this is my story... don't know what went wrong in my childhood; I have two loving parents, a stable home and was not abused or exposed to harm but somehow I always had very poor self-esteem. I thought I was never quite good enough - for my mum and dad, for my older brothers and most of all, never quite good enough to belong to any group of friends at school. All through primary school I lived through a nightmare cycle of being determined to make friends and impress people, only to find myself disliked, mocked, and rejected. And every time I got an emotional knock, I acted out. I had hoped high school would provide a new chance; but teenagers are brutal and the rejections became nastier. In Year 8, it was the in thing to walk down the stairs behind me and say things like, *Go on, Tamika. Do the world a favour. Throw yourself down the stairs*. And worse. That year came to a sickening end when I decided to do just that ¦ I swallowed several packets of antidepressants and tried to cut my wrists with a knife. Several new schools and numerous serious attempts at self-harm followed for years afterwards; I was regularly bashed, and had vile rumours spread about me. My peers even pressed razor blades on to me and ordered me to use them ¦ I did. After years of long hospital stays, I went to an alternative learning environment for kids who didn't fit in at mainstream schools. It was still a bumpy road, but it is safe to say this school and the support of my parents saved my life. Bullying nearly cost me my life, but it undoubtedly shaped the happy life I now lead...so please before you go to call someone a name a simple as fatty think about how they feel..