How Does Student Bullying Affect Mental Health?
The complicated issue of bullying and mental health has never been more relevant. About 20% of American students between the ages of 12 and 18 have reported that they have experienced student bullying. What’s more, bullying doesn’t end when a child leaves school grounds, as cyberbullying can affect children wherever they are. These behaviors can lead to a number of adverse effects on a person’s mental health, including an increased risk of anxiety and depressive disorders.
Identifying the Different Forms of Student Bullying
Bullying can manifest in many different ways. It may involve physical acts, such as shoving, tripping, punching, or spitting. Bullies may threaten their victims with physical violence or with other acts, or they may destroy their victims’ property. Bullied children may be insulted, made fun of, or called names. They may also become the subject of lies or damaging rumors.
Intentional social isolation is another form of bullying. Students may exclude another student from their social group. Less commonly, a bully may try to manipulate a victim to do something that the victim doesn’t want to do. All of these actions can cause significant harm to the students’ mental health.
Exploring the Effects of Bullying on Mental Health
Student bullying does not only affect the victim. Research demonstrates that bullying also has negative effects on bystanders who witness these acts as well as on the bullies themselves. The connection between bullying and mental health is a complex one, as it causes both short-term and long-term problems. Furthermore, individuals who were bullied as children or adolescents are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health issues in adulthood.
Because of the serious repercussions of bullying, it’s essential for adults to step in and take action when they suspect a child or teen is being bullied. Some of the most common consequences of student bullying include the following:
- Mental Health Disorders – Individuals who are bullied, as well as the bullies and bystanders, are at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders. Researchers have found a strong link between bullying behaviors and problems such as poor self-esteem, anxiety disorders, and depression. Anxiety and depressive disorders often go hand-in-hand, manifesting in symptoms such as feelings of hopelessness, dread, and panic, along with excessive worrying, apathy, and agitation. Parents should be on the lookout for personality and behavioral changes in their children, such as the loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.
- Suicidal Thoughts – It is a sad fact that some children who are relentlessly bullied begin to develop thoughts of harming or killing themselves. Some victims follow through on these thoughts.
- Physical Health Issues – Mental health and physical health are closely intertwined. Students who are suffering from mental health disorders as a result of student bullying also often report physical health changes. Insomnia, excessive sleepiness, appetite loss, and changes in weight are all possible. Chronic stress and disorders such as depression may also lead to unexplained aches and pains, headaches, and gastrointestinal upset.
- Behavioral Problems – As you might expect, there are a number of behavioral problems associated with bullying. Children who are bullied may begin dreading going to class (where they would see their bullies) to the extent that they fake illness to avoid going to school. Whether or not school avoidance is an issue, a child is also likely to have trouble concentrating in class and on schoolwork. Poor academic performance is frequently a consequence of bullying. Bystanders and bullies can also display behavioral problems, such as school avoidance, vandalism, fights, and interpersonal relationship difficulties.
- Substance Abuse – Student bullying can drive victims to attempt to cope through tobacco, vaping, alcohol, and other drugs. Bullies and bystanders may also self-medicate with illicit substances. Furthermore, individuals who were affected by bullying in childhood and adolescence are more likely to develop substance abuse disorders as adults.
- Violence Toward Others – Bullying itself is often a violent act. It also breeds further violence. Individuals who are bullies are more likely to be involved in physical altercations and, as adults, they are more likely to have criminal convictions and to be abusive toward their partners or other family members. Individuals being bullied may also resort to violence when they reach a breaking point.
These are just a few of the most common types of problems that result from bullying. It’s ideal for parents and other adults to identify the signs of bullying as soon as possible so that the child or teen can get the help they need. However, children may be reluctant to talk about bullying, and parents often find it difficult to differentiate between the signs of bullying and normal childhood development issues. (Teens, for example, will naturally display some personality and behavioral changes as they grow older.) A mental health provider is an objective third party who can evaluate a child to determine if bullying is affecting them.
At Integrated Behavioral Health, we know that good mental health in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong wellness. We welcome patients of all ages who are experiencing mental health challenges, including those caused by bullying. Our compassionate providers deliver person-centered care that is customized to meet the needs of our diverse patients. Call one of our Alabama mental health clinics at 855-422-1618 to request an in-person or telehealth appointment.