Bullying

The American Psychological Association shared a link today about the traumatic effects of bullying written by the LA Times. Many do not realize that some kids who go through repeated, consistent, and systematic bullying can leave traumatic scars impacting a person’s adulthood. For example, this can be in the form of depression and low self-esteem or social anxiety. If a parent has a child going through this level of bullying, it may be beneficial for them to attend therapy to address current and prevent future psychological symptoms. When I get teenagers in my office who are victims of bullying, first strategy is always about teaching them to stand up to bullies appropriately or how to react or not react in these situations in order to get them to stop such behavior. If you are an adult who went through bullying as a child, it is crucial to share that traumatic experience with your current therapist since it is likely that it has had a lasting impact on you. -Dr. P

Bullying article