Bullying based on mental health is something hardly anyone will discuss. Even the media is silent about it. ‘Want to know why bullies love to target those who either have or who others perceive to have a mental illness? Here’s why they do it and how you can stand up to it.
The sad fact is that bullies love to bully those who either are mentally ill or are perceived to be so. Why? Because they are not only the easiest people in the world to target, but they’re also the most convenient victims.
In this post, you will learn all about bullying based on mental health and why bullies target those people believe to be mentally ill.
Once you learn all this essential information, you will not only understand the motivations behind it but you’ll also be able to successfully overcome it if you’re one of those targets.
Bullying Based on Mental Health
Have you noticed that bullies usually pull the mental health card anytime their victims stop taking their crap? Moreover, have you ever wondered why? Are you one of those people bullies and others have unfairly painted as a cuckoo bird? Here are the reasons bullies do this.
1. They’re the Most Vulnerable.
In other words, those with mental illness are the easiest to exploit.
Sadly, a label like this tends to have loads of staying power. Why? Because it’s the hardest to disprove. This goes double when the object of it is being bullied and mobbed.
2. Bullying, especially if it’s chronic, can make anyone an emotional wreck. However, it’s exponentially worse for those with poor mental health.
…and rightfully so. Hence, another reason the mental health label is a clever label for bullies to pin to them.
Understand that the natural human response is to react and defend yourself when attacked. Therefore, people can easily mistake any form of self-defense for mental illness.
when bullies label you as unhinged, it doesn’t mean they actually think you are. In fact, they may know good and well that you aren’t mentally ill.
Remember that bullies are big cowards. Therefore, if they really and truly thought you were loco, they wouldn’t mess with you at all. Moreover, they wouldn’t come near you.
Instead, they would do everything they could to stay out of your way and avoid poking the bear. They’d go out of their way to be on their best behavior around you. Why? Because they know that a person who’s not right upstairs could rip their heads off and poop down their necks.
In fact, that person could go postal and wipe them all out, then go home and eat a sandwich.
If a person with any common sense knows someone who is factually and utterly batshit nuts, their first instinct is to walk lightly around them. In other words, they do their due diligence to keep from setting that person off!
Therefore, the mental health label is used to make the person look bad. Again, anyone who’s bullied is likely to be emotional. And who wouldn’t be if they suffered constant bullying?
So, the victim’s emotional reaction to the abuse just makes it easier for bullies to stick that label on them. Put another way, the bullies use the victim’s emotional reaction to their abuse as confirmation that the person really is a nutcase. And sadly, it sticks.
3. Bullying Based On Mental Health:
To Further stigmatize you.
Your bullies are smarter then you think. They know that eventually, you’re likely to get fed up with their crap and either report them or stand up to them. Moreover, you just might expose them and cause them to lose face.
Therefore, your bullies will claim you’re a mental case. And why not? If everyone thinks you’re stark raving mad, who’s going to take you seriously when you report the bullying?
In other words, if you have a reputation of being a nut-ball, the less likely anyone will believe you when you go to them for help.
4. To Silence and subdue you.
The mental health label does two things. First, it makes you afraid to stand up to your bullies or speak out about their abuse. Secondly, it keeps their reputations spotless why trashing yours
. Bullies aren’t clueless. They know that if people think you’re bananas, they won’t believe you. Moreover, they figure that you may make a few attempts to report them, only to be rebuffed. Once enough people either ignore or rebuff you, you’ll eventually grown too afraid to open your mouth.
Therefore, they use the mental health label to shut you up and keep you under control.
Also, you’ll also be too afraid to fight back. Why? Because, if you do, you know that the bullies will only use the label to reverse roles and play victim.
Then, others will only assume that you went postal and either hurt those poor, innocent bullies, or you just threw a temper tantrum and began shouting and cursing people out for no reason. All because you’re just “bonkers.”
5. Bullying Based on Mental Health:
Because they don’t have to worry about you defending yourself properly.
In other words, your bullies can never prove you’re mentally unstable. However, there’s no way that you can prove for certain that you aren’t.
Moreover, people have a strong tendency to see the worst in others. Therefore, the burden of proof lies with you.
Therefore, again, this kind of label is easiest to pin on you. It shouldn’t be this easy. But it is.
6. To worsen your condition.
7. Because they know that others are least likely to help you.
If bullies can cause you to wonder if you’re losing your sanity, the more likely others are to believe it too.
