Impact of Bullying on children

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Despite the existence of strong laws and rules bullying continues to strive in our society. Bullying is a very serious issue that needs to be highlighted and be dealt with for it contributes to massive problems in the long run. To begin with what exactly is bullying? Bullying in very simple language can be defined as intentionally hurting someone by using harsh and abusive language or by showing aggressive behavior that may result in serious lasting problems for the person being bullied. The issue is most practiced in schools and till date is still being seen in different parts of the world. Bullying is repeatedly carried out and can continue for a lifetime if not eradicated at an early stage.

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Type of Bullying
Bullying can either be physical which involves hitting/ kicking/spitting, verbal which involves abusing/threatening/taunting and lastly socially bullying in which the bullied is socially embarrassed or not allowed to be part of a certain group. With the advancement of the digital age, a new form of bullying was invented known as cyberbullying through which people were bullied via emails, receiving inappropriate comments on pictures and online threats. However, our main focus is on the impact of bullying on children that begins mainly from schools.

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Impact of bullying on the person being bullied

The impact off bullying is not just on the person being bullied but also on the bully himself. People witnessing the scenario are also impacted. The long-term impacts of bullying may result in severe depression, social disorders and in most cases even suicide as the victim may feel caged and threatened both consciously and unconsciously. People who are bullied especially children who are bullied are likely to be exposed to depression. This will impact their mental health thereby disturbing their routine and reducing their overall performance. Such children do not participate in events; they have trouble sleeping and at times even refuse to eat properly. In most parts of the West, bullying is practiced at a very large scale. Children receive racist comments; they are kicked out of groups and at times even beaten up simply for being different or not like everyone else. This impacts the confidence of a child and makes him/her feel less competent. Fear captures the child's mind thereby promoting trust issues. In most cases these children later grow up to become psychopaths who bring harm to others by physically harming them. A study conducted regarding bullying in the 90's showed that shooters involved in taking innocent lives were victims of bullying who sought sanctuary in bringing other harm. For others suicide is an answer as they feel it will provide relief from the captivity and allow them to become free.

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Impact of bullying on the person who bullies
Talking in regards to children who bully, they grow up to become aggressive and indulge in violent behavior. These children are those who later get involved in illegal activities and rely on drugs for survival. They turn out to be bad parents incapable of handling a family and abuse their wife and children. Their entire life revolves around violence which they use to get things done. These people in the long run remain alone with no one by their side as no one would want to have relations with someone who is ruthless and barbaric by nature. It isn't just the children who are impacted by this destructive act, the schools where bullying is practiced also put their reputation at stake for not highlighting and putting an end to this offensive act. Parents will be hesitant to send their children to a place where the child instead of learning becomes a victim of abuse and comes out as a depressed individual

Steps that can be taken to stop bullying

Bullying is a serious social issue that can impact a child's life in a negative manner and give birth to a captivated and demotivated individual who is unable to operate at his/her full potential due to the consequences bullying leaves behind. If children are having difficulty at school and show symptoms of stress it is important that parents talk to them at the earliest possible stage. Schools should deal with bullies by making them visit psychologists or having a talk with their family to actually see how why the child is the way he/she is. Furthermore, there should be penalties for children who engage in bullying as they do not realize how many lives they ruin by simply doing so. There should be no barriers to communication and children should be open to having discussions with their guardians or teachers if they come across a bully. Another technique that can be applied is rewarding. Good behavior should be acknowledged and rewarded, this way children will try doing and participating in activities that bring them a reward. Adults who witness such acts taking place should stop the children then and there in order to erase all possible consequences from taking birth.