Just when you think it can't get worse, it often does! Victims of workplace bullying often become depressed, have suicidal thoughts, fantasize about doing violence to others, develop serious illnesses like cancer, distroy family relationships, and withdraw completely from the workplace sabotageing their own considerable talents and abilities forever. Then the bullies win and the victims lose.

TRY ANY AND ALL OF THESE STEPS FIRST!

1.Tell all your family and friends what is happening or has happened to you at work. Ask them just to believe you, not give advice. If no one appears to give a damn, join a support group on the net or start your own. Don't take your suffering out on people who love you.

2.Get on the net and post your story, with all it's gory details. Vent anonymously, use a pseudonym. Forums and legal pages are a good place for this. Save copies of your messages for future reference. Participate in online surveys and questionaires collecting data about bullying, you will be addressing the problem from a scientific viewpoint.

3.If you haven't lost your job yet, but see it coming, mark all your potential exits. See if a transfer away from the bully is an option. Redo that dusty old resume and hit the job sites on the web, check the help wanted ads, apply for a loan to get training or more education, network with friends who work in your field. Count the number of sick days you have coming, will they stretch to a retirement date? Are you eligble for any type of disability? Check out worker's comp laws in your state. Plan to get out, before it gets worse. You can fight back later from a safe distance. * See the Getting Even with Bullies link listed to your left.

4.Tell your medical doctor what is happening and what it is doing to your health. Don't be surprised or insulted if anti-depresent drugs are prescribed.

5. Get professional psychological help. It really works. A therapist trained in reactive stress and depression, brought about by work, will understand what is happening to you and provide professional support. You owe this to yourself and it is a vital part of surviving workplace bullying.

6. Talk to your union rep, if you have a decent one. Unions still support members, at least in theory. I still believe that an effective union movement is part of the solution to vitimization of workers, but unions need laws to back their plays. NOTE: Skip the employee relations or personnel department where you work. They will do nothing to support you because they are staffed with professional bully backers. No one besides the bully will do you in faster.

7. Do what you must to protect your health, you will need it later. Some peole run or work-out to relieve stress. Eat right, try to get just enough rest, drive carefully, and don't be so distracted by what's happening to you that you become accident prone at work or after.

8. Even though it is painful, document everything you can think or that is happening or has happened to you. You might want to include your emotional responses or use a few expletives while doing this documentation, it can be cathartic. You can edit that stuff out later. Don't forget to keep a list of everybody at work, their addresses and phone numbers. File away, at home, any memos or paper work related to your situation. Don't forget to note the bully's unexplained absences from the job site.