The Lifelong Effects of Bullying

Childhood bullying is a common occurrence that can have long term effects on its victims. These effects can range from mental illnesses to physical ailments depending on the severity and duration of the bullying experienced. A survey run by StopBullying.gov reports approximately 20% of U.S. students aged 12-18, nationwide, have personal experiences of bullying. In recent years, with the development of the internet, these numbers have only gone up. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) data shows that one third of the world’s youths have experienced bullying. Excluding gender-based bullying, 32% of boys experience bullying in school versus 28% of girls. Globally, boys are more susceptible to bullying than girls.

On an international level, socioeconomic and immigrant statuses tend to be triggers of bullying according to Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) data. For children in Europe and North America, socioeconomic statuses based on parental wealth, education levels and occupation are likely to be predictors of bullying. Two out of five children who come from less wealthy backgrounds are negatively impacted compared to the quarter of youths from wealthier families. Immigrant children tend to become more vulnerable to bullying in comparison to their local or native peers.

By the time we reach adulthood, we are expected to have “gotten over” our childhood bullying experiences, but the truth is many people who have been victims of bullying come to develop post traumatic stress disorder. These symptoms can manifest through nightmares, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, personality disorders or even substance abuse.

Bullying can occur at any time to anyone. Sometimes, as adults we face bullying in the workplace. Some people face bullying at home within their own families. According to American Addiction Centers, as many as 75% of victims of bullying are likely to develop mental illnesses as a result of bullying. If you or a loved one experiences one or more symptoms of PTSD due to bullying, professional help may be needed. Persistent triggers of a person’s fight or flight response can lead to long-term chemical imbalance—and because the body is all connected, this can lead to physiological ailments along with psychological impairments.

Many people have found Virtual EMDR to be helpful to them in their pursuit of wellness. Virtual EMDR is a scientifically backed life-changing therapy that uses uniquely specialized programs to find the root cause of your problems. 9 in 10 users feel the long-lasting effects of Virtual EMDR.

Mrs. R enrolled her daughter Ashley in our program and says-- “My teen daughter, Ashley, experienced serious trauma several years ago when two adverse events happened close together. The first was the death of a close relative, and around the same time, she started getting bullied by some kids in the neighborhood. Things got so bad that she began suffering panic attacks whenever she was triggered by certain reminders. Almost every week she had a panic attack. These attacks were so paralyzing that it began to affect her schoolwork and social life. We used Virtual EMDR to address my teen daughter’s trauma, grief and fear. This program completely changed her life. Thank you!”

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/trauma-stressor-related-disorders/effects-being-bullied-harassed

https://www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/effects

http://uis.unesco.org/en/news/new-sdg-4-data-bullying