The Psychological Effects of Bullying in High Schools: An Essay

This argumentative essay investigates the detrimental effects of bullying on the mental health of high school students. It defines bullying as aggressive and unwanted behavior, highlighting the power imbalance and repetitive nature of the actions. The essay argues that schools often fail to address the psychological impact of bullying, advocating for increased awareness and intervention. It differentiates between physical and cyberbullying, emphasizing the emotional damage caused by both. The paper explores various forms of bullying, including those based on race, sexual orientation, and other factors, while also noting the common characteristics of both bullies and victims. The essay underscores the long-lasting psychological consequences, such as anxiety, depression, and difficulties in relationships, and references research to support these claims. It suggests that schools should establish clear rules and expectations, reward positive behavior, and promote open communication to create a safer environment. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to mitigate the negative impacts of bullying on students' mental well-being.

Running Head: BULLYING IN HIGH SCHOOLS
Topic -The impact of high school bullying on the mental health of teens
Bullying is an aggressive and unwanted behavior among the high school going children
consisting of perceived or real power imbalance. The behavior is frequently repeated and there is
a potential of being repeated over time. There are several factors in bullying such as the behavior
is not at all welcoming to the person who is being bullied and it happens among the high-school
going children. The bully and the bullied both can properly understand the bully for having more
power in the condition even when the factors are based on equality. There are instances where
the bullies are stronger bigger have more friends leading to an actual imbalance in power as well
as the one that is perceived. Also the bully either repeats the particular attitude or their access to
the victim other implies that they will be able to repeat it (Manzella). In this argumentative essay
it is being argued that the act of bullying is sometimes not considered by most of the high-
schools and there is no such initiative of controlling or stopping such activities. The school
authorities are not aware of the psychological impact bullying can leave on a child's mind and
mental health. This paper will argue that the school authorities should focus on this aspect and
take necessary measures for helping a child grow and develop in a bully free environment.
It is found that some bullying is easy to recognize because it is physical but there are also
a type of bullying which can occur quietly such as through internet, through smart-phone,
through gossip which can cause emotional damage to the person. Bullying further depends on
power dynamic which places one peer over the other. The primary aspect of bullying is that it is
real and can leave psychological and emotional impact. Bullying can be of many forms
depending on the situation such as humiliation, hurting, harassment, exposing and harming in
other ways. It is also found that when bullying is based on race it crosses the line and causes

severe harassment (Mucherah et al). The case is same with bullying that is based on sexual
orientation, ethnicity, disability, national origin and others when it becomes the legal issue.
It is quite impossible to give a prediction of who will be bullied and who will be not
founded on the national origin, sexual orientation and others. It cannot be good to people who are
belonging to all of these categories and no one particular combination of the traits can guarantee
a child being bullied or not bullied. People who are bullied frequently share some characteristics
that are common and it can consist of a personality of introversion, shyness, unhappiness, low
self confidence anxiety and others. However, bullying is not founded on race and sex only
because it is found that the white males and females tend to face the same physical intimidation.
When bullying occurs, almost everyone is harmed through it such as the victim, the bully and the
observers.
It is highly unfortunate that the impacts of bullying are not temporary but long-lasting. It
can last till adulthood and may vary having depended on the role of the person who is in the
situation of bullying. It has been found through the studies that the long-lasting psychological
impacts generate from the short term impacts experienced by children as the outcome of being
bullied. The anxiety and depression are the characterization of the emotional outlook after the
bullying years which can extend into the adulthood where they can be having lifelong and
chronic problems. These are the people who face difficulty in keeping relationships, doing
friendship with other people and engage in some romantic relationship. As per the American
Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, it is found that the ‘sticks and stones’ is a wisdom
regarding a type of bullying which actually causes long-lasting damage longer than the physical
harm (Okeke, Ifedi and Tshotsho). In the childhood when the bodily damage can heal fast the
self image of the victim can be permanently undermined. Hence bullying is considered as an

attempt to generate self loathing and instill fear where the ability of viewing oneself as a capable,
desirable and effective individual damages permanently. On the other hand, the bullies grow up
as the unhappy adults because the world around them doesn't work good with them and they
usually have violent actions and quick tempers that is shared by the society further. They also
can have difficulty in retaining the relationship, maintaining the job and family people. They
further have suicidal thoughts in the behaviors and leave their lives on greater risk (Uzunboylu).
Both the bully and the victim might have elevated rates of the childhood psychiatric disorders,
the panic disorders the agoraphobia along with generalized anxiety. It is quite interesting that
when the victims and the bullies were followed in to the young adulthood, they at the greater risk
of suicidalism.
There are few States which have strongly enacted on the anti bullying legislation. On the
other hand there are no such Federal laws which can address explicitly the bullying. It is
therefore suggested that the schools should set enforceable and clear rules along with
expectations for controlling bullying and the age appropriate rules help students in knowing what
behavior is expectant and what is not. The teachers and the school authority should state the rules
in a positive term, keep the rules number to a minimum, set the rules which are appropriate to the
age, the rule should be covering multiple situations and the students should be taught about
obeying the rules, an example should be set regarding the rule following behavior and there
should be consistency in enforcing the rules (Yang). Hence, it can be said that these are the
guidelines which can help a teacher in having a well-managed classroom which is less prone to
the behavior of bullying. Moreover, the positive behavior should be rewarded and negative
should be punished. Also, there should be open communication which can build the rapport and

help the students feel more open in terms of talking about them to the teacher that includes
bullying.