The Effects of Bullying on Kids and Adults

## **Examples of bullying** To know more about the impacts of bullying, it helps to first see how it shows up in everyday life. Below are some of the most common forms of bullying behavior: ### **Physical bullying at school** Physical aggression is the most recognizable type of bullying in schools and remains one of the common forms of childhood harassment. It can involve extremely violent measures like hitting, pushing, kicking, or damaging personal belongings. Children often report being cornered in hallways, bathrooms, or playgrounds, places where adult supervision is limited. In middle school, these behaviors can escalate into more violent acts, making immediate intervention from teachers and school staff essential. Many children who experience this type of bullying skip school or avoid school altogether to escape the abuse. ### **Verbal and emotional bullying** Words can be as damaging as physical aggression. Name-calling, threats, and constant criticism create an environment where victims begin to feel ashamed, anxious, and develop low self-esteem. This type of bullying behavior often targets personal characteristics, family circumstances, or perceived differences, making children particularly vulnerable during their formative years. ### **Cyberbullying and digital harassment** Technology has opened up new ways for bullying to continue beyond the classroom. Through social media, text messages, and online games, young people may face relentless harassment that follows them home. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying provides no safe haven, as the torment continues 24/7, significantly impacting mental health and sleep patterns. ### **Workplace bullying in professional settings** Adults in professional environments face unique challenges when dealing with workplace harassment. This can include public humiliation, excessive criticism, sabotage of work efforts, or deliberate exclusion from important meetings and decisions. Healthcare professionals, in particular, may face bullying both from colleagues and from patients, which can affect not only their mental health but also their ability to perform at their best. ### **Family and domestic bullying** Bullying within families creates long-lasting and complex trauma. It can include sibling bullying, emotional abuse from parents, or exposure to domestic violence. These experiences often shape how individuals build relationships later in life, making it harder to form healthy romantic relationships or set safe boundaries with others.

## **What are some effects of bullying?** The effects of bullying create profound and lasting impacts that touch every aspect of a victim's life, from their physical health to their mental well-being. Understanding these consequences helps healthcare practitioners recognize patterns and provide appropriate interventions for individuals affected by peer victimization. ### **Mental health and psychological trauma** Bullying experiences frequently trigger serious mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The case of Amanda Todd exemplifies these devastating psychological impacts. Todd, a 15-year-old Canadian high school student, experienced cyberbullying and sexual extortion that led to her suicide in October 2012 (Patchin, 2016). Before her death, she posted a YouTube video using flashcards to detail her experiences of online exploitation and the emotional distress that followed (Lester et al., 2013). Her story demonstrates how childhood bullying can create traumatic stress responses similar to those seen in victims of other traumatic events. A more recent example is Dolly Everett, a 14-year-old Australian teenager and face of a well-known hat brand, who died by suicide in 2018 after persistent cyberbullying (BBC News, 2018). Her story sparked national conversations about online abuse and adolescent mental health. ### **Academic and educational disruption** The relationship between bullying and academic performance remains a critical concern. Repeated peer aggression negatively affects school attendance due to feelings of unsafety and disconnection, which then impact academic performance. Ryan Halligan's case illustrates this academic disruption pattern. Halligan, who died by suicide at age 13 in 2003, experienced bullying that began in fifth grade due to his learning difficulties and friendship with another student. The bullying continued into middle school, where he struggled with both the harassment and its impact on his educational experience (Moreno, 2011). His story shows how fear of encountering bullies can create educational gaps that compound over time, affecting long-term academic achievement. Another public example is Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old Irish student in Massachusetts who endured months of relentless bullying at school in 2010 (ABC News, 2010). The bullying, tied to social exclusion and harassment, led to her suicide and sparked legal action against several peers. Her case highlighted the strong link between peer victimization and academic disengagement. ### **Physical health manifestations** While mental health impacts receive significant attention, the physical consequences of bullying are equally concerning. Chronic stress from ongoing victimization can cause headaches, gastrointestinal issues, sleep disturbances, and weakened immune function. Young victims can manifest signs of psychological distress such as being tearful or irritable, losing motivation, and experiencing sleep problems. You may have often encountered bullied children presenting with somatic complaints that initially seem unexplained until the underlying bullying behavior is identified. ### **Social isolation and interpersonal difficulties** Bullying experiences create profound interpersonal difficulties that affect relationship formation throughout life. The social exclusion that often accompanies peer victimization damages social connections and can lead to social anxiety that persists into adulthood. Bullying victims frequently become overly sensitive to criticism or perceived rejection, making it challenging to form meaningful connections with peers, colleagues, and romantic partners. ### **Risky behaviors and substance use** Childhood bullying experiences can lead to increased rates of risky behaviors in adolescence and young adulthood. Kids who are bullied are at risk for various negative outcomes, and although most youth who are bullied do not have thoughts of suicide, bullying can increase risk when combined with other factors like depression and lack of support. The progression from victim to substance use often begins as self-medication for underlying depression and anxiety, but can escalate to dependence on alcohol and other drug abuse, engagement in early sexual activity, and other risky behaviors. This pattern reflects attempts to numb emotional pain and escape the persistent negative impact of bullying experiences. You need to screen for substance abuse when treating individuals with histories of peer victimization.

