If I'm being bullied is it better to pretend I am not affected by it or show to the bully that it's upsetting me?

Speak up about it, don't necessarily show the bully that it is upsetting you, but definitely discuss the matter with someone you can trust, like a parent or a member of staff at school/ college. Bullying should not be tolerated. Talking to someone about it is only showing your strength.

You should stick up for yourself in a non-confrontational way. Simply state the behavior the person is doing and then state how that person makes you feel. Don't forget to add that it isn't ok that they do that to you and you will not tolerate it. Here is an example of what it is that I am talking about... "Joan, I don't like it when you point and laugh at me as I am changing in the gym locker room. It makes me feel hurt and like you don't see that I am a person who has feelings. I don't think that this is ok and I will not tolerate you treating me this way. If this behavior continues I will start documenting it and turning it in to the proper authorities."

Honestly? Neither. If you pretend it's not affecting you, then they might think you're okay with being bullied. But sometimes if you show you're upset about it, they bully you even more because they think you're weak for showing hurt.

It's better to tell them to stop, and if they keep continuing tell an adult, only pretend that you don't care so the bully will think, "oh he doesn't care im gonna move on" but you should still tell an adult.

I think bullies can't be reasoned with. I grew up with many. My tougher friends kept them away from me. I am thankful for that support. A few times I had to prove myself to bullies to leave me alone. I did things I can only describe as unpleasant to others to protect myself. The tough streets were like that when i was growing up. I knew of no other solutions. I still have problems with confrntation and avoid it when I can. But as an adult and no violence involved i can stand up for myself without severe consequences. I am ok with that.

Neither. Although this is usually very hard to do it is actually better to tell an adult or friend you trust (that might happen to be an adult or someone your age). Be sensitive though to how it will affect that person. You don't want them getting hurt too but usually we are surprised by who has been through a similar experience to us. Good luck!

It is better to show if it is not affecting you because they will get bored and they won't bully you anymore

This is a hard one as not all bullies are the same. Hard because my instinct is to agree that voicing your feelings is ordinarily the best way to cut through abuse and stop someone in their tracks. However, I think it's also useful to remember the context in which the bullying takes place and be mindful of which situations are best to reveal the impact of the bullying so that your disclosure can result in the best outcome for you - a complete stop to that behaviour. Bullies in the school yard or other social circles are usually accompanied by loyal followers, and confronting them with a vulnerable statement of how the bullying is affecting you may result in further ridicule or worse, violence. Maybe the best place to reveal how much it's affecting you is to a trusted friend or staff member who you can trust to protect your anonymity, identity and ensures your physical safety will not be affected. Bullies at work are a different species. They tend to be in positions of authority and thrive off their abuse of power, using words or actions to belittle and keep those causing them problems in a constant state of fear, anxiety. The schoolyard or social bully has no less impact but the work place bully is normally a more challenging problem to resolve because of the employment procedures or hoops you have to jump through, For workplace bullying I recommend checking out the code of conduct set out by your country's Department of Employment or the equivalent. There's usually a clear process and rights which will help you go about the best way to reveal how the bullying is affecting you and more importantly what can be done to stop it. So in short, yes it's a great idea to stand to a bully and say "Stop it, I don't like this." I guess the other thing to remember however is where and how you stand up.

I think a mixture, make sure you show it is hurting without making a scene or giving in to them. Showing strength in spite of hurt is what will drive the bullies away.

Many bullies thrive on seeing the effect their behavior has on their victims. I do not know your situation, but stopbullying.gov has some useful tips on responding to bullies.

NO! It is much better to get help, even if you need to get the cops involved. If you are being bullied, the bully really just wants a reaction, so that they can take pleasure in it. Do not give them that reaction they are looking for.