October was declared as National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month in 2006. The purpose of the designation is to bring nationwide attention to bullying.
Bullying can occur in many different ways. It can be done through verbal or physical exchanges. Bullying can involve playing practical jokes, making threats, verbal abuse, and spreading rumors. It can also be done through posting hurtful things on social media platforms, as well as through texts, emails, and telephone calls.
Bullying is the result of one person, or group of people, who have the need to feel more powerful than the person they are bullying. The bully, or bullies, may be bigger in size or strength, they may be more assertive, have a perceived higher social status, or may derive pleasure from making someone fear them.
It is important to note that while bullying is thought to primarily affect school age children, it can also occur in other places, such as at work.
Bullying can affect the target’s mental, emotional, and physical health. Some of the signs that a person exhibits when they are being bullied are:
- Avoidance of the place where the bullying is taking place
- Loss of self-esteem
- Experiencing headaches, stomach aches, high blood pressure and insomnia
- Increase in level of anxiety
- Exhibiting signs of depression
- Failing to do well in school or in the workplace
- Experiencing suicidal thoughts
There are ways to prevent bullying. These include training in awareness of the effects of bullying, empowering people to enlist the help of others, such as teachers, parents, clergy, and co-workers to assist them when they are targeted, establishing school or workplace policies on bullying, and when possible, directly addressing the person or persons who are doing the bullying. This should not be done alone, but rather with a teacher, co-worker, supervisor, or someone authoritative.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.