Bullying is a major issue in today’s society. With mental health issues and teen suicides on the rise, we begin to see a pattern of how bullying affects people long-term. In this essay, I will further explore the consequences faced by the victims of this ongoing act of hate.
Bullying has been an issue for as long as we know. Whether it be bullying of the lower classes in the middle ages or the current middle school bullying we experience now, making people feel lesser has always been part of our society. Recently though, with the phenomenon that is digital technology, anonymity is become easier and easier, giving cowardly bullies a platform to spread their hateful words. Although often bullies face little to no consequences for their actions, the victims are left facing long term issues.
Bullying has been scientifically proven to often bring on long term psychological affects, equal to, and sometimes more severe than, the mental-health side effects of child abuse. Adults who have been bullied during their childhood are more likely to develop severe anxiety and depression disorders. In extreme cases, bullying victims can develop personality disorders or PTSD. Over 40% of female and over 25% of male bullying victims show signs of developing PTSD in their childhood.
Bullying can also lead to long term health effects such as drug addiction and alcohol abuse often brought on as the victim attempts to forget the memories of the past. This can lead to overdosing and even death. Constant alcohol intake damages the liver and brain cells and adds to the risk of developing cancer. Drug abuse damages brain cells and can create a harmful environment for those around the affected person. The health side affects of bullying can often be fatal.
When bullying occurs in undeveloped minds they often go to extreme measures to stop it. Young children can’t see the consequences on their friends, family and future selves that taking their life would have. In Australia, the leading cause of death in 15-44 year olds is suicide, with 3000 Australians and 1 000 000 people worldwide taking their lives yearly. Each year there is an estimated 65 000 suicide attempts in Australia and around 20 000 000 globally. This should tell us that something is seriously wrong with our society.
The consequences for victims of bullying are extreme and sometimes fatal. Not only are they subject to mental health issues and personality disorders, they can develop severe health issues and even attempt to take their own life. I think this is a wake up call to everyone who has participated in or been a bystander to bullying, to think carefully about their actions and how they affect people. It is also important to make sure victims are aware that there are things in place, such as therapists, anti-bullying chatrooms and suicide hotlines, to help them get through the consequences they are facing during the bullying and even 10, 20, 50 years later.