Bullying at school can have a life-long impact on mental health

Bullying has been put on the radar this July, which is recognised as National Mental Illness Awareness Month, to highlight the need for greater public awareness and responsiveness, given the high level of violence experienced in South African schools.

Shouqat Mugjenker, Mental Health Portfolio Manager at Pharma Dynamics says bullying, which is a major societal problem globally and in South Africa, has far-reaching mental health effects, which many carry into adulthood.

“By the time we’re adults, we are generally expected to have gotten over it, but the impact can be serious and last a lifetime.

"In South Africa an estimated 41% of children are bullied at school in some shape or form, which can increase the risk of depressive disorders and the need for psychiatric treatment later in life.

“We know that children who are bullied often suffer from low self-esteem, poor academic performance, depression and an increased risk of suicide, but up until now very little was known about the long-term psychological impact on adults who were victims of bullying in their youth.”

Recently, a spate of studies have been published, which found that victims’ health, relationships and even economic status may be at risk well into middle age.

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