Bullying isn't just for kids
Just reading the comments is brutal. Watching videos of recent school board meetings is shocking. Listening to the way some people talk about others who may have different beliefs makes you cringe.
Bullying can be traumatic and can have lifelong implications. And while at least one out of every five children in this country have reported bullying, the issue isn’t one specific to just children. Take a look around and you’ll find bullying happening among adults in nearly every corner of our society.
Don’t believe me? Head to this newspaper’s Facebook comment section of nearly any story. Actually, head to any news organization’s comment section. And it’s not limited to just one type of person — men and women, Democrat and Republican, young and old — all are guilty.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and while the majority of conversations centered on bullying are regarding it happening among kids and in schools, adult bullying needs some serious attention.
Thirty percent of adult workers reported being bullied in the workplace, according to a 2021 study by the Workplace Bullying Institute. In addition, the study found that when bullying in the workplace was reported, the reaction was negative. Sixty percent of respondents reported bullying in the office was met with denial, rationalization or even encouragement by their employer as bullying was seen as necessary for a competitive organization.
Wait, bullying is necessary? What world is this?
Bullying, whether it’s emotional or physical, can be traumatic regardless of age. Students who experience bullying at are at an increased risk for not only depression and anxiety according to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, but also can experience difficulty sleeping, other physical issues such as stomach problems and headaches, and lower academic achievement. Students who report frequently bullying others and students who report being frequently bullied are also at increased risk for suicide-related behavior.
And what happens during childhood can be a precursor for not only victims of bullying, but bullies as well later in life. The importance of addressing the cause and effect of bullying early on is key.
Call it what you want — tough love, telling it like it is, being unapologetically honest — bullying isn’t just a problem confined to the playground and school hallways. It’s taken hold in nearly every corner of our society and those in every age bracket can be to blame.
Maybe instead of looking at everyone else as the enemy, we can work harder at feeling empathy, understanding differences and even holding ourselves a bit more accountable. After all, our kids all learn from us.
Rachel Brougham is a former assistant editor of the Petoskey News-Review. You can email her at racheldbrougham@gmail.com.