There is a fine line between being treated differently and being bullied.

Sometimes, you can be treated differently because people do not understand what has happened to you or because they don’t know what to say. They can sometimes stay away because they feel embarrassed and uncertain and they don’t know what to say or do around you. They keep away so they don't have to face things. People mean you no harm, they just don’t know what to say or do.

Bullying is very different. Bullying is when you are singled out by someone or a group of people because they have decided that there is something they do not like about you and want you to feel sad. This is never right. 

Bullying can take many forms, it can include:

• Name calling
• Leaving you out of things deliberately
• Nasty texts and emails
• Physical violence, like punching, pushing, or hair pulling.

There are lots of reasons why people bully other people. By bullying you it can make them feel better about themselves.

Remember, it is never acceptable to be bullied and being bullied can make you feel really sad and miserable, especially if more than one person bullying you.

There are things that can be done about bullying. You should talk to a teacher or classromm assistant you like and tell them exactly what is happening and how that makes you feel. Your teachers will be able to figure out if you are being bullied or if your classmates don’t know how to act around you. In either case, they will be able to help.

If you don't want to talk to anyone at school about this, you can call Childline on 0800 1111 and they will help you decide what to do.