How Bullies Really Harm Your Kids

Bullying occurs when one child physically or mentally harasses another. Bullying goes beyond light teasing amongst classmates. Another child, sometimes a group of kids, targets one child. The abuse goes on for years sometimes, causing great distress to the student. Although bullying has received more attention in recent years, it still can affect the achievement of the child being bullied.

Mental Effects

Bullying victims are known to suffer from depression, self-esteem issues and anxiety according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These mental illnesses are linked to low achievement in both academics and personal growth. The agency also found that bullying victims were at a higher risk for alcohol and drug abuse as teens and into adulthood. This is compared to students who were not bullied. Drug and alcohol abuse is known to inhibit achievement while making the depression, anxiety and self-esteem issues worse.

Social Effects

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also found that bullying victims were more likely to exhibit rebellious and anti-social behaviors than their peers. This includes fighting, petty crimes (vandalism, breaking and entering, etc.) and drug abuse. Such acts hinder the child's ability to interact with society in a healthy way, thereby hindering future relationships. These students also tend to drop out of school earlier, stopping any academic achievement potential.

Long-term Effects

The long-term effects are best seen in the state and federal prison systems. The Department of Health and Human Services found that 60 percent of male criminals with their first conviction by age 24 were bullied in middle school. These affects are long after the school bully and victim have parted. Other long term effects include drug and alcohol addiction and domestic abuse. Childhood victims of bullying thus grow up to be very damaged adults, especially if the bullying is prolonged.

In Conclusion

Academic achievement isn't the only are that is essentially stunted by childhood and adolescent bullying. Social, mental and career achievements suffer as well, if they exist at all. The studies and statistics gathered by the U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services proves that child need help to deal with the effects of bullying long after the class bully has been stopped.

Stop Bullying.gov, "Effects of Bullying," U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Nestor Lopez-Duran, "Bullies and Victims: Boys Will Be Boys of A Symptom of Distress," Child Psychology and Parenting Blog
Linda Kennedy, "Effects of Bullying:Implications into Adulthood," Overcoming Bullying.org