Bullyings+Impact+on+the+Victim

=The Impact of Bullying on a Victim =

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What it means to be a victim
 Victims used to be characterized as individuals that are bullied because they are weak and not able to stand up for themselves. Victims are also warned by the bully/bullies not to tell anyone what is happening to them which makes it difficult for the victims to talk to their teachers or parents. Ten percent of children could be considered extreme victims who have been the victim of bullies at least once a week for a long period of time. Extreme victims are usually younger, weaker, or sicker compared to their peers. Victims are just as likely to be boys as girls. They often report strong fears or dislike of going to school, and they often report closer feelings to parents and siblings. Being labeled a victim is likely to follow children around from year to year. Most extreme victims report having few or no friends and being alone at recess and lunch.

Stress on the Mind and Body
Bullying is linked to later problems of mental and physical health such as age, gender, income, employment, education and marital status. Scientists suspect that the daily stress of being bullied can translate into long-term damage to your body.

// When the brain senses a threat, it activates your fight-or-flight response. That sparks an increase in hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, priming your body for action. Your heart speeds up, your muscles tense, your blood vessels narrow and your digestive system slows down. When your body is kept on high alert for long periods of time, tense muscles can become painful, while your stomach can start to ache. // // The changes brought about by chronic stress can also lead to increased inflammation and a weaker immune system making you more susceptible to colds. // // It's been found that adults who’d been bullied as kids reported poorer overall health and said that health problems often got in the way of both work and leisure activities. // // Bullied kids are more prone to feelings of loneliness, depression and low self-esteem, as well as physical ills like headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, and recurrent upper respiratory infections and sore throats. //

Symptoms that a child might be a victim of bullying:

 * acts moody, sullen, or withdraws from family interaction
 * becomes depressed
 * loses interest in school work, or grades drop
 * loses appetite or has difficulty getting to sleep
 * waits to use the bathroom at home
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">arrives home with torn clothes, unexplained bruises
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">asks for extra money for school lunch or supplies, extra allowance
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">refuses to go to school (15 percent of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school)
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">wants to carry a protection item, such as a knife
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Lingering health issues: aches and pains, low energy levels, fatigue, depression, anxiety, physical ills, pain, greater susceptibility to cold

<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Short term effects of being a victim
<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Being a victim is very stressful for children. Many children develop a strong dislike of going to school, especially times like recess or gym class. Many victims begin to distrust all their peers at school and have problems making friends. Extreme victims can develop depression or physical illness.

<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Long term effects of being a victim
<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> The long term consequences of being a victim vary a good deal. Most victims of bullying do well in school and are able to make friends are they grow older. Most victims, especially if they receive support from adults important in their lives, survive the experience of being bullied without long term effects.

<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">media type="youtube" key="CihzX-kvrFo?fs=1" height="385" width="480" //<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> A video example of what a victim did to herself after she had enough. Bullying is serious and there are huge impacts on victims. //

//<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Suggestions for working with victims: //

> //-- Laugh or ignore comments or teasing. Bullies delight in you being scared and getting a big reaction. Eventually they will leave you alone. > //-- Tell them to buzz off or shout GO AWAY!! Say it as angrily as you can and walk away immediately. Practice in the mirror. > //-- Stay with a crowd bullies usually pick on kids who are alone. Suggest that children walk to school or sit on the bus with someone who can protect them. > -- If you are alone with a crowd that picks on you, ask him or her why she is mean to you.////////
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Many victims are withdrawn and are afraid of social interaction. These children often profit from social interactions with younger children, where they may be less afraid to open up or show some leadership.
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">//Practice with kids by using strategies of ways they can respond when being bullied. Help them identify times when they are likely to be harassed, and see if there are ways to avoid those situations. Determine the exact nature of the bullying behavior, and help them practice some things to say or do. Here are some specific strategies:
 * <span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">For both groups, it is helpful to pair them up with children who are neither bullies nor victims, as they can be great teachers of appropriate behavior.

//References:// //Verdine Ryder (Family Life Educator). Beat the bully problem. This book provides self-help skill and pro-active solutions of bullying behavior. Cost $5.95, call <span class="skype_pnh_print_container">713-871-3172 <span class="skype_pnh_container"><span class="skype_pnh_mark"> begin_of_the_skype_highlighting <span class="skype_pnh_highlighting_inactive_common"> <span class="skype_pnh_textarea_span"><span class="skype_pnh_text_span"> 713-871-3172  <span class="skype_pnh_mark">end_of_the_skype_highlighting  to order.//

G.M. Batsche and H.M. Knoff. Bullies and their victims: Understanding a pervasive problem in the schools. School Psychology Review, 23, 2, 165-174. **FS-570**, February 1997

Linda Carroll is a health and science writer living in New Jersey. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsday, Health magazine and SmartMoney.//

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