Being bullied breaks you down and you start doubting yourself, this can be even worse when your best friend is the bully.

Dealing with these situations always has two sides, “do I say something cause it’s hurting me?” and the other side you think “but she’s my friend and I don’t want to lose the friendship”. Sticking around and not getting down to dealing with the problem will not only destroy your friendship but can end up with you feeling depressed, losing self love and losing interest in the things you love.

Making these tough decisions isn’t always easy, so try talking to your girl. Tell her what she is doing and how it’s making you feel, there needs to be love and care among your ladies, not competition. Take some time alone to assess your approach, be calm and assertive.

What if she isn’t down with what you’re saying?

Dealing with a situation when your girl isn’t interested in changing her ways comes down to telling her to get gone or making some changes. Stand up for who you are, be the fierce young woman you are. Leaving the ball in her court will show you who she really wants to be, if she thinks you are her main girl she’ll step up and show you, if not walk away.

What happens if she gets worse?

Arrange a chill out with your girls and tell them what’s been going on, they would have picked up the situation before you even say anything. Ask them for some advice; speak to your teacher, family or even your man. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Taking this on by yourself can only leave you feeling anxious, helpless and alone.

So stand up, take charge and be proud of who you are. You deserve to be loved girl, so gather your sisters and make a change for you.

For more information on how to handle the hard times whether you are dealing with family or friend issues, check out the South African Depression and Anxiety Group http://www.sadag.org/ or LifeLine http://www.lifelinejhb.org.za/index.ashx for someone to talk to when you are feeling low.