Health effects of bullying

There are different types of bullying behaviour. Here’s a quick look at the types, as given in a peer-reviewed article published in Advances in Pediatrics:

(Source: “Bullying and Victimization Among Children” by Rashmi Shetgiri)

Bullying can be direct—the bully could directly address or hurt the victim, by threatening, hitting, blackmailing or stealing from them with the intent to hurt or humiliate the victim. Bullying can also be indirect or relational—where the bully says something to a third person or does something anonymously or deliberately ignore them in a group to intentionally hurt the victim.

Cyberbullying is the latest form of bullying, though many of the characteristics remain unchanged. The bully still exerts some kind of influence or power and does, by means of mobile phones, text messages, instant messaging, blogs, websites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or emails 

• Forward or post the victim's private emails, text messages or photos without the victim's permission
• Spread rumours about the victim online
• Threaten via messages, emails or posts

Some of the health effects of physical bullying can be obvious (bruises, cuts). Verbal and online bullying don't leave scars, but they can be just as harmful. Here's a look at the mental health effects of bullying:

If someone you know has been a victim of bullying or if you have faced it yourself, there are a bunch of things that can be done.

• Oftentimes, we undermine these situations in our heads. Talk to someone—be it a counsellor, a friend, a family member or a psychologist. Talking to someone you trust will help you understand that what you are going through is a genuine problem. 
• Maintain a diary/journal to keep a written record of incidents. This may prove vital in case you decide to take action later.
• Chances are the organisation where you work/study has policies with regards to bullying. Keep yourself updated about these policies. 
• As daunting as it might seem, you should consider taking action by escalating the matter to any higher authorities.

It is important to understand that to beat bullying, we have to realise that it is structural, and dismantling it will require consistent non-linear efforts. This can be done by enhancing the emotional and organizational environments in school and work environments by promoting sensitivity, mutual respect and tolerance to diversity.

Bullying needs to be prohibited and actively shunned. At the same time, organized response, including support of the victim and counselling for the bully by making him or her understand the harm they have inflicted needs to be mandated.
Doing so can help reduce disrupted student achievement and improve employee productivity that gets affected due to absenteeism and other costs related to loss of the very will to work/study at a premature stage.

During adolescence, the young brain is expanding at an incredible pace. Bullying may have been seen as a part of “character development” or indoctrination, especially in colleges, at one point. But brain research is helping to recast bullying as a serious form of trauma which causes lifelong structural and chemical changes in the brain.

Not all victims have long-term damage to their brains or changes in their behaviour, of course. But those who do may not just carry them for a lifetime but also pass them along as violent behaviour of some sort, which only propels this vicious cycle. Immediate intervention is required and help needs to be given to both the victim as well as the bully.