Being bullied can feel absolutely awful. Bullying can come in different forms, both physical or through words or exclusion. It can include things like hitting, shoving, insulting, threatening, spreading rumors, and purposely leaving someone out.

Bullying among friends is difficult to spot. Hitting and name calling is easier to see than rumours and belittling. But just because they are your friend doesn't mean that its ok for them to make you feel bad.

Feeling like someone else has power over you is horrid. However, you can change this - it may not be simple but it is doable and you will feel so much better once you're freed of being bullied!

www.helpguide.org gives some useful tips on why people get bullied and for how to cope with being bullied:

• Don’t blame yourself. It is not your fault. No matter what someone says or does, you should not be ashamed of who you are or what you feel.
• Be proud of who you are. Despite what a bully says, there are many wonderful things about you. Keep those in mind instead of the messages you hear from bullies.
• Get help. Talk to a parent, teacher, counselor, or other trusted adult. Seeing a counselor does not mean there is something wrong with you.
• Learn to deal with stress. Finding ways to relieve stress can make you more resilient so you won’t feel overwhelmed by bullying. Exercise, meditation, positive self-talk, muscle relaxation, and breathing exercises are all good ways to manage the stress from bullying.