Effects of Bullying Later in Life

Bullying usually happens while people are still in school. Yet, the effects can last well beyond that. Some even lasting through the rest of a person’s life.

25% of people asked said that within their lifetime they have experienced bullying occasionally. While 15% said they’d experienced frequent bullying.

Those people, and many more who are bullied, are actually less likely to pursue a higher education, such as college. Some evidence even supports that bullying can cause physical changes to happen within us and our brains. Now, many people think of bullying as simply children pushing each other on the playground, but it’s so much bigger than that.

Studies have found that children who are bullied exhibit many symptoms such as unhappiness in school, more withdrawn, less considerate of others, difficulty adjusting, increased anxiety, and increased depression, many are luckily short term. Surprisingly enough, the victims aren’t the only ones who are effected by in the long run. Many bullies don’t even realize what they are until later in life, believing they were just being like stand-up-comedians.

Many times the bully and victim are young, but that doesn’t make any of what happens innocent fun. It’s kind of a hot topic these days, many people questioning how it should be dealt with. Some bullies even being diagnosed with mental health issues, such as narcissism.

Bullying, of any form, can cause some serious long-term emotional damage, causing lasting damage. One outcome from that, is that it causes you to view yourself as less-than-desirable, thus making you believe nobody would want you. Bullying is something that sticks with people.

Bullying is a long-term problem for both parties. Adults who were exposed to bullying as kids are four times more likely to have an antisocial personality disorder. That is why it is better for both groups if bullying is dealt with at a young age.

Studies show that the effects of bullying can last up to four decades. Parents like to believe they can help their child, but really their peers are a much more important and relatable influence. Some even being a strong enough influence to drive the victim to death.

Some say that pediatricians should check their young patients for the symptoms of bullying so victims are identified faster. Bullies can be harder to identify, some do it for no reason at all.

The worst is that physical harm can go away fairly quickly, but mental harm can be lasting. It can cause the victim to feel as though they lost control of their life, and they try to grasp control in other ways, sometimes leading to unhealthy behavior.

It’s hard to fight the feeling of being an outsider or outcast, after you’ve been so used to being one. People will go as far as to avoid certain places and situations just for the remembrance of the bullying.

Victims of bullying can actually be at a higher risk for illnesses than people who are not, and a larger chance of being in poverty later in life. The effects of bullying can spread through life very easily if left untreated.

If you’re being bullied, talk to someone you trust immediately. Don’t let some of the effects become of it.