## **What can you do for victims?** Bullying can leave lasting scars, impacting victims' physical health, emotional stability, and social well-being. Addressing these consequences requires thoughtful, evidence-based interventions that not only treat immediate distress but also support long-term recovery. ### **Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy** Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) represents one of the most promising approaches for treating bullying victims who have developed posttraumatic stress disorder or related symptoms of bullying victimization. TF-CBT helps victims challenge distorted beliefs formed during bullying. For example: - A student who thinks “Everyone hates me” can be guided to test and reframe that belief. - A teenager convinced “I deserve to be treated badly” can learn self-compassion and healthier ways of viewing themselves. Behavioral activation and gradual exposure also help victims re-engage with peers and rebuild confidence in social settings. ### **Group therapy and support networks** Group therapy provides a safe, supportive environment where victims realize they are not alone. This connection can reduce isolation while strengthening resilience. For example, in a support group: - A middle school student struggling with cyberbullying may share coping strategies with peers facing the same challenge. - Participants can role-play social situations, helping them practice assertive communication in a safe space. Support networks also empower victims to validate one another’s experiences and build long-term social connections. ### **Family systems intervention** Because bullying affects the entire household, family therapy plays an important role. Interventions teach families how to respond without minimizing or invalidating their child’s experience or adverse childhood experiences. For instance: - Parents who might otherwise say “Just ignore it” can instead learn empathetic responses like “I hear how much this hurt you, and we’ll face it together.” - Families can create safety plans, develop consistent communication, and advocate effectively with schools. By reshaping family dynamics, victims feel more supported and less ashamed, strengthening their recovery. ### **Comprehensive assessment and treatment planning** Effective care starts with a full assessment of the victim’s needs, covering emotional, academic, physical, and social impacts. Many children report somatic symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches, that stem from chronic stress rather than medical issues. Assessments should also identify protective factors, like supportive friendships, strong family bonds, or personal resilience, that can guide treatment planning. Understanding the form of bullying (verbal, physical, relational, or cyber) ensures interventions are targeted and effective.

## **How can you help prevent bullying?** The best way to protect children and young people from the harmful long-term consequences of bullying is through prevention. Acting early reduces the risk of problems like suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and other serious outcomes linked to bullying effects. You play a crucial role in prevention by supporting evidence-based strategies, encouraging schools to adopt comprehensive programs, and helping communities create proactive approaches that make a real difference. ### **Implementing evidence-based school programs** One proven approach is the KiVa Antibullying Program, developed at the University of Turku in Finland. This program combines universal prevention strategies with targeted interventions for specific cases, helping schools reduce bullying and the potential for suicidal ideation among students. ### **Training bystander intervention skills** Bystander intervention is another effective way to prevent bullying. The Stealing the Show, Turning it Over, Accompanying Others, and Coaching Compassion or STAC program provides students with specific strategies for intervening safely in bullying situations. Students learn to recognize bullying behavior, take responsibility for intervention, and implement various response strategies depending on the situation (Moran et al., 2019). ### **Creating comprehensive environmental changes** Effective prevention requires addressing the broader environmental factors that allow bullying behavior to flourish. This includes establishing clear policies, consistent consequences, and positive reinforcement systems that promote respectful interactions among students or employees. Schools and workplaces must create cultures where bullying becomes socially unacceptable rather than tolerated or ignored. ### **Building community-wide prevention networks** Finally, prevention goes beyond the classroom. Families, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations need to work together. This networked approach ensures consistent messaging, reinforces positive behaviors, and provides multiple layers of support for children who may otherwise feel alone in facing bullying.

## **Main takeaways** Understanding the effects of bullying requires recognizing that when bullying occurs in early life, it often leads to complex, long-lasting impacts that extend far beyond childhood experiences. Bullying can contribute to externalizing symptoms such as aggression, substance use, or conduct problems, which in turn influence overall long-term outcomes in both health and social functioning. Prevention efforts must be multifaceted, involving individuals, families, schools, and communities working together to create environments where bullying behavior cannot flourish. Addressing these risks early helps reduce the long-term effects of peer victimization, which include heightened risks for anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties in adulthood. The lasting damage from childhood bullying makes early intervention crucial, but it's important to remember that healing and recovery remain possible at any stage of life. When you understand the full scope of bullying’s impacts on physical health, mental health, and social functioning, you can provide more effective support for victims while contributing to broader prevention efforts.

### **References** ABC News. (2010, January 26). Immigrant teen taunted by cyberbullies hangs herself. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/cyber-bullying-factor-suicide-massachusetts-teen-irish-immigrant/story?id=9660938 BBC News. (2018, January 10). Akubra girl Dolly’s bullying suicide shocks Australia. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-42631208 Committee on the Biological and Psychosocial Effects of Peer Victimization: Lessons for Bullying Prevention, Board on Children, Youth, and Families; Committee on Law and Justice, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Health and Medicine Division, & National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). Preventing bullying through science, policy, and practice (F. P. Rivara & S. Le Menestrel, Eds.). The National Academies Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK390414/ KiVa Antibullying Program. (n.d.) What is KiVa?. https://www.kivaprogram.net/what-is-kiva/ Lester, D., McSwain, S., & Gunn, J. F. (2013). Suicide and the Internet: the case of Amanda Todd. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 15(3), 179–180. Moran, M., Midgett, A., & Doumas, D. M. (2019). Evaluation of a brief, bystander bullying intervention (STAC) for ethnically blended middle schools in low-income communities. Professional School Counseling, 23(1), 2156759X2094064. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759x20940641 Moreno, G. (2011). Cases of victimization: Case 2: Ryan Halligan. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 55(2), 78–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988x.2011.560495 Patchin, J. W. (2016, December 22). Amanda Todd, cyberbullying, and suicide. Cyberbullying Research Center. https://cyberbullying.org/amanda-todd-cyberbullying-and-suicide