Bullying is, unfortunately, very common. For example, up to 20% of children aged 12 to 18 have been victims of bullying. Bullying is so common, in fact, that many people think of it as a childhood rite of passage. Let’s take a look at how bullying can cause PTSD, what PTSD looks like among people who have been bullied—and most importantly, what can be done to treat PTSD from bullying.
What Is Bullying?
Bullying is considered a form of youth violence and can be physical, verbal, social (spreading rumors, for example), and may include damage to one’s physical property. Bullying doesn’t just happen in person: many instances of bullying that happen today include cyberbullying. Most instances of bullying happen at school, or during childhood, but bullying can also happen to adults. For example, workplace bullying is a frequent experience for many people, with a prevalence of about 15%.
Why Do People Develop PTSD After Being Bullied?
Bullying is considered an adverse childhood experience (ACE) and can lead to both immediate and long-term psychological harm. Children who experience bullying have an increased vulnerability to anxiety and depression. Adults who experienced bullying as children have increased rates of agoraphobia (a fear of crowds), generalized anxiety, and panic disorder. There is a strong relationship between bullying and PTSD. For example, a study published in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health found that among children who had experienced bullying at school, 50% had signs of PTSD. Another study, published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, determined that among children who were bullied, 27% of boys and 40% of girls had clinical symptoms of PTSD.
How to Recognize PTSD From Bullying
Children who have experienced bullying may have different reactions and may display their trauma in different ways. Some children may have outward signs of stress, anxiety, and agitation, while others may keep their feelings inside more and experience intrusive thoughts or flashbacks. Others may become numb, and appear distant.
What Are the Symptoms?
People who experience PTSD as a result of bullying have many of the same symptoms as anyone who experiences PTSD. These symptoms may include:
Feeling “on edge”Being easily startledExperiencing nightmaresHaving flashbacks to the traumatic experienceHaving difficulty falling asleep and staying asleepHaving intrusive, scary thoughtsBlaming yourself for what happenedFeeling guiltyHaving angry outburstsHaving trouble concentratingAvoiding situations that trigger memories of the event
Your child may experience PTSD from bullying differently, depending on their age. For example, very young children may experience more separation anxiety. School-aged kids may experience increased shame and may have trouble concentrating in school. Adolescents may experience more depression and may practice self-harm.
How to Cope
If you are a parent observing signs of PTSD from bullying in your child, or if you believe you are personally experiencing PTSD from bullying, you have every right to be concerned.
Treatment Options
If you suspect you or your child is experiencing PTSD, you should consider seeking psychological help. A good place to start is a school psychologist or your primary care doctor. They may be able to help you understand if you or your child is, in fact, experiencing signs of PTSD, and they can refer you to a therapist or counselor with expertise in treating PTSD from bullying. PTSD from bullying can be addressed through talk therapy, where you learn to recognize what your triggers are, and learn techniques to manage them. Traditional “talk therapy” may not work well for younger children, and children may not feel comfortable talking directly about their traumatic experiences at first. For young children, “play therapy” is often used, where the child uses playing, drawing, or writing to explore the traumatic event and work through it with a therapist. Older children may be good candidates for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a therapy modality that is often used to treat PTSD. PTSD may also be treated with medication to control symptoms, though some medications may not be appropriate for younger children.
Addressing the Bullying
Importantly, before therapy for PTSD can be effective, the bullying itself needs to end, and be prevented from continuing. Preventing bullying is truly a group effort: your child’s school administrators, teachers, and community may need to be involved. In some cases, law enforcement needs to be notified. As a parent, you can learn about what your school’s policies are for handling bullying, as well as what state and federal laws are in place to protect your child. It’s important to understand that not all children will tell you directly when they have experienced bullying; in fact, a child may first show signs of disturbances, such as symptoms of PTSD, before you know for sure that they have experienced bullying. If you suspect that your child has experienced bullying, you should talk to their teacher or a school counselor. They may be able to help you understand better what your child is experiencing at school, so that you can initiate a conversation with your child.
A Word From Verywell
It’s upsetting and challenging enough if you or your child has experienced bullying. To then experience PTSD as a result can only make the experience more distressing. You should know that experiencing PTSD from bullying is, sadly, quite common. Thankfully, there are effective ways to treat PTSD. Many people are quick to dismiss the symptom of PTSD or believe that their best option is to muscle through, and wait till it disappears. But treatment for PTSD is vital, and it’s not something you should delay. Mental health is everything, and everyone deserves to feel strong, balanced, and well.
