Sadly, some students are so traumatized by being bullied that they become very depressed. Miserable and unable to communicate their dilemma to anyone, they feel their situation is hopeless and sometimes commit suicide.
The film Rats & Bullies tells the story of Dawn-Marie, a 14-year old girl who took her own life after being relentlessly bullied by three teenage girls who were her classmates. View a trailer of the movie. Dawn-Marie left a suicide note in which she named the three girls. Later, they were held accountable for the bullying.
Bullying is always has a negative impact. It can be long term or short term and the impact can be physical, mental or emotional, your awareness of the impact of bullying will help you to understand it, address the behaviors and support the person being bullied.
Bullying can have serious effects on children who are bullied. These children are more likely than their peers to be depressed, lonely, and anxious, have low self-esteem, feel unwell have more migraine headaches; and think about suicide (see Limber, 2002, for summary).
Signs that a someone is being bullied
• Changes in behaviour such as becoming withdrawn or ill-tempered
• Scratches and bruises that are hard to explain
• Changes to social life - not seeing friends or staying away from clubs
Besides that, bullies can give effect include immediate feelings of anger, hurt and fear leading to longer term problems such as eating disorders, depression and low self-esteem. Because so many student with learning disabilities are bullied, it is common for them to feel ‘anticipation’ a sense of fear and anxiety about being bullied. Some children and young people feel apprehensive about new people and situations because they are of being bullied. This can make them feel helpless and erodes their confidence. 40% of children with learning disabilities say they stay away from the places where they have been bullied. Bullying is not inevitable and there should not be "no-go areas" for children with learning disabilities.This makes it even more important for young people to feel that adults will respond to bullying when it happens.
It can be devastating to learn that a young person who you are close to is being bullied. However, well-intentioned over-protective behaviour can often make things worse. Some young people lose their freedom, or are not allowed to take risks. Adults need to take steps to deal with the bullying, not keep young people away from situations where bullying could happen. This is especially true for children with learning disabilities, who often have less access to a social life than their peers.
How Does Bullying Make People Feel?
One of the most painful aspects of bullying is that it is relentless. Most people can take one episode of teasing or name calling or being shunned at the mall. However, when it goes on and on, bullying can put a person in a state of constant fear.
Guys and girls who are bullied may find their schoolwork and health suffering. Amber began having stomach pains and diarrhea and was diagnosed with a digestive condition called irritable bowel syndrome as a result of the stress that came from being bullied throughout ninth grade. Mafooz spent his afternoons hungry and unable to concentrate in class because he was too afraid to go to the school cafeteria at lunchtime. Studies show that people who are abused by their peers are at risk for mental health problems, such as low self-esteem, stress, depression, or anxiety. They may also think about suicide more.
Bullies are at risk for problems, too. Bullying is violence, and it often leads to more violent behavior as the bully grows up. It's estimated that 1 out of 4 elementary-school bullies will have a criminal record by the time they are 30. Some teen bullies end up being rejected by their peers and lose friendships as they grow older. Bullies may also fail in school and not have the career or relationship success that other people enjoy.
By: Hartini
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