My tragic story…

There is no “how-to” get through life, and your youth will unfortunately follow you all the way (at least until 27, I can not tell how it will get beyond that point for now.). The only good advice I can give, knowing what will ensue for not having followed it: Do something about it before shit really hits the fan.

_ Cutting yourself will only result in other people laughing at you at the end.
_You are the only one who can fix your life, its the business of everyone else to fuck it (hyperbola on purpose, de-exagerate this sentence as you need to, the point being everyone has to carry their burden on that relative length we call life, no one can do it for you.).
_Too fat ? I used to weight beyond 100kg (200+ lbs), you can always lose weight, I only realized that when I lost weight, it just takes time and a little self discipline, which I lack.
_Drugs, well, I can not give you advices about that, the only drugs I am really addicted to being Tobacco (I actually dont conciously care for the nicotine in them, but I ‘can not live’ without smoking… funny ?) and Theine. Just remember that drugs at your age will seriously impact the rest of your life. And if I had to do “smoking awareness” in schools, I would simply cough in my hand and show what got out of my lungs to the kids, that’s what smoking is all about, I could even serve as a Tar dispenser.

About bullies, I know a great deal about that: I was almost always bullied, including by kids younger and weaker than I was (being bullied attracts bullies, defend yourself and do not give up.), the funny thing was, when they were alone with me (individually), they acted as if we were friends, I was not kidding myself about that but the point being, I do not think acting against them when they are alone is a solution, here its not tactics you have to consider, but strategy, you have to ‘take them out’ publicly, its the role of the punching ball to get hit, you are not a punching ball. They did not stop harassing me, but they stopped trying to hit me when I almost slammed one against a wall (looking back I shouldve finished my move, but thats pride speaking). Another thing I noticed: I remembered them, I still do, but some did not remember me, and when I told them how stupid they were (10 years after the bullying took place), they admitted the act I described was completely foolish of them. Some of my former bullies I consider friends now, they changed, being dicks was a process… for some of them. Do not hope for a better future though, you have to do everything, EVERYTHING, you can to make them stop.
Right now, well, actually a few months ago, my neighbor began to bully me, I’m 27, he’s 33. I contacted the owner of the building, made him stop for a few month, when he started again, I wrote him a letter “dear neighbor, next time I’ll call the cops.” he stopped for a few months and he’s acting out again (slowly, he’s warming up his engine again…). What I didnt tell him : I actually went to the police station twice, not to take actions, in France it requires police evidence, but to write down what he was doing against me. Next time he acts against me, I’ll call the cops. You have to defend yourself, and for that you have several possible ways:
*Tell the school teachers (tried that, didnt work. But maybe your school system is better than mine). If they do not act, tell them you’ll get the police involved, if it doesnt work, tell the police you are being bullied, if they do not act, go up the hierachical ladder, if you are being ignored, do not hesitate to send letters higher and higher until you reach the top.
* Just defend yourself physically. Take lessons or train on your own, does not matter, You do not have to “win”, you just have to show them you’re not going to get crushed easily.
And most importantly: Having friends is GOOD, but you cannot rely on them for protection, learn, one way or another, to defend yourself. Plenty of my friends got raped during their youth (less than 20 YO), and I know only about those who can talk about it, so learn how to defend yourself, learn how to say No to something you do not like, and learn how to be independent.