One of the most prevalent issues that affect the schooling system is bullying. Often, the victims are likely to face adverse consequences both in the short and long term. The consequences might be inclusive of a dip in academic achievement as well as physical and mental health problems. Individuals are increasingly becoming aware of bullying as one of the elements that can potentially damage the mental health of the victims. Since mental health is an integral part of a human being, it is essential to look into the findings that reveal the manner in which the involvement in school bullying is linked to poor mental outcomes. In this case, it would be vital to point out that bullying can negatively affect a considerable number of aspects of a young person’s mental functioning.
Definitions
Bullying assumes several forms, which means that it is not limited to physical or verbal assault. Aalsma and Brown (2008) use behavior-based provisions to define bullying as the intended harm or victimization of individuals either physically or emotionally. Physical bullying refers to any form of physical contact that the bully uses to hurt a victim. Emotional bullying could be inflicted through social alienation, verbal insults, or through cyberbullying, among other examples. When an individual bullies another person verbally, he or she uses offensive remarks such as joking about the person’s social status, his or her religion, gender, or race. However, it should be understood that verbal bullying could assume extreme forms such as verbal threats, which might lead to aggression. On the other hand, a victim might be bullied indirectly in the sense that the bully might spread rumors about the victim, which might or might not be true. Regardless of the form of bullying, the action can negatively affect the victim’s physical, emotional, or mental well-being.
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As pointed out earlier, bullying victims can develop mental issues. It should be understood that the mental health of an individual affect the manner in which they can think, feel, or behave. Neil Tippett (2015) refers to studies on bullying to posit that bullying could create feelings of sadness and anxiety, which are factors that might influence the victim to withdraw him or herself from relations with his or her peers. In spite of the connotations attached to bullying, some of the most common mental problems that the victim might encounter are inclusive of anxiety disorders, depression, and personality disorders, among others (Tippett, 2015). Some of the other effects of bullying include having self-harming and suicidal considerations, which can be associated with having mental health issues. The problems can lead to the creation of significant challenges in life.
Research
A longitudinal study by the Anti-Bullying Alliance reveals that the fundamental mental health outcomes of a bullying victim include depression, anxiety, the possibilities of considering self-harm or suicide, and the development of psychotic disorders (Tippett, 2015). About the development of depression and anxiety, Stapinski et al . (2014) argue that peer victimization is associated with the immediate as well as a delayed increase in anxiety and depressive symptoms. These symptoms have an impact on the well-being of the victim since they affect the manner in which he or she perceives themselves and others. Conversely, the conditions affect their behavior in school and at home, regardless of whether they convey their internal feelings externally or otherwise. Of the mental disorders, depression appears to be the most prominent. In this case, the bully victim is likely to display feelings of sadness or helplessness, struggling to sleep, lacking enthusiasm and appetite, as well as revealing social withdrawal. The student might also struggle to concentrate in class, a factor that might affect his or her academic achievement.
Tippett (2015) reveals that there is emerging evidence revealing that students who are victims of bullying are likely to develop psychotic symptoms of disorders. The disorders might develop to severe levels, consequently affecting the ability of the student to think and act as other normal children. In worst cases, those with the disorders are likely to lose touch with the real world, consequently experiencing symptoms that are inclusive of hallucinations, paranoia, and delusional thinking (Tippett, 2015). The lack of motivation, erratic behavior, restlessness, and agitation are examples of the psychotic disorders. In extreme cases, Moffa et al . (2017) point out that the victims might become delusional. However, few studies have linked bullying to extreme cases of psychotic disorders. Even though they are not diagnosed with mental health conditions, bullying victims are likely to engage in self-destructive actions such as self-harm, with some of them having suicidal considerations. The self-harming actions could be associated with some of the disorders identified in previous sections.
Several applications could be considered to ensure the reduction of the impact of bullying on the mental health of the victim. The considerations are inclusive of the provision of communicating the stance on bullying and its relation to mental health in the school setting. The communication could be backed-up by the development and implementation of anti-bullying policies, which should be put in place to protect possible victims from experiencing the negative impact of the actions (Tippett, 2015). Even though this measure is preventive, other reactionary measures could include setting up measures for addressing the mental health concerns of the victims. For instance, the school can come up with a communication mechanism for reporting possible bullying instances. With the help of counselors or nurses, the staff members in the school could assist the victims to deal with their situation, consequently assisting them in improving their mental as well as emotional well-being.
Compare and Contrast
Bullying is prevalent in schools in the contemporary society. The mental issues that are derivatives of the practice call for the need to implement a measure that could assist in ensuring the protection of schoolchildren from serious mental conditions that might affect their development and wellbeing. Just as the effects of bullying are applicable in a school setting, bullies are everywhere in the society. For instance, through cyberbullying, victims are likely to be harassed, leading to the development of those above emotional and mental issues. For this reason, it is essential to consider the importance of coming up with solutions to the issue of bullying since the effects of bullying are dire. The provision of social support could be considered as one of the elements that have a buffering effect against some of the potential consequences of bullying on mental health (Rothon et al ., 2011).
Based on the increased awareness of people regarding the issue of the adverse effects of bullying, conducting studies on the issues would assist in the development of medically appropriate ways to identify the mental issues attached to bullying in the early stages of their development. The identification would not only assist in preventing the negative effects in future, but they are also essential for informing policies to prevent bullying. Given that bullying negatively affects the health of a victim, teachers, social workers, and healthcare workers should have a good understanding of the potential consequences and the mitigation measures they could put in place to promote the wellness of victims (Rothon et al ., 2011). For this reason, the inclusion of the effects and possible mitigation efforts in the training curriculum of the professionals would be beneficial.
Conclusion
Bullying can occur in different forms. The action might be physical, verbal, or through the internet. As indicated, bullying victims are likely to encounter issues that are inclusive of the development of mental disorders. In this case, it is possible for a student being bullied to experience a dip in his or her school performance, but the action can affect the student’s social and emotional well-being. Some of the mental disorders associated with bullying are inclusive of depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. Even though self-destructive actions cannot be considered as mental health issues, a bullying victim can resort to self-harm or suicide as the option out of the depressive state that he or she might be experiencing. These provisions call for the need to put in place mechanisms that could be used to prevent bullying, both at school and online.
References
Aalsma, M., & Brown, J. (2008). What Is Bullying? Journal of Adolescent Health , 43(2), 101-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.06.001
Moffa, G., Catone, G., Kuipers, J., Kuipers, E., Freeman, D., & Marwaha, S. et al. (2017). Using Directed Acyclic Graphs in Epidemiological Research in Psychosis: An Analysis of the Role of Bullying in Psychosis. Schizophrenia Bulletin , 43(6), 1273-1279. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbx013
Rothon, C., Head, J., Klineberg, E., & Stansfeld, S. (2011). Can social support protect bullied adolescents from adverse outcomes? A prospective study on the effects of bullying on the educational achievement and mental health of adolescents at secondary schools in East London. Journal of Adolescence , 34(3), 579-588. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.02.007
Stapinski, L., Araya, R., Heron, J., Montgomery, A., & Stallard, P. (2014). Peer victimization during adolescence: concurrent and prospective impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping , 28(1), 105-120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2014.962023
Tippett, N. (2015). Focus on: Bullying and Mental health . London: Anti-Bullying Alliance. Retrieved from https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/sites/default/files/field/attachment/ABA-mental-health-briefing-Nov-15.pdf
