Lived Experiences of Bullied High School Male-Gay Students: Towards Mental Health Policy Adoption

School bullying has been a major concern than it has ever been before. Alongside understanding bullying, attention should also be given on its damaging impact on the mental health of young people who experience it. Grounded on Hutchinsons Conflict Theory, this study delved on the lived experiences of fifteen (15) bullied male-gay high school students. This study utilized the Husserlian descriptive phenomenology in exploring and describing the experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms and significance of experience of the student-participants. The study used snowball sampling technique where data was confirmed based on in-depth one-on-one semi-structured interviews among participants from two high schools in Burauen District, DepEd Leyte Division, Eastern Visayas. Findings revealed six (6) interesting themes a bitter pill to swallow, thorns in the heart, passing through the wall, sweet altering to bitterness, its not written on the rock, and keeping a distance. The implications of the study may serve as basis for discussion, formulation of bullying prevention policies and adoption of mental health programs. This may also give insights to school administrators to identify series of actions and interventions the school might take to mitigate the problems.