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Following on from our previous blog on school bullying, we will now look at how bullying affects young people in more detail.
As mentioned, there are many reasons for dealing with bullying, but the most important is the detrimental effects bullying has on victims. It’s therefore imperative to combat bullying incidences before they progress.
It is also essential that young people learn about the evils of bullying and the serious consequences it has on people’s lives.
Education is key — this means knowing how to look out for the signs of bullying and encouraging everyone to speak up if they witness someone being bullied.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying may be harder to discern as it is more private in nature and can be conducted anonymously. While educating young people, they need to learn the procedures that are in place to report bullying or cyberbullying.
They should also be made to feel comfortable to talk freely if they are experiencing any form of bullying.
Psychological Effects of Bullying
Anyone that is the object of regular physical or emotional abuse can live a life of misery. Having to be in the same place as their tormentor(s), whether that be school or elsewhere, can cause a constant feeling of dread and fear that may develop into long-term psychological issues.
When a bullying target is victimised they are often made to feel there is something wrong with them. They could also feel isolated and lonely, even if they’re among a whole group of people.
There is a strong possibility that the mental trauma can lead to extended mental health issues, including:
Development of mental and eating disorders can carry on into adulthood, which we look at later in this blog series.
Physical Effects of Bullying
Physical bullying, on the other hand, can cause both bodily and psychological harm. Pushing and shoving may only result in minor bruising, or no injury at all, but a harder thump or strike will cause some sort of physical injury.
Any form of physical bullying is wrong and could be an extremely serious offence, towards which, everyone must adopt a zero tolerance attitude. Swift and strict action should be taken with such issues.
Unhappy Home Life
The effects of bullying don’t only last in the moment. Targets of ongoing bullying and harassment usually carry their troubles continually — stress and anxious feelings being the most common. This means they also take them home with them.
A whole family may be affected by only one of their members getting bullied. Parents, especially, can feel the pain their child is suffering and may even suffer more, through worry, stress and frustration.
This knock-on effect should be a significant motivation to tackle bullying whenever it occurs.
Unstable Relationships
Young people experiencing some sort of trauma are susceptible to have relationship issues. This could be withdrawal around loved ones, or struggling to get on with their peers or make friends.
Poor relationships, or lack of any social interaction, is something that can persist in later life. In a subsequent article we will look at how childhood bullying affects young people into adulthood.
Nobody should have to endure the physical or mental pain that bullying inflicts. Research suggests the long-term impact may be as bad as child abuse. Anti-Bullying Week is an opportune time to revise your anti-bullying procedures and guidelines.
Our next article explores the how the effects reviewed above can progress and evolve in adulthood.
School Bullying Resources
Bullying — A Complete Approach
School Workbook
Contains hints and tips for teachers, parents and young people to enable them to identify and tackle bullying.
- Published: 1999
- Last revised: 2022
- Pages: 94
Price: £5.69 Now: £2.28
Personal Safety in Cyberspace
School Workbook
This pack looks at the dangers of online grooming, malicious software, webcams, cyberbullying and scams.
- Published: 1999
- Last revised: 2023
- Pages: 73
Price: £4.19 Now: £1.68
Bullying Lesson Plans
Bullying and Cyberbullying
Lesson Plan
This lesson plan covers how to deal with bullying and cyberbullying and contains handouts for the classroom.
- Published: 2019
- Last revised: 2021
- Pages: 15
Price: £0.79 Now: £0.32
Bullying
Lesson Plan
This covers bullying, the types of bullying, the bully, the target and how to tackle bullying.
- Published: 2019
- Last revised: 2021
- Pages: 13
Price: £2.99 Now: £0.32
Playground Bullying
Lesson Plan
A lesson plan on playground bullying, the issues caused and addressing the topic.
- Published: 2022
- Pages: 17
Price: £0.79 Now: £0.32
Safety in Cyberspace
Lesson Plan
This lesson plan examines the dangers of the internet and how to stay safe on the web.
- Published: 2019
- Last revised: 2022
- Pages: 14
Price: £0.79 Now: £0.32
Social Media — The Pros and Cons
Lesson Plan
A lesson plan on social media. It goes into the benefits of social media as well as social media safety.
- Published: 2018
- Last revised: 2022
- Pages: 18
Price: £0.79 Now: £0.32
Free School Bullying Resources
Anti-Bullying Policy For Schools
Free Template
A free template to help you develop your own anti-bullying policy for your school.
- Published: 2023
- Pages: 8
Free Download
Targets of Bullying
Free Resource
This free download covers what a bully is and the targets of bullying. See our resource pack 'Bullying — A Complete Approach' for a more comprehensive discussion on bullying, including worksheets, activities and lessons.
- Published: 2019
- Pages: 6
Free Download