The harassment and humiliation that come from workplace bullying are incredibly difficult to cope with. Even after the situation has been dealt with, you may have lingering stress and paranoia. The lasting impact workplace bullying has on your mental and physical health can be challenging.
Even if it is not from the workplace, being bullied as an adult can cause immense anxiety and depression. You may worry every time someone disagrees with you or feel anxious if you do not say the right thing. You may brace yourself for name-calling or teasing from expressing yourself. This reaction is normal. It will take time for you to feel comfortable again, and that is okay. It is a conscious effort to return to feeling like you did before you experienced the bullying.
Do not let it define you as a person. Workplace bullies have a choice to act the way they do, and often they choose the wrong way. In this article, we will be providing tips on how to deal with adult and workplace bullying. For a more informative article on what workplace bullying is and how to heal from it, check out our other article here.
10 Tips for Dealing with Adult and Workplace Bullying
1. Do not isolate yourself.
It is sometimes the tempting route to not share what is going on and try to handle it yourself. However, you need all the support you can get. Talk to people and find activities you enjoy to keep yourself occupied. Build up your self-esteem so a bully cannot undermine it. When you do this, you keep your power in the situation.
2. Create a plan.
Figure out the steps you need to take to end the bullying. Document what happens and how you can stop it. Get help from your Human Resources department or loved ones to discuss more options. No matter what, do not passively accept bullying. You have to actively work to stop it
3. Set healthy boundaries.
This is important always and everywhere you go. When someone makes you feel less than you deserve to be treated or ignores your feelings, they are not people you should have in your life. Work to set healthy boundaries in your relationships so you know what you are willing to tolerate. This becomes particularly important in a bullying situation because when you have boundaries, it is hard for someone to make you feel bad.
4. Breathe through the situation.
Breathing is so important. We often hold our breath in tense situations. Take deep breaths and center yourself. This will not only help you calm yourself down but will send oxygen into your bloodstream and help you think more clearly. Practice this several times a day.
5. Educate yourself.
If you are unsure of what is happening to you and why read up on it. We have a great article on workplace bullying here. It can be hard to read about it, but it is important.
Being educated helps you prepare for future confrontations and provide support to others going through similar situations. Educating yourself always gives you power in a situation.
6. Report it.
When we are silent about bullying, it gives the bully more power. When you are ready, and it may not be right away, you should report these instances to your manager or human resources department. Remain calm and articulate the situation in detail. You do not want the message to get confused. It can be helpful to write out details beforehand.
7. Seek outside assistance.
Reporting the issue is great, but you may need more support than that sometimes. Since bullying can have long-lasting implications, we suggest seeking professional help. Mental Treat has many licensed professionals who have experience working with victims of bullying. Use our filters to find the right specialist for you. For access to the platform, click here.
Remember, you are not alone in your experience. Getting outside support can help you realize this.
8. Pick and choose battles.
Choose to react differently based on the severity of the bullying. If the behavior is not harmful or too consistent (comes from a relative or a friend you do not see often), you may choose to keep your distance instead of actively doing something about the situation. However, most of the time it takes a while to handle bullying and make it end, so choose your battles if it is not directly harmful.
This is not to say you should excuse the bullying if it is severe. Be your own advocate as to what you can handle and avoid and what you need to handle head-on.
9. Feel what you need to feel.
If you need to cry about the situation, cry. If you need to yell, yell (appropriately). Allow yourself to feel the pain and you will allow yourself to accept it. Bullying can be very hard and can leave you feeling quite alone. Do not bottle up these emotions.
10. Move on.
If you have the ability, find a new environment. Get away from the toxic person and focus on something else entirely. Life is too short to spend with people who do not bring positivity and support into your life. Whether this means quitting your job or joining a local club, find a new setting you can thrive in.
A Word From Mental Treat
It is important to remember that being a victim of bullying does not always lead to long-term effects. However, it is important to deal with the situation. People who report their situations deserve to feel empowered. Going to work feeling stressed about being ridiculed by another person is unacceptable. Let’s work together to address adult and workplace bullying and break the stigma.
Together, we are working to make these environments safer for everyone. Now that you have read these tips, pass them along to someone else who may need to read them. We wish you the best of luck as you continue to learn more, assert yourself, and end bullying. As always, take care, and be well.
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