The 7 main psychological consequences of Bullying

Bullying is one of the most difficult situations that a child or adolescent can experience.. It supposes the rejection of the peer group at a time when the identity base is being built and seeking to satisfy the need for affiliation.

Bullying includes diverse behaviors: from explicit physical aggression to the use of insults or contempt, as well as the exclusion of the game and shared activities, or the spread of false rumors about the victim.

As a consequence of all this, the person may see her emotional health suffer, the feelings she harbors about herself and the specific way in which she relates to others; may extend into adulthood.

then we will do a detailed review of the aftermath of Bullying, being this a matter of great interest at present due to the irruption of new technologies (internet) and associated forms of harassment whose impact we are still largely unaware of.

• Related article: "The 5 types of bullying or bullying

The aftermath of bullying

Bullying is a form of persistent harassment, which does not respond to identifiable causes and which generates a high degree of stress in those who experience it. For this reason,

is linked to the appearance of affective and behavioral problems whose presence can extend throughout life, although adopting different faces in each period.

In this article we will review some of the most common consequences of Bullying, in order to facilitate its prompt identification, articulate the necessary measures to tackle the situation and offer a psychological help that minimizes the impact on the life of the boy or girl who suffers it.

1. Social skills deficit

The optimal development of our social skills requires safe spaces in which it can be deployed symbolic play during childhood, or the first intimate and confidential relationships in adolescence. Both vital periods are an opportunity for self-knowledge and for the practice of the basic aspects of social reciprocity, inherent to any bond of friendship or companionship.

The irruption of Bullying limits the options available to the child to put into play the fundamentals of social cognition, which will later allow building basic skills to interact with others. the rest.

Under these circumstances, they may choose to assume extreme attitudes on the continuum between passivity and aggressiveness, showing themselves to be vulnerable or belligerent in a desperate effort to protect his image or even his physical integrity.

These difficulties can precipitate a fear of rejection in adult life, or a perception of situation of social interaction from a preventive reserve that is similar to shyness (even though it is not really). It is important to remember that the aftermath of bullying transcends years, hindering the ability to adapt to environments other than school (work, family, etc.) and imposing "social trippers" that could finally require an approach therapeutic.

2. Peer group rejection

The need for affiliation is basic in the human being, surpassed only by physical security and access to basic functions for survival (nutrition, for example). In this sense, the rejection that children and/or adolescents can experience generates an indelible mark and produces feelings of loss of control and helplessness, which condition the foundations of the attachment that was forged during his early childhood.

Bullying victims are more vulnerable to experiencing new bullying situations, by colleagues other than those who originally started the whole problem. This unfair phenomenon (widely contrasted by Social Psychology) is due to the fact that looking for "enemies" tends to strengthen ties that maintain group cohesion, and those who have suffered these forms of violence are often perceived as easy targets for this purpose.

New information and communication technologies, such as mobile phones or networks social, propagate these aggressions to settings other than those of school or institute (and even the university).

Abuse through any of these means can cross the boundaries of educational centers and meddle deeply in the life of the victim, turning an increasing number of anonymous people into potential witnesses. All of this causes its harmful effects to multiply exponentially.

• You may be interested in: "The 11 types of violence (and the different kinds of aggression)"

3. Low self-esteem

The perception we have about ourselves is, throughout life, susceptible to the opinion of others about who we are. Self-image is a very complex process, in which individual and social dimensions come together to guide us in the effort to understand what our role is and what differentiates us as beings humans.

However, the importance of the perspective of others is particularly relevant in the age period in which bullying situations tend to occur.

Contempt or insults, as well as physical aggression and overt rejection, are perceived as a sign of inadequacy by the person who receives them. It is a set of messages that build an intimate sense of shame, and that can even promote a feeling of guilt and the permanent questioning of what we are or what we are worth. This doubt takes hold as time goes by, conditioning self-perception and ultimately attacking self-esteem.

Self-efficacy is another of the dimensions directly linked to self-esteem, which is related to the belief in the ability to successfully carry out a specific task. One of the consequences of bullying is that victims develop the unshakable certainty that they are not "suitable" to relate to others, considering that they will be repudiated before any approach attempt and forging a special predisposition for the development of social anxiety.

4. Academic failure and refusal to go to school

One of the first suggestive signs that something is happening is the refusal to go to school or institute. Many of the boys and girls who suffer this type of bullying go so far as to pretend to feel unwell to avoid attending class, simulating symptoms of an alleged illness. Other times, the expectation of going to school generates real physical sensations, compatible with intense anxiety; and that include headaches, diffuse pain or disorders of the digestive system.

Anxiety levels can cause a decline in the cognitive resources required to face the most demanding academic challenges. In turn, persistent absenteeism can cause you to lose pace with the content that is taught during class, All this is related to obtaining bad grades that prevent access to the curricular itineraries that are desired for the future.

The loss of motivation for studies does not take long to appear, intensely wishing to leave this vital period to join a job market in which things can develop differently. However, the simple change of scenery in which the day-to-day takes place is insufficient to quench the emotional pain that accompanies those who they had to live such an unfortunate situation, generally extending to other areas of life when a treatment is not articulated appropriate.

5. Depression and anxiety

One of the consequences of bullying that generates the most difficulties is the development of mood and anxiety disorders, major depression being especially common. The clinical expression of this picture acquires a unique aspect in this period of age, being able to manifest itself in the form of irritability. For this reason, the sadness that accompanies it tends to be projected outward, masquerading as a different problem than it really is (the family often confuses them as behavior problems).

Beyond social anxiety, which has been discussed above, bullying can also precipitate consistently high autonomic activation. So, the victim is persistently physiologically altered, which is fertile ground for the first episodes of panic. This circumstance requires immediate attention, otherwise it can develop into a more complex and lasting disorder.

Other problems that have been consistently described in children who suffer bullying are feeling of unwanted loneliness and isolation, as well as changes in the eating pattern and in the dream. Although all of the above symptoms can occur in the context of adolescent major depression, they can also occur in isolation and require intervention. The inability to enjoy things that were previously rewarding is also a common phenomenon.

• You may be interested in: "Major Depression: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment"

6. self harm

Very recent studies have revealed that the experience of bullying at school may increase the risk of self-injurious behaviors during late adolescence, especially in girls.

Most of the cases of self-inflicted harm seek to relieve stress, or communicate it through punitive means, with few cases constituting a suicide attempt by themselves. It is estimated that people who have been bullied have a five times higher risk of harming themselves later in life.

7. suicidal ideation

Meta-analysis studies indicate that suffering from bullying increases the presence of suicidal ideation and autolytic behaviors. The group that suffers a greater risk of incurring in this type of thoughts and actions is that of young people who suffer and exercise bullying (both situations simultaneously), who also show a higher prevalence of emotional disorders (anxiety, depression, substance use and abuse within the home).

A heightened risk of suicidal ideation has been described in adolescent boys and girls who, in addition to suffering from bullying, feel misunderstood at home or at school. In these cases, the concept of double victimization is used to refer to an aggravated impact for the situation of abuse, such as result of the passivity of the organizations that should ensure the safety of the child, or the lack of protection of the figures of careful.

Bibliographic references:

• Melissa, K. Vivolo-Kantor, A., Polanin, J.R., Holland, K.M., DeGue, S., Matjasko, J.L… Reid G. (2014). Bullying and Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis. Pediatrics, 135(2), 496-509.
• Smith, P.K. (2016). Bullying: Definition, Types, Causes, Consequences and Intervention: Bullying. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 10(9), 519-553.