Long-term effects of bullying
Bullying is causing intentional harm to someone. There are different types of bullying; social, verbal, physical, and cyberbullying. They all have long-term adverse effects on the individual. They affect the victim not only emotionally but also physically and psychologically. Bullying deters holistic growth.
It causes poor physical and cognitive development. It also leads to self-harm and suicidal thoughts during adolescence. Bullying can also lead to anxiety and depression disorder. Children who undergo chronic bullying are likely to have problems relating to others during adulthood. They find it hard to interact with others in workplaces and establish long-lasting relationships. In the United Kingdom, close to 16000 children fail to go to school every day because of bullying. Kids who are bullied are likely to exhibit more somatic symptoms like cold and psychosomatic symptoms like headaches and stomach aches.
Those who experience bullying during childhood are likely to have financial constraints during adulthood. They may also have internalizing difficulties and psychotic problems such as delusions and hallucinations. Chronic bullying can result in drug misuse among victims to cope with psychological pain.
Chronic bullying in childhood has serious effects during adolescence and adulthood. Victims have a small social cycle with no confidant. They are also likely to become parents at a very young age. They rarely keep jobs and have poor financial management. Bullies are healthier during adulthood. They are more deviant and manipulative. Bullies are likely to be convicted for severe offenses such as drug abuse or crime. Victims have poor health; they have more body pains and slow recovery from sicknesses. They also have poor academic qualifications. Besides thinking about committing suicide, some end up attempting it and actualizing it.
Victims rarely keep partners in life. They also exhibit sleeping disorders, such as nightmares. They find it difficult to adapt to adult roles. Some bullies end up bullying their partners in the future. They lack compassion and empathy. Victimization leads to low self-esteem; victims perceive themselves as incapable, worthless, and helpless. That is because they are excluded from groups and treated harshly by bullies.
Victims hardly trust others. They avoid new social places. They also perceive themselves as victims of bullying, which leads to continued victimization even during adulthood. Victims have fewer occupations as they have low academic qualifications, and some are school dropouts. They are antisocial and have feelings of revenge, anger, and bitterness that lead to depression. Depression hinders progressive growth.
References
Wolke, Dieter, and Suzet Tanya Lereya. “Long-term effects of bullying.” Archives of disease in childhood 100.9 (2015): 879-885.
Vanderbilt, D., & Augustyn, M. (2010). The effects of bullying. Pediatrics and child health, 20(7), 315-320.
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