How Does Bullying Affect Children’s Brains? – Being Parents

We all know how bad bullying is for the students who experience it on a daily basis. The consequences, unfortunately, can be fatal. Today we talk about how bullying affects children’s brains.

If you know of a child who has been the victim of bullying in their lifetime, you certainly know that the consequences can be both physical and mental. In fact, thanks to the UOC ( Open University of Catalonia ), we learned about the very interesting and revealing study which was carried out at King’s College London (United Kingdom).

How does bullying affect children’s brains?

According to the study discussed above, it is clear that being the victim of continuous bullying  can cause teens to undergo physical and mental changes, i.e. in the brain. This can actually make them more vulnerable to mental illness in the future.

This is quite easy to understand, in the words of María José Acebes, neuropsychologist who works as a collaborator at the UOC:

The prefrontal cortex is also affected, which can make it difficult to solve problems successfully and it is more difficult to deal with more intense emotions. Continuous treatment is necessary for the affected person. So that she can properly manage what she is going through and prevent mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety from developing in the future.

Moreover, with this constant emotional tension and the trigger for mental illness, the child is more likely to suffer from phobias, self-injurious behaviors and even to have suicidal thoughts and realize them in the most complicated cases. .

On the other hand, post-traumatic stress disorder can also develop due to constant alertness and anxiety. This constant feeling of fear and danger can cause the victim to experience serious physical and emotional problems. This is how bullying affects children’s brains.

Researches

The investigation took place in the UK. The brains of different adolescents were studied at the ages of 14 and 19. Those who had suffered from prolonged harassment had a decrease in the areas of the brain where calm resides, thus increasing anxiety.

The positive part of the study is that in adolescence the nervous system is modulable, and as it develops it can unlearn what it has learned and, with the necessary support, be able to re-establish brain connections. which renew this state of peace and tranquility. In other words, without having to live in a state of acquired and constant vigilance.

The most common form of bullying in adolescence is group bullying. That is to say that in a group, one is more cruel and, consequently, one acts “in a flock”. Everything is done in gang form and the harassed victim is left out.

Teens often seek group approval. By intimidating the victim, they embody those insecurities that they flee in others. In addition, social networks also contribute to aggravate, prolong and accentuate harassment.

Some solutions against harassment

Finding solutions is essential to prevent harassment from becoming a more serious problem. In addition, it is fundamental that all educational centers have decrees regulating coexistence so that any type of harassment, whether direct, indirect or online, is qualified as a serious offense.

Thus, it is appropriate for educational centers to inform the juvenile prosecutor’s office or the corresponding body, depending on the seriousness of the events. In this way, the aggressor finds himself face to face with his actions and must pay the price. Moreover, the victim, in addition to being protected, can find the necessary tools to cope with the situation.

On the other hand, it is essential to highlight the witnesses of school bullying, so that they do not remain silent. They should know that they are also protected and have a duty to report a situation of harassment. In this way, it would be easier to solve the problem from the educational center. Without having to go through criminal cases.

Ultimately, bullies and victims should receive quality psychological help. Both may suffer from mental illnesses in the future that condition their lives. All of this can be prevented if we all follow the same path of good coexistence and respect for others and for ourselves.