Pretoria - Childhood bullying, if not nipped in the bud, could have profound effects in adulthood.
Many think that childhood bullying ends in childhood and a smooth transition into adulthood is possible. In reality, this is seldom how it actually turns out.
According to a study done on the impact that bullying at school has on an individual’s self-esteem during young adulthood, those who have been bullied often have difficulty forming relationships and tend to lead less successful lives.
“Persistent bullying may erode the victim’s self-confidence, induce serious health problems and even ruin the victim’s career,” the study read.
The study was done at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University by Christine Darney, a clinical psychology intern, Greg Howcroft, a senior lecturer and Louise Stroud, also a senior lecturer and head of the psychology department.
What they deduced from the study was that a lot of people thought childhood bullying was a normal part of childhood, but they also found that children’s experiences in schools - where most bullying takes place - were fundamental to their successful transition into adulthood.
Conditions manifested because of bullying include depression, anxiety and low self-worth.
“The most extreme consequences of bullying for victims and society is violence, in the form of both murder and suicide,” the study reads.
Case in point, a Durban teenager was this year sentenced to seven years in prison for the murder and attempted murder of his fellow schoolmates whom he accused of bullying.
In 2012, another Grade 11 pupil in the East Rand shot and killed a peer at school who he also accused of bullying.
They also stated that bullies were found in most schools and communities.
“Deliberate and unjustified physical violence appears to be universally accepted as bullying, however, other more covert behaviours that are insidious and spiteful, such as name-calling, mockery or being isolated, ignored or rejected from the friendship group, while viewed as unpleasant are not universally accepted as bullying,” the study reads.
Meaning that some people don’t deem certain behaviour as bullying, as long as it is not physical, although there are various ways someone can be bullied even if it does not leave physical scars.
The study also showed that victims of bullying may experience headaches, sleeplessness, anxiety and depression. Some may even develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Ellen deLara, the author of a book called Bullying Scars, echoed these sentiments.
During research she conducted for her book, DeLara found that people who admitted to being bullied in a traumatic way during their childhood did not think they had symptoms of PTSD. However she observed various symptoms that fit the PTSD diagnosis in adulthood.
“Still other clearly experience what I call adult post-bullying syndrome (APBS).”
She said symptoms displayed in APBS included shame, anxiety and relational difficulties.
Dr Tienie Maritz, a psychologist based in Pretoria, said psychopathologies like depression and anxiety did show significant patterns in bullied victims.
“Bullying is an attempt to instil fear and self-loathing.
“Being the repetitive target of bullying damages your ability to view yourself as a desirable, capable and effective individual,” Maritz said.
He says being bullied teaches a person that they are undesirable, that they are unsafe in the world and when it is dished out by forces that are physically superior, it teaches you that you are relatively powerless to defend yourself.
“When you are forced again and again to contemplate your relative lack of control over the bullying process, you are being set up for learned helplessness,” the psychologist said.
He advised parents with a child who was being bullied to treat the situation with the utmost importance and sensitivity.
“The child must know he/she is not alone and the parents are there to support all the way.”
Dieter Wolke and Suzet Lereya conducted their own research into the long-term effects of childhood bullying published in the US National Library of Medicine.
They found that children who were victims of bullying had been consistently found to be at higher risk for internalising problems, in particular diagnoses of anxiety disorders and depression in young adulthood and middle adulthood (18-50 years).
“Furthermore, victims were at increased risk of displaying psychotic experiences at age 18 and having suicidal ideas, attempts and completed suicides. Moreover, victimised children were found to have lower education qualifications, be worse at financial management and to earn less than their peers even at age 50.”
They said the effects of being bullied extended beyond the consequences of other childhood adversity and adult abuse.
“In fact, when compared to the experience of having been placed into care in childhood, the effects of frequent bullying were as detrimental 40 years later.”
They found that those who were bullied more frequently, more severely or more chronically had worse outcomes as adults.
This is bullying according to Childline SA:
People calling you names
Making things up to get you into trouble
Hitting, pinching, biting, pushing and shoving
Taking things away from you
Damaging your belongings
Stealing your money
Taking your friends away from you
Spreading rumours
Threats and intimidation
How to spot if your child is being bullied:
Sudden changes in behaviour
Resisting going to school
Sleep difficulties
Missing or broken items, torn clothing or unexplained injuries or bruises
Lowered self-esteem; seems withdrawn
Mood changes; aggressive behaviour
Sudden drop in school performance
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group
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