5 Negative Health Effects Of Bullying

 
 

Chances are, we’ve either suffered from or seen cases of bullying, usually in school. Kids can be mean, and in some cases, parents and teachers don’t manage to catch the problem before it becomes a serious issue.

Bullying remains a serious and widespread problem. Nearly 50% of kids in grades 4-12 reported instances of bullying in one large study. Meanwhile, the era of social media concerns we now live in has given rise to a cyberbullying problem as well – which in some cases is even more difficult for parents and teachers to identify or control.

If bullying goes undetected, it can cause negative health issues, both mental and physical. Let’s take a look at some of the effects sufferers of bullying have to deal with, in hopes that we can identify them faster and get help.

Depression

There is a strong correlation between being bullied and the onset of symptoms of depression both in adolescence and adulthood. Parents and teachers need to be on the lookout for common symptoms of depression in children, which include sadness, mood swings, and a feeling of hopelessness. You’ll also notice a child withdrawing from social activities, feelings, and expression of worthlessness (“I’m not good enough”, or “I can’t do [activity] as well as everyone else”).

Bullying is usually a direct attack on a person’s mental or physical capabilities, and children are more sensitive to this type of insult. They are also more interested in wanting to fit in and be like their peers – but bullying singles them out. As a result, a bullied child will usually exhibit more signs of depression.

Sleep Deprivation

Sometimes, it’s a simple issue of not being able to fall asleep, but sometimes it’s more than that. While there are ways to coach kids to sleep better, a specific underlying cause of poor sleep like bullying can cause persistent problems. This means that a child may be having to deal with severe insomnia if they are being bullied during their waking hours.

A child or teen dealing with sleep loss is prone to symptoms such as moodiness and irritability, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, and dark circles under the eyes.

Attention Difficulties

Someone who is being bullied may show signs of inability to concentrate. The person may be distracted by depressive thoughts, or they may be drifting in and out of sleep due to sleep deprivation. Other issues may include the child or teen constantly thinking about the bullying, which is using up all the mental resources they have. Either way, an inability to focus is a red flag and an indicator that something needs to be done.

Low Self-Esteem

Since bullying has to do with how a person - or in this case, a child – is perceived by others, it can be detrimental to one’s self-esteem. If a person feels that they aren’t “enough” in someone else’s eyes, or if they are rejected by a peer group, it’s a recipe for emotional disaster.

Eating Disorders

The idea of body positivity continues to be challenged today, while those who are overweight – even if only slightly – are the brunt of fat jokes everywhere. Teens, who are going through a time when their outward appearance is important to them, are extremely prone to self-esteem issues stemming from their looks. It should be no surprise, then, that young teens, especially girls, end up with eating disorders that can drastically change their appearance and, if left untreated, can land them in the emergency room.

Bullying is mostly psychological, but the effects of the psychological attacks manifest themselves as physical health issues. Regardless of if you’re a parent, teacher, or even a co-worker of someone who you believe is being bullied, step in and see what solutions will work best for their situation. This is absolutely not the time to turn away and ignore the problem.

There are mental health providers who can help children, teen, and parents to cope with these negative consequences. Please seek professional help near you when you don’t know what to do. With the right support and help, these negative consequences are definitely manageable.

 

Written by Ashley Collins

This article is brought to you by Mind & Body Garden Psychology —- Psychological services available in multiple languages (English, Mandarin, Cantonese): 650-434-2563 (Voicemail only); admin@mindbodygarden.com. We are out-of-network providers, HSA/FSA accepted. Send us a text message on the phone, or call us and leave a voicemail.

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Dr. Yishan Xubully, Parenting, child mental health, sleep, eating disorder, anxiety, self-esteemComment