Anti-Bullying: In Animal Jam and In Real Life

"Blowing out someone else's candle doesn't make yours shine any brighter." ~Unknown

"If someone is trying to bring you down it only means that you are above them." ~Unknown 

"Strong people stand up for themselves, but an even stronger person stands up for others." ~Nishan Panwar 

"Ignore those people who are constantly talking behind your back because they are right where they belong, BEHIND YOU."~Unknown

Hi everyone, it's Ash Rider. Thanks for sticking with us through all of the updates and changes! The co-owners and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. But that's beside the point of this post because this is a serious topic that needs to be addressed.

Bullying, we've all heard of it, haven't we? If you've played Animal Jam you've seen it at least once. Or perhaps you were the victim of the bullying? If you were, you're a warrior, you're strong, and you can do this. Remember "If someone is trying to bring you down it only means that you are above them". Or perhaps you were the instigator of the bullying? If you were, shame on you, find other ways to feel better about yourself or cope with what's going on under the skin! Or more often than not  you've seen bullying, maybe you did something, maybe you didn't? If you did something, you may have saved someone's mind from a whole lot of depression; maybe that's exaggerating the point, but if you did stand up for someone; you're a Mira Blessed Hero! If you didn't do something and you could've done something for the person, you may have good reasons, so you pass this time. Remember bystanders; we need more upstanders in life, not more bystanders.

Bullying in itself is a very serious topic that happens all too often. It isn't something the adults use to scare you. It isn't something that Hollywood made up. It's more real than reality itself, and it's a topic that needs all the attention it gets. Bullying of any kind affects everyone in the situation; the bully, the bystander, and the victim (though the victim gets the worst issues).

Some ways the victim may be affected include:

• Increased risk for anxiety disorders and depression.
• Increased feelings of loneliness and sadness.
• Changes in eating patterns and sleeping patterns.
• Loss of interest in activities the victim may have enjoyed once. 
• The 4 items above may continue even if the bullying stops and may even persist into adulthood.
• Distorted body image which can (not always) lead to eating disorders. 
• Health complaints.
• Decreased academic achievement (grade dropping, less effort put into school).
• Skipping, missing, or dropping out of school. 

The bully, unsurprisingly is more likely to become a criminal later in life. And the bystander are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, and may miss or skip school.

If that didn't hit you like a truck, well then, you either are well-educated about the topic or you're heartless. Words cannot say how bad bullying is.

Now the more intuitive people readers may be wondering why I'm writing this if I'm just a technician. You may be wondering if something happened to me to make me write this post. And yes, this post isn't a school project or anything, it comes from the heart. I have a lot of negative memories and built up anger towards bullying. I've been bullied online and at school, and I'm here to tell you, bullying was the reason I quit Animal Jam. I'll tell you a story from a hurt, but healed part of my heart. This is not for attention or pity, I'm over this. I'm telling these stories for the purpose of understanding.

At one point between memberships in Animal Jam, I was bullied as a nonmember. I had put my two spiked collars (my yellow long and short black) along with my purple long spiked wristband and some mis. beta items I had on me at the time. I was casually walking in Jamaa Township, looking for a roleplay area, when a member arctic wolf started talking to me. Say had said to me something along the lines of: "You scale (scammed?) my spikes, give them back now!". I, of course, told the honest truth, that I had traded someone a year ago for the yellow long (https://guardiansofjamaa.blogspot.com/2014/05/hacker-dens-eevee-i-got-spike.html), I had gotten the wrist through Forgotten Desert, and that I had to trade 2-3 (I don't remember) spikes for my black short. She then called me a liar and people started paying attention. She argued I couldn't have because I was a nonmember (she could've seen my animals). Eventually all of Jamaa Township had turned on me and were attacking me and demanding that I give away my items to the member who was trying to scam and bully me. I took off from the situation, after Jamaa Township had turned on me. Both members and nonmembers alike were bullying me, for crimes I didn't commit, and not one decent person stood up for me. This not only happened to me once, but twice.

So I ask you, reader, next time you see someone being bullied for anything, stand up for them, and even though they may not thank you at first, they'll thank you from the inside.

This is Ash Rider, thank you for staying with us.

Don't be afraid to comment, we don't bite! And if you decide to share your story (don't tell it if you don't want to), we'll support you.