Is bullying bad for you?

Bullying can have detrimental effects on both the person bullying and the person being bullied. In some cases, the negative impact of bullying can be long term.

It's bad for the person being bullied

If you're being bullied, it is likely you are feeling very different to how you would normally feel.

You may be:

  • finding it hard to sleep or you may have lost your appetite
  • feeling angry, sad, powerless or scared
  • wanting to avoid school, friends or going out.

Young people being bullied have to deal with feelings of shame about the attcks, and fear of if/or when it will happen again. They may suffer from low self-esteem, become more aggressive and find it difficult to concentrate at school. Not surprisingly, as a consequence their school work suffers; placing them under even more pressure.

Those witnessing the bullying may also suffer; feeling anxious and fearing if/when they'll be the next target.

For some young people (but not all), being bullied may mean they're more likely in the future to:

  • suffer mental health problems and depression
  • find it difficult to maintain positive relationships
  • want to change the way they are or hurt themselves
  • absue alcohol or drugs
  • have negative, and even suicidal, thoughts.

In some cases, bullying leads to serious physical harm or violent retaliation.

It's bad for the person bullying

Young people who repeatedly bully are more likely to1:

  • be involved in ongoing anti-social and criminal behaviour
  • have issues with substance abuse
  • have low academic achievement
  • abuse their spouse or children later in life.

Other research2 shows that:

  • 60% of young people aged 13 to 16 who bully have at least one criminal conviction by the age of 24
  • 35-40% young people aged 13 to 16 who bully are convicted of at least three crimes by the age of 24.

1. Rigby, K. 2006, An overview of approaches to managing bully/victim problems. In H. McGrath & T. Noble, Bullying solutions; Evidence-based approachs for Australian schools, Pearson Education, Sydney.

McGrath, H., National Safe Schools Framework Best Practice Grants Program, unpublished report (2006)

Craig, W. & Pepler, D.J. (2003). Identifying and Targeting risk for involvement in bullying and victimisation, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 48. pp577-582.

Craig, W. & Pepler, D.J. (1997). Observations of bullying and victimisation on the schoolyard, Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 2 pp41-60.

2. Olweus, D. (1994). Bullying at school. In R. Huesmann (Ed.), Agressive behaviour. Current perspectives. New YouK: Plenum Press.