Have you ever faced harassment? If you’ve been through this experience, you know just how unsettling it can be. You might not feel safe in places where you previously assumed that you could let your guard down. You may find it hard to trust people again.

At times, you may avoid certain people, places, or situations because you fear it could happen again. Living through ongoing harassment can even contribute to serious mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

If you’ve recently experienced harassment, you might feel lost and uncertain at the moment. Here are a few steps you can take to deal with the situation in a healthy way.

Don’t Judge Your Own Feelings

First, it’s important to recognize that harassment is never the victim’s fault. But right now, you may be feeling ashamed and guilty, especially if people around you implied that you were actually responsible for what happened.

Instead, allow yourself to feel angry at the person who was truly responsible. Sometimes, anger serves a purpose, and in instances like this, it’s a righteous emotion.

Validate Your Own Emotions

Victims of harassment are often told to doubt what they’re feeling, or even to doubt the validity of their own experiences. That’s why it’s so important to talk to people who you know you can rely on.

Choose a trusted friend or two who you feel comfortable opening up to and let them know what happened. They can help you see the experience clearly and remind you that you are not at fault. Sometimes, having someone else validate your emotions can take a weight off of your shoulders.

Report Your Experience

Were you harassed at school, at work, or while volunteering? In scenarios like this, you may be able to report what happened to the proper authorities. Look up the policies for reporting harassment where it occurred and find out whom you should go to in order to file a report.

If you’re feeling apprehensive about reporting, you may want to turn to a trusted loved one again and check in with them. They might be able to help you with the reporting process or simply give you the reassurance you need to move forward.

Practice Self-Care

You’ve just been through a difficult and potentially traumatic experience. You might be tempted to keep yourself very busy in order to try and block it out, but doing so will only make it harder to process what happened. Instead, try to give yourself some time to relax.

Practice self-care and allow yourself to unwind. This might mean spending more time reading at home, cooking up some of your favorite comfort foods, or watching a film you love that allows you to escape for a little while. Treat yourself gently during this time.

Talk to a Therapist

It can be difficult to come to process your experience with harassment, even if you have friends to turn to for support. Depending on where you were harassed and who treated you this way, you may be wondering what your next steps should be. This is often true for people who faced harassment at work, in school, or in another environment that they have to go to on a near-daily basis.

A compassionate therapist can help you make decisions about what to do next, depending on the options you have available. They can also help you work through your feelings about the incidents.

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Are you struggling to cope with the aftermath of harassment? Talking to a therapist can help. Reach out today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session. Click to learn more about our specialties.