It’s back to school time again and while parents are gearing up and are excited about the new school year, I thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone about childhood bullying.
Often bullying is seen as a normal part of growing up, almost as a harmless rite of passage, but we have all seen what bullying can do to some children.Think about the stories that have been in the news such as the boy who committed suicide. In 12 of 15 school shootings in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied.
These of course are extreme examples, but countless studies continue to show that childhood bullying can cause long-term psychological damage in some individuals.
In a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, a network publication of the American Medical Association, victims of bullying had an increased risk for anxiety disorders and suicide later in life.
The study showed that for some individuals, even when they grow up and are no longer being bullied, the psychological damage is still there and can affect the rest of their lives. That’s why it’s so important to address and stop childhood bullying early in order to prevent future problems.
Kids Who Are Bullied Often Have:
- changes in sleep and eating patterns
- loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
- health complaints
- decreased academic performance
- higher risk of dropping out of school
- a higher rate of family hardship
- were 2.7 times more likely to suffer from generalized anxiety disorder
- 3.1 times more likely to suffer from panic disorder
- 4.6 times more likely to suffer from agoraphobia
- had increased risk for depression
Bullying doesn’t just affect the victims either.
Kids Who Bullied Were:
- 4.1 times more like to end up diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (which can lead to increased risk of incarceration and delinquent behavior)
- Abuse alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults
- Get into fights
- vandalize property
- drop out of school
- Engage in early sexual activity
- Have criminal convictions as adults
- Abuse romantic partners, spouses, or children as adults
What About Sibling Aggression?
While parents are usually alarmed to find out that their child is being bullied at school, they often dismiss the bullying that is going on right under their roof. Stopping bullying at home is just as important as stopping bullying at school.
While sibling aggression is often seen as harmless or even good in order to “toughen up” a child, a study done by the American Academy of Pediatric suggests that kids bullied by their siblings end up showing some of the same psychological damage as children bullied by their peers.
It is important that bullying to recognized and stopped early at school, at home and even online in social media when possible.
So as parents are getting excited about the school year, lets not forget to be on the lookout for or ignore childhood bullying. We have lost too many children to the affects of bullying and are creating too many adults who are psychological damaged from what may have been seen as harmless behavior.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor 