Bullying is a social ill and there is no debate about it. It is true that perceptions about this phenomenon can vary from one individual to another, but there is no doubt that bullying is not seen as favorable by anyone; except for the bullies.

The effects of bullying have been studied intently by concerned health experts and most of them believe that bullying is a public health issue that requires close adult supervision.

The verdict is that bullying causes physical and psychological issues among teens and the claim will be validated further in this article.

A Dangerous Game

Awareness regarding bullying is spreading at a good pace as more people realize the dangers of bullying. The problem has been accepted as a destructive force and has rightfully gained the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC has been busy raising awareness about this issue for some time. The health department wants health experts and educators to broaden their focus towards developing strategies to prevent bullying and suicidal urges among teenagers, instead of only focusing on providing services.

Last year, the Journal of Adolescent Health published an article in its July edition, titled Bullying and Suicide: A Public Health Approach. The article successfully linked bullying and suicide-related behaviors among teens.

The CDC expert panel reached the conclusion that bullying among youth is a significant health problem.

Unhealthy Pursuits

Dr Jorge Srabstein, medical director of the Clinic for Health Problems Related to Bullying at the Children’s National Medical Center (CNMAC), strongly believes that bullying is associated with very real and psychological health effects. The good doctor said, “Bullying is linked to a wide range of health issues, both physical and emotional symptoms.”

The most common complaints made by the bullies and the bullied is related to headaches/stomachaches, irregular sleep cycles, and severe depression.

As intriguing as it may sound, the symptoms of bullying usually appear in a cluster, meaning that people who bear the brunt of bullying not only get headaches, but also complain about anxiety, stomachaches and depression.

Fighting On

Commenting on bullying effects, Dr Srabstein says that health professionals can join forces to fight off bullying on three different fronts.

As a primary step, the health experts can make their contributions to community level and school programs to spread awareness about bullying. Previously, such programs had excluded health experts from the panel which turned out to be a bad idea.

Further, health experts can help identify bullying when it happens and forward the case to the persons concerned. Now and then, experts can ask children about safety at schools and how they feel about it.

The third most important role of health experts is to treat the symptoms of bullying in an effort to eradicate this problem.

Apart from health experts, parents also have to play their due role to save the souls of their children by being very attentive to the needs of their children. Sometimes all that a miserable soul needs is a caring shoulder to cry over. Be sure to lend your kids a shoulder when they need it the most. You can solve a big chunk of the problem by being supportive of the little ones.