Why Teens Don’t Tell an Adult About Bullying?

The majority of teens get bullied at some point in their lives. There wouldn’t be a teen who’d say he/she has never been bullied, be it at school or the internet. While some teens take bullying seriously and seek help from their closed ones such as parents, teachers, or counselors, some think they are capable of dealing with bullying on their own and as a result, choose not to speak about it with anyone.

But the question is, is that even the right approach to tackle bullying? Absolutely not! Bullying is a serious problem which can bring some life-threatening consequences for a teen’s life whether it’s about their behavioral, physical, emotional, or mental condition. Teens who often get bullied are not strong enough to retaliate the bully on their own. In such scenarios, they should talk to an adult if they’re being bullied instead of choosing to stay silent about it.

Some teens keep the bullying part with them and do not choose to discuss the issue with anyone. Here are a few possible reasons why teens do not tell an adult about being bullied.

Sharing About Bullying is Personal

Most of the teens keep bullying to their own because they feel it’s too personal to talk about what’s going on with them with any other person. They feel they have to deal with bullying on their own which is not the right way to put it. In fact, it’s important to have someone on your side so to be able to talk to them about bullying because it will be eventually helpful for you. It’s completely fine to talk about it with your parents, friends, teachers, or any other person you trust.

Fear of Parent’s Reaction

Some teens do not talk to their parents about being bullied because they fear their reaction. They fear that their parents may overreact. They keep about bullying to themselves because they are sure about their parents making the situation even worse for them, for instance, involving the authorities or speaking directly to the bully or his/her parents. However, if parents are told not to fix the problem but find a solution for them, things can turn out in a better way for the teens. As a teen, you can explain to your parents that you want their help and support but would first like to handle the situation on your own. This helps you deal with bullying, knowing that you have your parents back.

Fear of Getting Punished

Teens also eschew talking about bullying with their parents because they feel they are going to get punished. Some parents believe the solution to end their teen’s harassment by a digital device – be it a cellphone, tablet, or laptop – is to take away the device from them. Since teens cannot imagine their lives without devices, they do not tell anything to their parents. However, this is not the right approach to deal with bullying. Teens should learn to confide in their parents and tell them about whatever is happening and seek their help to stop it. When parents know bullying, not technology, needs to go away, they will be able to trust their children and do not take away the devices.

No One Will Listen

Some teens muster the courage to try to speak to an adult about bullying they feel they’re not getting heard or there’s no one who will listen to them. Somehow, they start believing bullying is not a big deal and it should just be ignored as being a part of growing up. But, in reality, bullying is really a big deal which should not, under any circumstance, be ignored. If you talk to someone about it and feel you are not getting enough help, then find someone else. Surely, there are grown-ups who immensely care about you and will be ready to help you fight bullying.

Scared of the Bully

In some cases, bully, the person who bullies the victim, threatens that situation will get worse for the victim if he/she chose to tell anyone about it. The thing is, if the victim stays silent, the bully will become more empowered and start thinking there is nobody who could put an end to his wrongdoings. Not telling anyone about it will only protect the bully and aggravate the situation, making it worse. Therefore, the victim should speak to a trusted adult about the situation. It’s true that most victims are scared of the bully because they don’t want to get hurt but they also can’t simply let bullies repeat the same actions. Do not let fear stop you from speaking against bullies and doing something substantial to stop them. 

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