[gargamel]

I'm sure that fighting back works for some people, but it can also make things worse depending on the situation. The one surefire way to deal with it is to make it so that the bully doesn't see any reason to pick on you. That's easier said than done (and other short-term remedies are needed in the meantime), but joining a sports team and getting that group of friends can make all the difference. I've known plenty of kids who knew karate that still got picked on, but I've never known anyone who was on a school sports team who got bullied.