Bullying is a form of hostile behavior and the darker version of human interaction when one person continuously causes another person pain or distress on purpose. The haunting strings of distress portray power dynamics making one section stronger and the other weaker.
In order to force a more vulnerable person to do anything against their will, a stronger person must intentionally harm or threaten them. It’s a significant issue that could eventually hurt those who are impacted. It could be detrimental to someone’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being and result in mental health issues.
Teenagers who have been bullied are more prone to depression compared to other teenagers. They are more likely to consider suicide. According to studies, bullying can have long-term effects such as interpersonal violence, poor social functioning, and subpar performance. A person can have long-lasting trauma even by witnessing bullying.
Types Of Bullying
There are different patterns of bullying that can take happen both offline and online. It can be classified as.
🔹 Physical abuse:
- Striking or hitting another person
- Kicking another individual
- Spitting at someone
🔹 Verbal or emotional bullying:
- Teasing
- Threats of physical harm
- Improper name-calling
- Yelling Harassment
🔹 Cyberbullying
Social media makes it simple for bullies to unfold the anxieties and insecurities that young people and teenagers frequently keep to themselves. Bullies can use the click of a button to share content that can be violent, cruel, and embarrassing online, including information, images, stories, worries, hope, desires, or wants.
People who have experienced cyberbullying are more prone to use drugs and alcohol and skip school. Additionally, they are more likely to have poorer academic performance, low self-esteem, and health issues, including melancholy and anxiety. Common forms of cyberbullying include uploading embarrassing images, posing as someone else, sending digital threats, and disseminating hurtful comments and rumors.
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Why Do People Bully Others?
- The lack of guilt to recognize their behavior as a problem.
- They feel enraged, annoyed, or jealous of others
- The need to dominate others and improve their social status.
- They feel bad about themselves and wish to boost their confidence.
- Experience social difficulties and want to blend in or project an air of superiority
- They struggle with impulse control or anger management and act out their emotions without considering the repercussions.
- They enjoy the benefits of bullying, such as attention, fame, or money gains.
Impacts Of Bullying On Teen Mental Health
💠Loss of Self-Confidence
Reduced confidence is one of the first effects that bullied kids and teens experience. As a result, they can believe that signing up for any physical or academic activity is not worth it and that they don’t even deserve to try out for it. This loss of confidence may impact other aspects of life.
💠Increased Self-Criticism
Bullied kids tend to be sterner with themselves than other children. As a result of their bully’s repeated nasty comments, individuals may begin to accept them as facts. They could start to feel self-conscious when it comes to factors they can’t change, such as their height or hair color.
💠Increased Self-Isolation
Bullied children and teenagers frequently experience such depression or defeat that they start to withdraw from their families, friends, and peers. When inside the house, they can spend a lot of time alone in their rooms.
Read More: Anxiety Disorder Treatments For Teens: Alleviating Anxiety In Teens
How To Know If Someone Is Being Bullied?
- Mood swings like anxiety, anger, or tension
- A change in behavior, such as acting out or withdrawing from friends or family
- Changes in eating habits, gaining or losing weight, Changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping too much or too little
- Suicidal or self-harming ideas
Conclusion
Bullying can have a serious impact and long-lasting influence on a teen’s mental and physical health. If the effects on mental health are not addressed or discovered for an extended period, this can have adverse consequences, including intolerable social anxiety.
A teen exhibiting signs of anxiety, desperation, or other bullying-related effects can have a substantial and long-lasting negative influence on their general well-being. In those circumstances, getting in touch with a qualified mental health practitioner right away is essential. Let us navigate the teenagers to a world of compassion and wisdom, banishing any trace of forms of bullying.