Even though bullying is not limited to childhood alone, it is certainly more common in teenagers and tweens.
Basically, bullying entails the use of force, words, aggression to harm another person. Bullying is not just prevalent in schools, but with the pervasiveness of technology, cyber bullying has also become a big menace.
There are many forms that bullying can take. It includes use of force, teasing, making threats, harming one’s safety, pranks, putting a social embargo, embarrassing them etc.
Unfortunately, the impact of bullying is not always understood timely. Notwithstanding the danger that occurs to the physical health of the child that may also receive treatment from the Best Pediatrician in Lahore, bullying also has a grave impact on the mental health of children. At times, it may also follow through into adulthood as well.
Impact of bullying
Anger
Anger is a dangerous emotion. It’s not only unproductive but can also be destructive. When a child is bullied, their anger might explode like the volcano, and much like the damage done by the lava, their anger can not only harm them, but others around them as well.
Furthermore, anger also perpetuates the cycle of bullying. Rather than focusing on schoolwork, children then fixate on the bullying aspect, which then also has an impact on their academics, learning and behavior.
Depression and anxiety
An alarming impact of bullying on the lives of the child is the increased risk of depression and anxiety. These mental health issues require urgent medical help. Gravely impacting the quality of one’s living, these medical issues can also exacerbate to the point where the wellbeing of the child gets in peril.
Lack of social contact
Bullies might also decide to harm the child’s social life. Since they tend to go after any person who tries to establish contact with them, other children might then turn away from them. Consequently, the child is left all alone.
As having a healthy social life is vital for your child’s growth, they are left without this important opportunity. It also then has implications for their adulthood as well, as we do need a healthy social contact.
Lack of trust
Bully, on an elemental level, robs children of the ability to trust others. None of their peers come through to save them. Adults are mostly unaware, and thus are of no help. The only influence and the constant force they experience is that of the bully, which naturally does not restore their faith in humanity.
Alongside making children jaded, it might also cause them to become apathetic; when no one was there for them, they cannot be there for others as well.
Self-esteem
Since many bullies use humiliating words, they can damage the self-esteem of the child. They internalize the harsh words used against them. Many bullies might air their private information, and as they get mocked by their peers, their self-worth takes a downward tumble.
Vulnerable
While we all have to be vulnerable at some point, children who are bullied has to live through this constant state. This breach of their being does not have a good impact on their confidence levels.
Self-harm
When vulnerability, powerlessness combines with the extreme mental anguish that bullying brings, children might feel they have no other way out except for to end their live. Some might also turn to cutting and similar forms of self-harm for reprieve.
Stress
Children who are bullied undergo extreme levels of stress. Since most of it occurs on the premises of school, where children spend a vast amount of time, a large chunk of their days is spent in the fight or flight mode.
The impact of chronic stress has great ramifications for the child’s health. Too much stress causes physical health issues, like stomach ache, low energy, racing heart. Long-term stress has consequences that jeopardize physical wellbeing, meriting then treatment from an Online Child Specialist.
