Bullying leads to many consequences, not only for the victims but also for the bully. The mental, physical and emotional trauma they have to carry for the rest of their lives is haunting. The effects of bullying can lead to other unwanted endings like mental health problems or even suicide. Therefore, we don’t condone any bullying acts. No one deserves to be treated inhumanely.
However, do we know what bullying is? Many thought that it’s only when one (or many) harms the other with violence. No. There are many forms of bullying that we must know.
Types of bullying
1) Physical
Physical bullying is when the bully exerts violence on the victim. It includes hitting, kicking, punching, pushing or damaging properties.
Sadly, this causes short and long-term damage. Even though the wounds on the victim’s body heal, the scar remains. It’s almost impossible to forget the traumatising experience.
2) Verbal
Calling names, insulting, teasing, intimidating, or insensitive remarks are examples of verbal bullying. It seems harmless initially, but it gets worst when the bully doesn’t know when to stop.
3) Social
It’s hard to recognise, but some of the signs are:
- Spreading rumours.
- Making negative facial or physical gestures.
- Humiliating them by using nasty ‘jokes’.
- Mimicking them (or mocking them).
- Exclude someone from society (ignore/pulau).
- Ruining someone’s social reputation or acceptance.
4) Cyberbullying
According to the Cyber Bullying Research centre, bullying is an act of intentional and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, phones and other electronic devices.
Furthermore, cyberbullying includes:
- Abusive or hurtful texts, emails, posts, images or videos.
- Excluding others online.
- Starting gossip or rumours.
- Using fake identities on social media platforms for their benefit.
What are the consequences?
1) Psychological effects
- Being bullied for a long time can make someone fall into depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, self-harming behaviour, alcohol and drug use, aggression, and committing violence or crime.
2) Physical effects
- Some of the obvious signs are severe injury.
- However, it can also lead to many health problems like sleep disorders.
- Additionally, it can also increase cortisol levels. It’s a stress hormone in the body that happens after a stressful event.
3) Academic and emotional effect
The act of bullying leaves a deep scar on someone’s life. It’ll impact their everyday life and also their feelings. Therefore, when their minds and hearts are unstable, it’s difficult for them to stay focused.
Hence, we hope anyone who has ever been bullied will get the justice they deserve. Don’t let yourself be a victim. You are worth so much more.