-- Posted by BlueEyedBrielle at 4:58 pm on Nov. 16, 2008 OK I'm a junior at a public high school and am in a special needs program. Sometimes, we're allowed outside our classroom to meet the mainstream students and I worry about that. I've met several mainstream students with and without mental disabilities and the majority of them seem not very nice. They do things that are totally unacceptable, like purposely try to offend the disabled and laugh. It really angers me and they won't admit it, but they really are making fun of me and taking advantage of me. I don't have friends and I feel extremely shy. I don't care if I ever meet a new person again, I'm too scared! I don't wanna be afraid of people because then I'll get nowhere in life. I know that when I need a job and such, there's gonna be someone like that so I can't be afraid anymore. What do you suggest I do? It's like these kids are influencing my mind severely. -- Posted by NightChick666 at 5:00 pm on Nov. 16, 2008 humans......thats high school for you. I'm not in the mainstream, because all the people there are rude ad hateful... -- Posted by carracer at 5:02 pm on Nov. 16, 2008 Quote: from NightChick666 at 5:00 pm on Nov. 16, 2008 humans......thats high school for you. I'm not in the mainstream, because all the people there are rude ad hateful... Yup yup. You have to look for that different group of people. They are hiding somewhere I assure you. -- Posted by Tavis at 8:05 pm on Nov. 17, 2008 Shannon, if there was a way around things like this, I'd be glad to tell you, but in reality, there is no way to avoid jerks. You unfortuantely haven't been exposed to it nearly as much as the normal person has, so you are weaker to it. We all experience it, some more then others, but we have built up an immunity to it, a tolerance against it. I know they are hurtful to you, but you can't let them get you down. I would slowly expose yourself, maybe try one new person a week. They aren't all as kind and caring as your friends you have right now are, but they are the average human, who isn't always the nicest thing, but you hopefully will get used to us soon. But I can't say I haven't seen people bully people like yourself. They see someone like you, and take advantage of it, and laugh. I would just let them, because they are only making them look like jerks, and are trying to put you down, whether it be intentionally or unintentionally.