Therefore, don’t you doubt your mental abilities for a second! Keep speaking out. No matter what, you must stand up to this kind of bullying.
8. Bullying Based on Mental Health:
Because they enjoy your pain.
Most bullies are sadistic. In other words, they enjoy watching you suffer. However, these types of bullies won’t stop. They’ll only escalate the torment.
Why? Because your pain is like a drug to sadistic bullies. They’re addicted to your pain, and they can never get enough of it. So, they will inflict more suffering on you until you or someone else puts a stop to it.
Most sadistic people enjoy others’ pain, but they can’t handle it when they themselves suffer it. Believe me when I tell you that most sadists are the biggest wusses alive!
Therefore, you must stand up to them and impose consequences so severe that they won’t ever think of messing with you again.
9. Because it’s easier to bait you into an emotional reaction.
Mental illness can drop your social intelligence like a meteor. Therefore, you must work much harder to keep your bullies from baiting you.
The trick is to stay calm and cool when standing up to them. I know. Easier said than done. However, understand that this is doable and that you can do it. Only you’ll need to work much harder at it.
Bullying Based on Mental Health:
Bullies Don’t Think You’re Mentally imbalanced. They Think you’re weak.
In fact, your bullies most likely know that you’re just as sane as the next person. They also know that you aren’t strong enough to keep them away.
However, here’s another things that bullies also know.
Weakness and helplessness have a certain allure and appeal. And this allure and appeal raises the chances of others coming to your aid. Therefore, your bullies are afraid that others just might feel compelled to come to your aid.
Realize that helplessness sparks a natural tendency to want to take care of the helpless person. On the other hand, people are less likely to help the person they deem loony.
Bullies instinctively know this. Therefore, they label you mentally unstable to strip you of the allure and appeal of weakness and helplessness.
There’s a method behind the Exploitation of mental instability
Again, in labeling you a nutcase and making it stick, bullies are better able to avoid accountability. Moreover, if they can dodge responsibility, then they get to continue abusing you freely and with impunity.
Therefore, if you’re aware of the motives behind that label, the better you’ll be able to catch it and counter your bullies with it.
Bullying Based on Mental Health:
Bullies will often bait you into looking unhinged.
For example, your bullies provoke you into a reaction. Next, others walk in on you as you’re telling your bullies where to stick it. In other words, these so-called witnesses only catch the tail end of the confrontation.
And sadly, they draw the wrong conclusions. Therefore, if this happens to you, understand that this is what your bullies were counting on!!!
They do this all the time to discredit you and cover their behinds when they know they’re wrong! If they can make you look loony, then who’s going to believe you when you report it?
And who’ll speak on your behalf the next time you let the bullies have it? They’ll only sigh and think, “Uh-oh! There she goes again! She’s having another mental episode! That girl has gone completely batshit!”
How to Counter the Mental Health Label
Don’t fall for it! Stand up to them! Look them in the eye, and you tell them,
“You’re wrong, and you know you’re wrong! I’m not going to debate this any further with you!”
Then walk away and leave the bullies standing there slack-jawed. If they follow you and ask, “What’s your problem?” Keep walking and don’t explain it to them.
They’re not five years old, they already know, and you don’t owe them any more than what’s necessary. Say as little as possible.
Or you can tell them, “You know what my problem is!” If your bullies continue to follow you and ask, “What did we do to you?” You can say, “You know what you did! Now get bent!”
But nothing more than that.
Bullying Based on Mental Health:
Keep your cool when standing up to your bullies.
Don’t beat around the bush. Get to the point and say it like you mean it. Be firm, but don’t yell. Yelling makes you look like a basket case.
The bully may not change their ways and their attitude toward you. But I promise! You’ll feel so much better about yourself knowing that you put your foot down and looked less “unstable” to any bystanders!
This post was all about Bullying based on mental health so that you can understand why your bullies target you and stand up to your bullies without inviting any stigma or stereotypes.
Related posts you’ll enjoy:
1. Signs of Gaslighting: The 7 Signs You Must Know
2. Bullying Those with Mental Illness: 9 Reasons Why People Do It
3. Weaponizing Mental Health: 7 Reasons Bullies Label You Mentally Ill
4. Bullying and Mental Health Stigma: 5 Reasons Bullies Use It