Dude, you must have been beaten by your parents as a child, mostly on the head, if you expect any benefits from physical punishment. But you are not alone! [According to the World Health Organization (WHO)](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/corporal-punishment-and-health), more than 300 million children aged 2–4 years experience violent discipline by their caregivers on a regular basis. The WHO also reports that physical child punishment can have negative and long-lasting effects on children’s health and well-being, such as:

- Corporal punishment triggers harmful psychological and physiological responses. Children not only experience pain, sadness, fear, anger, shame and guilt, but feeling threatened also leads to physiological stress and the activation of neural pathways that support dealing with danger.
- Corporal punishment can impair children’s cognitive development and academic performance. It can affect their attention, memory, language and problem-solving skills, as well as their self-esteem and motivation.
- Corporal punishment can increase the risk of mental health problems and substance abuse. It can contribute to anxiety, depression, aggression, antisocial behavior, suicidal thoughts and self-harm.
- Corporal punishment can damage children’s relationships with their parents and others. It can undermine trust, attachment and communication, and increase the likelihood of violence in future relationships.
- Corporal punishment can normalize violence and perpetuate cycles of abuse. It can teach children that violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflicts or express emotions, and make them more likely to use or tolerate violence in their own lives.
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