
Just knowing I could now one thing f those jerks down with my fist made me emotionally stronger.
Take it on the chin, and give them one right between the eyes by being more successful and interesting then those bothering you.
Best of luck.
While the work place bully you can leave at work, I’m dealing with family bullies. We have a mother when interrupts conversations will physically put her body in the way while you are working i.e. Take over the sink while you are at it doing dishes, push you out of the way while you are cooking or rearranging furniture and claiming a common family place as theirs. This mother even bullies the DOGs by taking away their beds and throwing them outside when they have always been in door dogs. She’s a menace to our community as well. Is a massive gossip machine and a Debbie downer. She’s associated to social media and will follow family members around reading aloud the comments she’s posted and the bad news from the world after you’ve confronted them to stop.
I’m 40 yrs old and she will pick on me in public… telling other adults ” “can’t take your kids anywhere… quit being a toddler… you dress like you are 4. …” often making references to immaturity and said de mouth comments.
We have a toxic bully with serious narssisitic personality disorder and bi polar.
Any advice on these kinds of bullies?!
I do have met some of those kinds of people in my friend’s group and one of them was my closest friend he was trying to fit into the group by talking about me since I am the main character in this group ,, I treat what I though my friend by ignoring the whole group and since they where all of them in the same category and I did find other people they where respectable people and that group still talking about me and i start new chapter with new people ,,, I did get some offers from some of them to go back with the group by apologizing and I did act like nothing happen I am busy doing my staff and meet people who I call them my friend and they are since they share the same view about the old group ,,,,,, guess what happen to the old group ,,, they end up each of them eating each other and all of them end up alone,,, and one of them came to me blaming me for destroying the group ,,, but I did nothing just leaving them ,,,, the old freind try to contact me and nothing work out since his freind left him alone ,,,,,, He broke my respect by not giving me respect I give to him and I that is ok since I became stronge with confidence after this experince and I don’t feel sad about that ,,,,, ,,, In conclusion who is bad will appear bad sooner or later they been as product of their actions and they desrve it ,,,,
What if the person who does this is usually a nice person but they have some sort of malfunction that causes them to lash out at you and you feel hurt by it and they wont acknowledge it? And you try to tell them that they hurt you feelings but they ho like ‘yeah but you were acting stupid so I have to correct you so you wont be stupid next time’. so basically when you did everything in this article but they still have the upperhand and the boss is condoning their behavior. what to do then, besides finding a new job?
I found a new job. I worked for a medical group and they hired a new manager. There was no way getting around their behavior and the corporate medical heads didn’t seem to think the actions were appropriate.
So I quit.
Took them 6 months to fill my position.
Go where you are loved. Not tolerated.
I definitely think it sounds like good advice. I hope it will work for you.
I read all of the stuff and its great but how can you deal with or do it when you’re being made ridiculed online like social media? I think there should be an article like this on how you would deal with it over the internet especially social media.
For example you have these “friends” that used to make ridicule of you back in school, and this ridiculing stuff is also happening in social media, ridiculing whatever you post or anything you say in chat online?
How can you deal with this and prevent other future related stuff from happening over social media?
I don’t meet them anymore as they already have jobs, but they still have this ridicule old mindset when it’s about me. I need this to stop, it’s not BANTER, I can always block them or deactivated my account and make a new one but if ever they find me they would just ridicule insult me again or try to influence others about me so it’s not probably going to solve the problem.
I have to add number 2 might not work especially in a school setting (including uni or college)
I can’t quite explain it in words, but I hope you get it why
definitely check this out https://www.ted.com/talks/safwat_saleem_why_i_keep_speaking_up_even_when_people_mock_my_accent
Exactly, truly spoken, not always easy to block people like this, could u set up an account under a diff name, sumtimes if I get mad I get even, what about sending them sum horse manure to their address or add them to every website in the world etc
Put a name on the bullies behavior, “I think you are ridiculing me, most people would find this insulting”.
In a macho culture its common to ridicule and put shame on people that talk about their feelings. So be prepared to put a name on this behavior as well “does me talking about my feelings make you teatralic”.
If this doesn’t help, go into what about the persons tone/body language makes you uncomfortable.
If they persist (you will have made them angry by now) tell them they are behaving threat full and that this is illegal. If they still persist ask them why they want you to file a police/HR report!
You should now have enough material to file a report to the police or HR department.
Another good trick is to play dumb and make them explain the joke. Whatever they say look right at them and say that makes no sense. Could yoy explain it another way? Jokes lose their power when you have to explain them. Guy next to me at a bar one night said to the woman i was talking to Wow you’ve got great DSL. I could tell by her immediate reaction that it was as inappropriate. I said to him with my poker face she uses WiFi. Awkward silence with eye contact and he turned around and walked away. Got a free beer for that one.
When i was in school this guy try to get me to say My Dixie Wrecked by reading it off a piece of paper. I knew what he was up to so when he said hey Justin read this out loud. I said My Dixie is Wrecked. No that’s not right there’s no is there. I know that but it’s grammatically incorrect. All poker face on me. No read it as it is written. Why it’s wrong. He kept trying and eventually gave up. My teacher said that was the funniest thing he ever saw.
