- Physical and psychological consequences of bullying
- Short and long term stress
- Anxiety, depression and others
- Less economic capacity
- Social isolation
- Psychosomatic symptoms
- Academic consequences
- Ability to respond aggressively
- Suicide
- Consequences on viewers
- Consequences in abusers
The consequences of bullying are very serious, physical and especially psychological, and some people can have consequences throughout their lives. Perhaps, if the authorities, teachers and parents understood better what bullying is, they would act more in its prevention and solution.
Some adults downplay it because they don't really understand children or teens. And it is that school and relationships with children of their age is their world, it is the most important thing for them.
In addition, I have come to hear the opinion of people who argue that bullying is a part of life and helps children to get stronger, an opinion that I consider wrong.
Probably most adults have suffered the typical pickings, fights, nicknames, insults or teasing. In fact, it is very likely that you yourself, and the majority of readers have suffered some kind of abuse; statistics show that 50% to 70% of adults have suffered bullying.
The problem is that some children know how to defend themselves and do not allow themselves to be abused, while others do not have this capacity, either because of their personality or because they have other factors against them (culture, social support, economic capacity…). Also, some are "mentally strong", go ahead and recover, and some are not.
Some especially serious effects are generalized anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or even suicide. Moreover, another alarming fact is that they occur in different spheres of life: economic / professional, social, psychological and physical.
On the other hand, it is clear that bullying especially affects the victim, although it also has some consequences for bystanders and abusers.
Physical and psychological consequences of bullying
Short and long term stress
A 2014 study carried out by researchers at King's College London found that negative social, physical and mental effects were still evident 40 years later.
These researchers found that at age 50, participants who had been bullied as children were more likely to have poorer mental and physical health and worse cognitive functioning than those who had not been bullied.
In fact, some experts believe that bullying results in some toxic stress that affects the physiological responses of children, explaining why children develop health problems.
In other research, a team of researchers from Duke University (Durham) found that children who had been involved in bullying (bystanders, victims or abusers), had higher levels of CRP - a protein that is released in the inflammatory response.
They measured CRP levels when the participants were adults and found that victims had the highest levels, while abusers had the lowest levels.
Lead author Dr. William E. Copeland, assistant professor at the Center for Developmental Epidemiology at Duke states:
Another study that took twins - where one had been abused and the other had not - found that those who had been abused had higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
Therefore, victims of bullying would suffer a kind of "toxic stress" that affects their physiological responses and that explains why many of them develop long-term health problems.
In 2013, Professor Copeland also conducted another study to analyze the long-term consequences of bullying, finding that:
- Victims of bullying are at higher risk of poor health, lower socioeconomic status, and problems forming social relationships as adults
- Victims of bullying were 6 times more likely to have a serious illness, smoke regularly, or develop a psychiatric disorder
- Batterers continue to have poor outcomes, although it is due to continuing behavioral problems or family adversities, not because they are batterers. In victims, the fact of being victims is associated with worse results.
Visit this article if you want to learn how to manage stress.
Anxiety, depression and others
Short term:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Avoidance of situations in which abuse may occur
- Higher incidence of disease
- Hate
- Worst grades
- Suicidal thoughts
Long-term:
- Difficulty trusting other people
- Interpersonal difficulties
- Avoidance of social situations
- Social phobia
- Low self-esteem
- Wishes for revenge
- Hateful feelings
- Fewer job opportunities
Less economic capacity
Yes, the negative consequences of bullying are also economic.
In general, victims have fewer years of training and men are more likely to be unemployed. What's more, if they have a job, their salaries are lower.
Although this may seem strange, it may be related to the abusers' lower self-esteem and lower social skills or even emotional intelligence.
Social isolation
Children who are abused at school become more isolated as adults.
According to studies, at age 50, victims are less likely to be married, with a partner, have friends, family and social life in general.
Victims often have difficulty socializing, are more pessimistic about the future, and less cooperative.
Psychosomatic symptoms
When a child or adolescent does not know how to deal with the emotions they are experiencing, they can begin to develop psychosomatic symptoms.
Research in Finland and the United States has shown the relationship between abused children and increases in headaches, abdominal pain, bed wetting or sleep disorders.
The latter - sleep disorders - are especially worrisome, since a child who arrives at school tired will have learning difficulties.
In addition, parents can begin to medicate the child, believing that it is a medical problem, when it is a psychosocial problem.
Academic consequences
Some researchers have stated that victims of bullying feel unsafe at school and do not feel adapted.
In addition, they have problems following the rules of the classes, studying well, they have demotivation and distractions.
Lastly, bullying can lead to poorer grades and less participation in classes or extracurricular activities.
Ability to respond aggressively
Due to psychological and physical abuse, victims may come to see violence as acceptable and may carry weapons.
In addition, they can develop distrust of other people, destroying their relationships, and may appear defensive, unfriendly or hostile.
Suicide
Although it is not the most frequent, it is possible and in fact it has occurred on occasions.
However, most children or adolescents who are bullied do not have suicidal thoughts or suicidal behaviors.
Bullying is usually not the only cause, and other risk factors, such as depression, family problems, or traumatic stories, can contribute.
Generally, the less social support a young person has, the more risk they are.
Consequences on viewers
Children who have been bystanders of bullying are more likely to:
- Mental problems; depression or anxiety
- School dropout
- Using tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs
Consequences in abusers
The abusers also have other problems, although they are not due to the mere fact of being abusers, but to family, economic, psychological problems…
- Early sexual intercourse
- Criminal activities
- Abuse of their partners and children
- Alcohol and drug abuse
Dr. Copeland believes that the most effective form of prevention requires parental involvement, methods that require greater discipline, and greater supervision:
And what consequences have you suffered from bullying?