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Teenagers are Mean
This week is my final week of middle school and I begin high school in a few months. Let me clarify that I am not bullied by my scars and I have great friends and an amazing boyfriend who will always be there to turn away people who rudely ask about my scars, but I feel like it is getting to be too much. My peers have absolutely no shame in asking about what exactly is all over my legs and arms which I completely understand. I have no problem with people generally being curious, but there is a different breed of rude teenagers. Many straight up ask if I cut, (I guess that don't really know what that looks like) if I burn myself and if I'm abused, but they ask in a JOKING MANOR! If I was cutting myself or abused do you honestly think I'd tell you if you are making a joke about it?! I've even had a teacher make me display my hands on his desk while he studies my scars and give me a disappointing look and wait for me to explain. I can get over the jerks at school but I'll never forget the feeling of a teacher, someone who I am supposed to respect, give me a look that made me feel so disgusting and still gives me chills. I guess I'm just worried with summer coming up (swimsuits and shorts galore!) and family reunions and such, and with me going to a different school with people I don't know. More threatening people. The upperclassmen look so scary!
I was wondering if any of you have any tips on dealing with rude, ignorant people? Maybe even some who can relate?
OH! Something that really upset me today was that a classmate of mine who knew of my condition told me that some of the popular students are now suddenly picking their skin and making a big show out of it. Apparently another boy in my class also struggles with picking and is very open about it. Now his friends, boys and girls, are all trying this fun new trend. The rest of the day I was pretty upset that these people are doing it for attention and may even develop a more serious problem willingly.
I worried about this too when I started high school. Throughout elementary school people called me vampire because I was constantly bleeding from my mouth where I pick. It is SO true that people have absolutely no shame about asking about this. People have touched me and poked me and prodded me in the past. It just sucks. It's totally not right for those people to joke about cutting, because even if you did cut it would be super rude to ask. Sounds like you need to just keep some snappy comments ready. I'd put those people in their place, so others will learn from their example and stop bothering you.
The part about the teacher just breaks my heart. If anything ever happens like that again you must tell an administrator, because that is not an experience anyone should have to go through. I hope that you will be able to recover from that and let go of that shame. So many people are just like you and me and people just are so ignorant.
Going to a new school will be a fresh start. I'm 16 and a sophomore and in high school I've faced a lot of ignorant people, but no one has ever bothered me for my picking. Upperclassmen aren't as scary as you think. The key is acting like you belong and not being scared. Most upperclassmen are really preoccupied with the ACT and college and their own drama, as a freshman no upperclassmen even barely looked at me. I hope that no one bothers you. I guess some tips for dealing with it are not being ashamed and everyone else will see that it's not something to question. And if anyone is rude to you, be rude right back and teach them not to do that again. A good thing to tell people is "if someone can't fix their physical imperfection in less than 15 seconds, don't tell them. " Otherwise they are just being jerks. Before school starts I would look up some good insults.