She was in the movie
I have a new co-worker who is always trying to tell me how to do my job..she always say u know me I am a geek…
I would like to know how to ignore my ex-girlfriend who is constantly making fun of me at school, more or less with her friends, I have tried to ignore her, but it doesn’t work. Is there something else I can do?
Stop being around her. Call her your “EX.”
Hi I have been married for almost 30 years and recently divorced. Being around my ex husband who is so passive
Aggressive and dominating has made me very ill and I had
A sick baby who is thankfully growing up, I am in the process of trying to get away from him but I have this child and we
Had a business together. Definitely moving forward to get totally away from him as much as it is possible. He is very
Nasty and rude to me in a sneaky kind of way sometimes he is explosive if I tell him how I really feel. What can I do to try to take care of myself in the process of getting away from him?
When he starts getting really nasty just start recording it with your phone. It will drive him crazy to think that he might have to listen to himself being truly mean and nasty.
This used to instantly shut my ex up.
I’ve always been center of laughter. I don’t care tough, but sometimes it gets more embarrassing. I usually laugh with them , but in the end I feel like a looser. I think I should try this next time.
I am in high school, and my partner for a project makes fun of my name, body, and says i am a suck up to the teacher. I have tried to switch project partners, and even classes, but the school and my teacher wont let me. I cant take any more of his treatment to me, and i have tried to do these things over and over again but i cant, what do i do?
You could contact the county school board to resolve the issue. Or, if it gets bad enough report the individual for harassment at the local police department and then request a restraining order against them. That would legally require the person to stay away from you at a certain distance at all times. I imagine the school would have to comply, but likely it would be the bully’s responsibility to work with the school to make sure they are not placed with you so that they do not violate the restraining order. It may sound dramatic to file a restraining order, but what this person is doing to you is harassment and you don’t have to take it. If the school isn’t listening you have legal options to take care of the issue.
Also, remember that someone who chooses to bully you is not so much about a personal weakness on your part. Rather, it’s about the bully having poor personal character, and choosing to act as a social predator. People with normal to decent character don’t pick on other people for fun.
God bless.
——-
T
Acts 2:38-41
“38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
Bro I totally Agree with you…ignoring is not the best solution to tackle these kind of people..they will bully again and again..
I agree with these guys…and like the author said, you have to make it not fun for them to try to mess with you. So go a few notches past ignoring. Hit them back harder (verbally only) than they did you. I also don’t agree with the “talking it out, explaining it hurts your feelings thing”. Lots of people would think you’re nutty for talking like that. Don’t get me wrong, in an ideal world this would be the perfect thing to do. But in real life a bully will take that little speech and run with it. Who knows how they would react, but it probably wouldn’t be good and it’s doubtful they’d even listen past the first few words. Instead, when you get them in private, let your anger out on them. Let them know you don’t want to hear any of their smartass remarks any more. Most of those guys crumble at the first sign of pushback.
I’m grounded. In situations where I sense that either someone is being domineering, whether inadvertent or not, I stick to my guns, get what I want, whether it be information, a transaction, whatever it is, then I leave and don’t pursue anything further with that person.
If you’re at a point in your life where you feel that everyone is steam rolling over you, it’s because you’re continuing dialogue and rapport with those individuals.
Associate with people who love and respect you, and with people you love and respect.
The world is too large and too diverse to not chose who you want in your life.
To be respected like a king/queen you have to behave like one, people treat you the way you portray yourself in their eyes, if someone makes fun of you, you should immediately put them in their place and tell them: “hey, who do you think you are to speak to me in that tone?!?” Or the golden bestie is silence is the best answer to a fool. You should study your opponents weaknesses and faults and when you are ever under attack use it as a defense mechanism to defeat that opponent.
Oh? I tell my wife my feelings and she tells me I (meaning me) don’t have those feelings. I also asked her on numerous occasions to stop mocking me and it doesn’t stop.
Hi. Thanks for this great post. It was really interesting to read and I’m definitely gonna try this. People always seem to ignore what I say, even my family members.. I hope that this could solve the problem.
People always make fun of me uses mean words comment about my figure eyes etc..I never reply them back..but feels hurt..I don’t get support from anyone.my ex bf too used to make fun of me many times…is it bad to be innocent quite in this world
What if you’re in a group of people and everyone acknowledges the joke and laughs? It’s hard to ignore at that point
Basically that’s my problem it never works for people around too that would take it just try these steps like I would buy try anything to resolve the matter
True, its really hard when lots of people poke fun @ u then if I stop Dng what I am Dng they poss sat sumthing about this as well, like we had a morning tea shout & I didn’t eat my bun & everyone said dont u like it just because I was on my phone, why do they have to comment or they say your phone well used just because I on it, they dont seem to pick on anyone else,
I used to be able to take it, but after many many years it’s finally got to me,
So I’ve said I don’t like been joked at, he can’t change, but I can’t except the constant have joke on me, it said I lost my sense of humour, which is not true.
How to I handle this? Maybe i have changed, but only in the sense that I like to try stick up for myself. Any tips? And this is not a work issue it’s in my home.
Thanks ! this sounds like something I could try. I have been trying to find ways to deal with this highly unpredictable co-worker . Hopefully one of these techniques would come in handy!