Being treated unkindly or cruelly by peers, coworkers, or even loved ones can take a toll. Bullying has a range of adverse effects, and the greatest impact is often on mental health and emotional wellbeing. In this blog, we’ll discuss the way that bullying can negatively impact an individual’s ability to lead a life that feels safe, stable, and satisfying. More importantly, we’ll go over some of the many benefits of therapy to mitigate potentially negative effects of bullying.
What “Counts” as Bullying?
Bullying occurs when a person has power over another or shows aggression toward the other person. Power comes in many forms. The source of power or perceived superiority may be strength, popularity, information, money, or status. Bullies use their status to control or manipulate the other person and strip more of their power. Bullying takes many forms, including:
- Physical bullying – causing injury or using greater strength to control or inflict pain on someone.
- Verbal bullying – threating, teasing, or using offensive language intentionally to upset someone.
- Social bullying – spreading rumors, icing someone out of a group, and using other tactics to make a person feel isolated or cast out.
- Cyberbullying – using computers, social media, and other digital resources to bully someone.
Warning Signs Someone Is Being Bullied
Bullying can be very difficult to pinpoint. Unless you know the warning signs, bullying often goes unnoticed. Some of the common warning signs of bullying include:
- Mood swings that may result in fits of crying or anger that don’t seem to be related to the situation.
- Lost interest in favorite activities.
- Feeling guilty, worthless, or generally having low self-worth and blaming themselves for things that are outside of their control.
- Isolating themselves from family and friends.
- Showing signs of depression, including expressing feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.
- Fearing school or other activities or asking frequently to skip school or leave activities or events early.
- Difficulty concentrating that may have a negative effect on academic
performance.
Increased Risk for Depression
Expressing low mood, helplessness, hopelessness, or feelings of isolation are all common for people who are being bullied. Depression can also cause suicidal ideation or desires to self-harm, changes in appetite, and sleep disturbances. Bullies often tell people they aren’t good enough, repeatedly point out flaws, and generally treat those they bully like they’re unworthy, and over time, the individual develops depression as their feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness don’t seem to alleviate.
Higher Anxiety Levels
Fear related to bullying can turn into anxiety. Dealing with anxiety can cause an individual to avoid specific people and situations as well as struggle to feel safe and secure in relationships. Higher levels of anxiety are also linked to health conditions like high blood pressure.
Academic Difficulty
Being bullied at school is closely linked to negative changes in academic performance. Whether the bully is in the classroom or stress and anxiety are overwhelming them as they try to concentrate on tasks, bullying can take a toll on a person’s ability to perform at their best academically. They may also avoid school-related activities or start performing poorly at these extracurriculars as well.
Feelings of Isolation
Feeling isolated and alone is common for people who are being bullied. Others intentionally isolate themselves because the bullying makes them feel like they aren’t valuable or worthy of friendship and attention from others. This can lead to withdrawing from school, work, loved ones, or other activities. Others isolate from fear that more people will treat them poorly.
Struggles with Low Self-Esteem
Many people begin to believe what their bullies tell them, or their poor treatment from the bully leaves them feeling less worthy. Repeated poor treatment or being told you are not good enough can have long-term adverse effects on self-esteem. Struggles with poor self-esteem and low self-worth make it more difficult for people who have been bullied to be successful or feel satisfied in all areas of their lives.
How To Protect Against Bullying
If you notice any of the warning signs of bullying in a child, loved one, or friend, it’s important to do what you can to help. Most importantly, ensure the safety of the child who is being bullied. Try not to be emotional or get angry. These responses can send the person being bullied into defensive mode and can trigger a bully to become more aggressive or switch their aggression onto you. Sit the bully and the person being bullied down (with adults present if they are children or a mediator for adults) to discuss the facts of what has taken place and why that behavior is considered bullying and isn’t acceptable. Whenever possible, work to ensure the person being bullied is not left alone with their bully. They should also be discouraged from reacting violently toward their bullies.
Talk to a Professional
Stress, fear, poor self-esteem, and other effects of bullying can cause numerous mental health concerns. You don’t have to fight through the effects of bullying on your own. A therapist offers support and guides you to develop skills and strategies to cope with and process the effects of bullying. You can get started working with us at Lotus Psychology Group by calling (248) 957-8973, emailing info@lotuspsychgroup.com, or filling out our online contact form.