Quite often, people feel violence can solve some basic problems. This sort of thinking is very dangerous. Someone teases you and calls you names, maybe he’s been bullying you for a month making you madder and madder. You can feel your blood boil with every episode, the anger inside you rises and then without warning you explode and throw a punch in hopes of ending your torment, you pound your bully into submission. Now as quick as a blink you’ve become a reactionary bully. You thought fighting back would end it. But you didn’t end it, now you're the victim again. Because you chose to use your fists and not your brain you get punished at school, at home and by your friends. How could this happen. You were the one being tormented and all you tried to do was stop it. It doesn’t seem fair.

Anger grows to a point that it needs satisfaction. It is always easier to satisfy anger with violence than to follow the path that is right. Often people don’t even see another path, but there is. If you let your anger take over it will blind you from the truth and blind you from making the right decision on how to resolve conflict. As soon as you feel like pounding someone’s face in your on the wrong path and anger has taken hold. Recognize anger and control it before it controls you. If you feel this way you need to be asking for help.

When you resort to violence to resolve conflict

you lower yourself to that of an animal

Often shouting and pushing will hurt someone’s pride, often wounded pride leads to wounded people. How can you learn to remain calm and control your anger? Holding things inside and trying to deal with issues alone will not help you. Openly discussing it with friends and family and using non-violent conflict resolution techniques is always a Bully Proof kids course of action. When there is violence, it means that all forms of communication have broken down and you resort to animal like instincts. Use your Bully Proof skills and reporting methods to resolve conflicts.

Copyright © 2000 Frank Zinck. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 21, 2008