‘Want to know how adult survivors of school bullying differ from other adults? Here you’ll find way just how differently they handle people and what they do that most others don’t.
Targets of school bullying often learn tough lessons- lessons that they carry into adulthood. Bullying shapes their personalities, and the ways they do things once they leave school and move away from their tormentors.
Therefore, in this post, you will learn how adult survivors of school bullying differ from other adults. Moreover, you will learn their attitudes and how they handle social situations.
Once you learn all about these differences, you will be able to tell if you fall into this category and why you should be proud that you overcame and come away from it stronger than ever.
This post is all about adult survivors of school bullying and how they differ from adults who weren’t bullied as kids.
Adult Survivors of School Bullying
School bullying can teach you some hard life-lessons, things you carry into adulthood. School bullying changes you. It changes the ways you do things. Also, it changes your attitude and the way you handle people.
So, if you were bullied in school as a kid, how do you differ from other adults?
1. You Watch others Closely.
Your experiences with bullies during school sharpened your emotional and social intelligence. Because you learned very early on how evil people can be, you know how to watch others without looking like you’re watching them.
You notice body language, facial expressions, micro-expressions, tonality, delivery, and demeanor. Your people-sense wasn’t fully developed during school years. Therefore, back then, you often let those in your life who were only there to do harm you.
Moreover, you paid dearly for it. Therefore, as an adult, you watch closely and avoid such people.
2. You no longer fear saying “no” and will sometimes say it simply because You can!
When you were a schoolkid, bullies violated your boundaries to such an extent that they silenced you. As a result, no one allowed you to protest when something didn’t feel right.
People forced you to take a lot of abuse. However, now that you’re an adult, you get to decide what you will and will not tolerate. Moreover, you exercise that freedom and autonomy every chance you get!
Why? Because saying no and setting boundaries gives you a feeling of empowerment.
3. Adult Survivors of School Bullying:
You’re a no-nonsense adult.
You learned, early on, the games people play. Therefore, manipulators can’t dupe you so easily. You live by the old, “fool me once…” saying and hold it close to your heart.
4. You Solidly refuse to take any crap from anyone.
And this goes no matter the consequences you face. You took enough crap from classmates in school. And you took even more of it from a few rotten apples, who called themselves school staff.
As an adult, you’re even more determined not to let others violate your boundaries.
5. You don’t give people many chances.
To you, first impressions are important, so anyone you meet had better make it count. These are your mottoes.
- One red flag, I’m gone!
- One bad vibe, goodbye!
- Any attempts to bullshit, see ya!
In the past, you were too forgiving of others. Therefore, others took you for granted and mistook your kindness for weakness. They then exploited your kindness. Moreover, they did it much to your humiliation.
Therefore, you refuse ever again subject yourself to such abuse.
6. Adult Survivors of School Bullying:
You Work Your ass off!
Why? Because you’re tenacious when it comes to getting what you want. Therefore, you’ll stop at almost nothing to reach success.
You had enough of what you didn’t want while in school. Others called you a failure many times back then. This lit a fire under you. In other words, it made you that much more determined to succeed at everything you set out to do.
In fact, you may do it for no other reason than to show the haters and naysayers that you can! Show them up and shut them up is another motto you hold.
7. You like having control over You own life.
Moreover, you will do anything to keep that control.
You had enough of others taking control of your life long ago. Therefore, you will shut down the first jack-weed who tries to take away your personal power.
8. You can spot a bully a mile away.
… in the dark! Yes! You’re that good! For years, you dealt with bullies in school on a daily basis. Therefore, you know the signs by heart.
This makes you nearly expert, at pointing out the troublemakers.
9. You either avoid bullies like the plague or take extreme pleasure in putting them in their places.
You’ve grown to looove standing up to bullies and they will call them out every chance you get. Moreover, you love to make bullies feel like the losers they are.
Understand that you do this, remembering all the times you didn’t or couldn’t defend yourself in school.
10. Adult Survivors of School Bullying:
You have a thick skin that has become difficult for others outside your circle, to penetrate.
That’s your power. You love being unpredictable and keeping others on their toes. In other words, you love making them try and figure you out because it’s fun.
11. You can’t stand to watch others being made fun of and will rush to their defense.
You’re not afraid to get nose to nose with a bully if you must. Moreover, you defend others from bullies not only to help them. Subconsciously, you do it to make up for all the times you felt helpless.
This compensates them for all the times you didn’t or couldn’t defend yourself against bullies in school.
12. You Have a nose for horseshit.
If someone tries to feed you a load of hogwash, you know it instantly and instinctively. Moreover, you see it as an insult to your intelligence and become angry.
Why? Because you know that the liar thinks you’re too foolish to figure them out. Therefore, you won’t hesitate to call the creep out!
13. You can More easily pick up on the emotions of others.
You cannot stand the thought of causing emotional or physical harm to another person. However, only if that person isn’t trying to harm you first.
14. Adult Survivors of School Bullying:
You place extra value on your families and friends.
You take extreme care not to take those you love for granted. Why? Because you know what it’s like to be completely alone and have no friends at all.
Therefore, you cherish your family and friends and the time you spend with them.
15. You are, in some ways, selfish.
You put a lot of value on yourself and your wants, needs, and interests. Why? Because others didn’t value you as a kid during school.
Therefore, you make it a point to put yourself first in almost everything. The only people you put ahead of you are your children, spouse, and parents.
16. Words don’t convince You. Only actions and patterns do.
Back in the day, others duped you. You heard a mountain of empty promises and cheap words and paid dearly for believing them.
Therefore, you’ll be damned if you ever repeat that mistake.
17. You live by your gut instincts.
In other words, you trust your gut because you paid a heavy price for ignoring it. Therefore, you now have a sixth sense.
You’re excellent at picking up vibes (especially bad ones) and reading people and their intentions. If something or someone doesn’t feel right, you won’t hesitate to either walk away or tell the suspicious person to take a long walk off a short pier.
18. Adult Survivors of School Bullying:
If anyone tells you that you Can’t, you’ll do it anyway.
Moreover, you’ll do it just to show them that you can. On the other hand, if someone tells you not to do something and you’ll do it and take pictures.
You only see it as a challenge. Therefore, you’ll do just the opposite of what the other person says, just to show them up.
For example, you may work toward a goal and have naysayers who try to discourage you. Instead of listening to them, you only double down. You then reach your goal and end up living an enriching life!
19. You don’t send your kids to the same school you were bullied in.
HELL NO!
In fact, hell will freeze before you allow your children to grace the halls of the school.
What parent worth their own salt would subject their children to that kind of learning environment if they could help it?
You know that bullies tend to take jobs that give them authority (Teaching, Law Enforcement, Corrections Officer, Supervisor, etc.). Moreover, you know that many of your former bullies will probably be teachers by the time your babies reach school age. You also know that teaching is the second-highest profession for workplace bullying.
Also, you know the mentality of bullies. If they hated you first, they will hate your children even more.
In other words, if they targeted you, it’s a safe bet that they’ll would target your babies once the bullies find out that you’re the parent.
Therefore, you’ll send your children to another school or you’ll home-school them.
This post was all about adult survivors of school bullying and the things they do differently so that you can find out if you see yourself in a few or all of these characteristics.
Related posts you’ll enjoy:
1. The Bullied Brain: 7 Ways Bullying Effects Mental Health
2. Bullying Tactics: 9 Subtle Moves Bullies Use to Avoid Detection
3. Bullying and Banter: 9 Differences You Must Know
4. The Effects of Bullying: 17 Negative Results on Victims