Bullying
Bullying is defined by Merriam Webster’s online dictionary as: “the use of superior strength or influence to intimidate someone, typically to force him or her to do what the aggressor wants.” Clearly such behavior can be crippling to the self-efficacy of a victim. Bullying is an issue that affects many school-aged children across the US. Most students have been victims of bullying or at least know someone that has. It has been proven bullying often leads to other destructive behaviors such as eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, cutting, and in extreme cases, suicide. Since children spend most of the day at school, schools hold responsibility on their student’s conduct. Should schools create and enforce guidelines to protect individuals from the evils of bullying and discrimination? Yes, school systems should develop guidelines that prevent continuous, malicious comments and behaviors that could eventually lead to depression. The creation of more rules would strengthen discipline and good behavior, which would provide a safer environment, allowing students to excel in their studies.
One way bullies affect their victims is by using using excessive, negative comments to degrade their victims, normally in an effort to increase their own self esteem. Bullies tend to arise when they feel neglected or uncared for. As degrading comments continue, most children begin to believe the bully’s comments rather than the actual truth. As kids are growing up they are in search for their identity, so when kids only hear the derogatory comments from bullies they do what they only know how to do by taking it to heart and believing it to be true. These continual comments can be detrimental to the emotional, psychological, and physical health of a victim, often plunging them into depression. Victims who suffer from depression find relief or comfort in destructive behaviors, like drugs or alcohol. Others think that that they need to do more to be