How Do Bullied Students Affect Their Academic Results?
If you’ve ever been bullied as a child, you may not fully understand what it is or the trauma it causes. You may wonder how bullying can affect you now as an adult. Bullying is a major problem that affects people of all cultures and ethnic groups. Some types of bullying are: physical bullying. Teasing.
Bullying has negative effects on children, on their peers, on adults, on society in general and on those who are bullied. Bullying has been shown to result in increased levels of stress, anxiety and self-esteem. Bullying leads to reduced IQ, behavioural problems, increased heart disease, substance abuse and eating disorders. In the short term, victims of bullying may suffer from lower grades in school, they may be more likely to drop out of school or they may experience emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Social media has brought bullying into the twenty-first century. Social media use includes texting, instant messaging, online forums and social networking sites. One of the most cited reasons for bullying is cyberbullying. Cyberbullies often target their victims using internet resources such as SMS, instant messaging, emails and social media websites. Some of the symptoms of cyberbullying include: The targeted abuser has preconceived ideas about their victim, the victim is embarrassed or ashamed about being a bully, the victim is repeatedly bullied via text or email and the victim suffers from persistent symptoms of low self esteem, low confidence and/or low social skills.
Bullying behavior is harmful and its effects are long-term. The effects of bullying behavior can range from being a novelty, which results in the individual becoming popular or losing out on friends and/or peer support, to being very serious, disruptive and sometimes violent behavior that results in the victim being expelled from school or unable to leave home. The health consequences of bullying behavior can include depression, anxiety, insomnia, eating disorders, physical injuries, suicide and chronic health complications such as depression, hyperactive behaviours, heart disease and hypertension.
The psychological symptoms of being a victim of bullying can also be devastating. Many victims report Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) symptoms including flashbacks, nightmares, flashbacks, agoraphobia, stress attacks, panic attacks and somatic complaints. Bullied children frequently fear going out or even doing ordinary things such as participating in sports, going to school and interacting with other children. Other psychological effects include mood swings, irritability, apathy, anger, teenage pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity issues. Bullied children are also likely to withdraw from family and friends, have low self esteem and low confidence levels and are likely to have substance abuse problems.
The health impacts of bullying extend beyond the psychological aspects of the bullying victim. Bullies often suffer from other forms of trauma such as the emotional, physical, verbal and social stress that bullying brings. Bullied children are more likely to feel unsafe and are at greater risk for poor health outcomes such as self-injury, school dropout, eating disorders and physical health problems such as stomach and bowel weakness, blood pressure increases and depression. The physical effects of bullying can also lead to musculoskeletal complications such as osteoarthritis and kidney stones.
It is important to address the issue of bullying at school as it can negatively affect the whole student body and can lead to the under-achievement of some students. Bullying behaviors that result in physical harm should be addressed and taught to the bullied student as soon as possible. This will decrease the likelihood of additional psychological and physical stress and bullying behavior in the future. For those that continue to be bullied on a daily basis it is essential to speak up for oneself and/or others if they feel they are being bullied. These individuals may be experiencing learning disabilities that are affecting their academic performance and could benefit from special instruction.
Bullying affects everyone who is subjected to it. Many victims are too ashamed or afraid to disclose their experiences to family members or the school administration. However, if you or someone you know have been the victim of bullying or know someone that has been the victim of bullying it is crucial to seek out help. Seek support from organizations such as bullying sufferers, support groups, guidance counselors and therapists who work specifically with victims of bullying and other emotionally disturbed adolescents and young adults.
