Bullying behavior is a severe issue among school-age children and teenagers. It has an impact on individuals who bully others, those who bully themselves, those who bully others, as well as onlookers who watch the bullying incident in both the short and long term. Bullying is a problem that is crucial to the field of public health based on the impact it has on abused children. Therefore, this essay addresses the negative effects of bullying on children and the ways of overcoming the problem.
Bullied children frequently have emotional and social problems. They struggle not only to make friends but also to keep strong friendships going. Low self-esteem is closely tied to some aspects of this battle. The cruel and hateful things other children say about them have a direct impact on their lack of self-esteem. For example, kids who hear the labels “fat” or “losers” frequently start to believe these things to be true. Additionally, a spectrum of emotions is frequently experienced by bully victims. They could feel hostile, resentful, exposed, defenseless, frustrated, lonely, and cut off from their peers. As a result, individuals could skip class and turn to drink and narcotics to dull their suffering. Moreover, if bullying persists, victims may experience melancholy and even consider suicide.
Children who are the objects of bullying may eventually experience what is known as “learned helplessness,” which is the belief that they are unable to alter the circumstance, and as such, they give up trying (Jadambaa et al.,2019). The downward spiral towards depression then gets worse. This causes a sense of helplessness and the conviction that there is no escape. Bullied children may struggle with self-esteem issues, have trouble forming and sustaining relationships, and avoid social situations as they get older. They might also find it difficult to trust others, which could have an effect on both their interpersonal and professional connections. Even worse, kids might start telling themselves lies about bullying, including that it was not as horrible as they thought it was. Additionally, they might blame themselves for not fighting back.
Bullied children frequently struggle academically as well. Children who are bullied find it difficult to concentrate on their studies. In fact, one of the initial indicators that a youngster is being bullied is declining grades. Bullying may also keep kids up at night, keeping them from remembering homework or keeping them from paying attention in class. Children who are bullied may also skip class or school in an effort to stop the bullying. Falling grades may potentially be a consequence of this behavior. Additionally, if grades start to slip, the bullied child will already be under a lot of stress. For instance, students in schools with high levels of bullying performed worse on standardized examinations than students in schools with strong anti-bullying initiatives. The fact that kids frequently show less interest in their studies because they are too preoccupied with or concerned about the bullying is one potential explanation for the lower test results at schools where bullying is widespread.
It is crucial to create rules that thoroughly address the issue, given the consequences bullying has on kids and their parents. All settings where children are bullied should establish and execute anti-bullying policies, but schools in particular. The health department should arrange for activities to be held in schools. Here, the goal is to provide support and therapy to students who have been bullied. Such children need to be talked to in order to help them regain their self-esteem because they are psychologically affected. It is crucial to remember that bullying is a systemic issue that requires a systemic solution. Time must pass for the solution to take effect.
Even if they have the best of intentions, zero-tolerance policies regarding bullies frequently fail because it is impossible to totally eradicate bullying in schools. According to research, 20% of students admit to bullying another student at some point during their time in school, yet excluding 20% of them from class is definitely not the solution (Jadambaa et al.,2019). A bully requires positive role models; therefore, surrounding them with good students can help to overcome the issue of bullying.
To conclude, bullying may have detrimental short- and long-term effects on children’s social, emotional, physical, and psychological growth. Although many people may not believe it, the bully also suffers as a result of the victim’s bullying actions. It is now recognized as a complex web of predatory actions and attitudes that appear in many parts of the child’s life rather than just a straightforward act of physical or emotional hostility. It is clear that bullying has turned into a major public health issue, and it is the duty of every member of the school community to do all possible to lessen and ultimately eradicate bullying in our schools. Schools need to address this rising issue, and many are doing so by putting in place initiatives to prevent bullying. Every kid has a right to a secure learning environment, and it is the duty of educational leaders to put policies in place that will lessen bullying in schools.
Reference
Jadambaa, A., Thomas, H. J., Scott, J. G., Graves, N., Brain, D., & Pacella, R. (2019). Prevalence of traditional bullying and cyberbullying among children and adolescents in Australia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 53(9), 878-888.