Mind4Youth

Author: Sarah Park

Walking through your elementary school hallways or going through training for your first job, you’ve probably heard instructions upon instructions on how to respond to one of the most publicly recognized issues in the world: bullying. Whether it’s tormenting, name-calling, harassing, cyberbullying, or threatening, we’ve all either faced it or known someone went through it. The concept and examples of bullying have melted into our lives to the point that it has almost become a cornerstone in growing up. We have all been either the bully, the victim, the bystander, the upstander, or the blissfully ignorant. It’s become so normalized, there is almost an underlying helplessness. People believe that bullying has become a permanent fixture in society, so they have ceased to examine bullying closer. What they don’t realize is that just as the world has changed with each generation, bullying has also evolved. The old instructions and signs of bullying may no longer be enough to notice and stop new forms of bullying before it inflicts serious mental damage. 

Perhaps bullying will never cease as long as human evil exists. But the ubiquity of bullying does not condone its existence. It is something that society can have less of. Keeping updated on the damage and signs of bullying can help fight back against the mental crisis of the next generation. That way, one day we can create a society where bullying is no longer an obvious element of school or work life. 

What is bullying?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, bullying means to seek to harm, intimidate or coerce. As general as the definition is, there are many forms of bullying within society. But in each type of bullying, there are two characteristic features: the imbalance of power between the perpetrator and victim, and repetition, or the potential to repeat. This could come in many varieties. For example, in physical bullying, the imbalance of power would be the difference in strength. Sometimes the forms of bullying are distinct, such as how cyberbullying is clearly different from physical bullying. On the other hand, there are many cases where different types can blend together. For example, verbal bullying online can also easily be counted as cyberbullying. Sometimes, what one might argue as “bullying” is on the line with joking, freedom of speech, and tattling. In fact, there are so many situations where an individual cannot determine when the situation was a form of bullying or not. To understand bullying as a whole, it is best to keep note of each type so that we are not so oblivious to the cries for help around us.

Physical Bullying

Physical bullying is what people most often think of when they mention bullying. This type consists of physical harm as in purposeful tripping, kicking, and hitting. But it also includes harm to property like vandalism, and stealing money or objects. When this physical harm continually repeats, it develops into physical bullying. Most look for only physical signs of harm when identifying this type of bullying, but in reality, there is also an extensive amount of mental harm. Victims “may experience the physical symptoms of stress, including sleep problems, headaches, and stomachaches” (McMillen Health). As an extension, if the victims are students, their grades might drop significantly as a result of the symptoms.

Verbal Bullying/Social Bullying

Often incorporated with or a precursor to other forms of bullying, verbal bullying involves the verbal degradation of the victim’s identity, whether physical or social. It is often associated with racial bias, insults on physical appearances, or making the victim a social pariah due to false rumors. It is one of the hardest to prove because the only evidence that one said something degrading is often the victim’s own witness account. But because of the social isolation that often accompanies this type of bullying, the victim loses a sense of trust in anyone in the vicinity. They are unlikely to tell anyone because they believe that no one would be willing to listen. If no one around them steps up to help, this feeling is only amplified.

Other symptoms may include:

• Loss of self-esteem
• Increased risk of depression
• Loss in interest
• Self-harm
• Increased blood pressure
• Headaches/ stomach aches
• (Betterhelp)

Cyberbullying

One of the most proliferated yet underestimated forms of bullying is cyberbullying. People have the tendency to compare this type of bullying with the “traditional” physical bullying and point out that at least the victim will not be physically harmed.

But we live in a digital age. The first generation of “digital natives” have been born and platforms like social media, gaming platforms, and messaging platforms have become more commonly used. The global reach of the internet and its 24/7 operation make it possible for anyone to be bullied anywhere at any time. In this way, it may be worse than physical bullying. All one needed to do to make the immediate physical harm stop was to physically separate the bully and the victim. However, most of the internet is shrouded under anonymity. Without a way to identify the perpetrator, the victim can be bullied without a break.

With the rapid evolution of technology, it is hard for the parents to get a grasp of this. Though cyberbullying inflicts on its victim all of the symptoms listed in the other forms of bullying, it often doesn’t show because the victim hides their status out of shame (Alcera). In other types of bullying this would have been harder to do because of the physical bruises or the verbally transferred rumors. But because the internet is so vast, any traces of cyberbullying are buried under millions of other similar cases. Parents, or the people who think they know the victim the most are often the last to know (Foss).

Ways to Avoid Bullying

Although for many people across the world the solution taught is to tell an adult, there are multiple reasons that this method is getting more and more difficult. While parents might want their kid to always come to them for help, more kids are hesitant because they’re too afraid of being a “snitch” or simply don’t want their family involved. In fact, Net Family News finds that, “And the Youth Voice Project found, after surveying 12,000 students throughout the US, that the advice we adults typically give kids – e.g., ‘tell the person how you feel,’ ‘walk away,’ ‘tell the person to stop,’ ‘pretend it doesn’t bother you’ – did make things worse for the respondents ‘much more often than they made things better.’ ” (NetFamily News). Therefore, we need a more unique approach to this problem.

Boldening Bystanders

Bullying often takes place in the presence of bystanders who have the power to either intervene or perpetuate the cycle of abuse. Research highlights the potential positive impact of bystander intervention in reducing bullying incidents (Jones). By creating awareness campaigns that empower bystanders and provide them with tools to intervene, schools and communities can encourage active engagement and disrupt the bullying dynamic. Simply helping such people achieve a level of comfort and willingness to intervene and act upon this would revolutionize the way that it is dealt with and carried out today.

Emotional Intelligence

Traditional approaches to addressing bullying have often focused solely on punitive measures. However, developing empathy and emotional intelligence among students can foster a more compassionate and inclusive environment. The best way to really ensure that bullying is not a problem is to plant seeds of care and support into young minds and bring about compassion and kindness in everyone. Studies suggest that integrating empathy-building activities into the curriculum can lead to positive social behavior and a decrease in bullying incidents (Martin). Encouraging empathy through literature, role-playing exercises, and peer support groups can provide an opportunity for individuals to connect on a deeper level and foster understanding. Additionally, having more social emotional learning in the classroom early on can harbor altruism and communication between peers and social networks.

Healing and Rebuilding

Rather than solely focusing on punishment, restorative justice offers a fresh perspective on addressing bullying by prioritizing healing and rebuilding relationships. Restorative justice practices provide a structured platform for victims, perpetrators, and community members to engage in dialogue, express emotions, and work towards resolution (Wilson). By emphasizing accountability, empathy, and understanding, restorative justice not only addresses the immediate harm caused by bullying but also promotes long-term healing and personal growth. When finding ways to resolve the matter swiftly and correct the actions of the bully, restorative justice allows the victim and the bully to make amends, resolve the issue, and still ensure that there are consequences to the harmful actions.

Conclusion

When looking through the list and ways to identify bullying, it seems like we have it all figured out. The problem was identified and a solution was given. But this thought is exactly what leads most to miss the signs. Just that there’s a solution doesn’t mean the problem magically disappears. Bullying is still rampant, harming the mental health of children and adults alike. Knowing the different forms of bullying and how to prevent them is a crucial start to ameliorating their harmful impact.