Bullying

Kids who are bullied are more likely to have health complaints, depression and anxiety, feelings of loneliness and sadness, and decreased academic achievement. While bullying is often linked to suicide in the media, most children and teens who are bullied do not have suicidal thoughts unless other factors, such as depression or trauma, are present. Furthermore, those who bully others are at greater risk for substance abuse, dropping out of school, early sexual activity, and criminal convictions. In addition, kids who witness others being bullied also have increased mental health problems and substance use.

Parents and teachers can help prevent bullying by stopping any bullying action they witness and finding out the details of what happened. The next step is to support everyone involved to make sure the bullying doesn’t continue and its effects are addressed.

Sources: BullyingStatistics.org, StopBullying.gov, National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics