What is bullying ?
Today bullying itself is not considered to be a disorder. On the other hand a victim of bullying could develop a post-bullying disorder. Strange it may sound, bullying itself is classified as a behavioral trait. Anti-bullying alliance defines it as “The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online.”
Bullying pattern
As per psychiatry norms, a behavior becomes a disorder when it is severe, persistent, and leads to significant disruption of daily life. For children it should also be outside the norm for a particular age. As bullying can disrupt life of a victim and lead to persistent stress (like Post-traumatic stress disorder) it becomes a disorder. It is believed that its cause – a bully, may himself or herself remain unaffected. This view is open to questioning.
Bullying is a pattern, that may begin in school, but often extends to workplace and even households. Bullies usually come from a perceived higher social status or position of power, such as those who are bigger, stronger, or perceived to be popular. Psychologists believe that this behavior stems from an inner discontent, inferiority complex, bullied upbringing, low self esteem or unresolved social issues. Those who bully, exhibit aggression and exercise control, which feeds and lifts their own low self-esteem. Bullies are more likely to have lifelong issues such as depression or problems with aggression.
Types of bullying
Bullying behavior is repetitive and targeted by a bully (or a group) to an individual (or a group). Verbal bullying includes insulting and tugging among co-workers by titles, insulting or calling a colleague one of the defamatory qualities, or treating him on the basis of sex, culture, or religion. Bullying may also be physical by beating, tangling with hands, kicking with foot, punching by hand, and deliberately stealing for his own things. In the current times bullying may also be social to spoil a relationship, discredit reputation, publishing pictures, rumors, and false news, either face to face or on social networking (cyber bullying).
Bully behavior is due to underlying disorders
In a study amongst school-children, those who were considered as bullies were more than twice as likely to have another behavioral disorder. Bullies themselves had either depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder. They also had personality disorders such as passive–aggressive, histrionic, or being paranoid. So bullying behavior itself may not yet have a criteria to call it a disease. It may soon become one. As of today, presence of this behavioral trait should lead to a more detailed assessment to uncover underlying disorders.
Impact on the bullying victim
Those who are getting bullied may start feeling that they themselves are at fault. Victims tend to become unusually secretive and quiet, appear oversensitive or weepy, have a lack of sleep, and may loose interest in normal activities. Depending on type of bullying they may have physical injuries, or may receive more messages on social media.
It is suggested that those getting bullied should find a support – a friend, a family member, teacher or a parent. Reassure that getting bullied is not the victim’s fault. It is also suggested that victims of bullying should keep their own self-esteem high – by either giving the bully a royal ignore, not showing an immediate irritation, and even telling the bully upfront that their behavior will not work. In a nutshell, do not get affected, and donot feed bully’s own low self-esteem.
“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”
Apt analysis!!
Insightful!