Is your teen a bully or a victim of bullying? Get to know the facts regarding bullying and peer pressure to prevent irreversible harm to the emotional psyche of the teen. Peer pressure can be defined as the stress and strain that the respective individual is subjected to in order to behave, act and think and even appear in a certain manner. During teenage this peer pressure becomes more evident and renders the maximum impact, whether positive or negative. When the impact is negative, it is a serious cause for worry as the teenager can be pulled into the ring of undesirable habits and acts through bullying. It is thus important to know certain vital facts regarding bullying and peer pressure. In this articleWhat is Bullying?Why is Bullying Bad?Relationship between Bullying and Peer PressureWhy Bullying Takes Place?What is Bullying? It is best described as a manifestation of youth violence that is incredibly pervasive in our society. It is better for the parents and kids to acknowledge the fact and this will equip them with strength and solutions to deal and overcome it. Bullying is a very serious issue that can potentially render immensely harmful effects like social and emotional anguish, mental and/or physical injuries and in extreme cases even death. Bullying is very rampant in lower and higher schools and colleges. Parents need to carefully observe and understand whether the teen is a bully, a victim of bullying or both; as in many cases, the one who gets bullied initially turns into a bully eventually in order to vent out the suppressed frustration. Why is Bullying Bad? Apart from the harmful aspects of bullying mentioned earlier, bullying renders often certain irreversible damage in the emotional psyche of the teen. Since the teenage is a vulnerable stage in the life, the individual is liable to suffer its long term consequences like low self esteem in studies, career and relationships, depression, prone to drug, alcohol, smoking and substance abuse, vandalism, sexual crimes and even prone to suicidal tendencies. Relationship between Bullying and Peer Pressure When bullying takes place through the peer group, it can be dangerous for the teen. On one hand it is practically difficult to get out of the situation as the teen does not readily have the option of changing the school or neighbourhood, and besides, there is no guarantee that the bullying will not happen in another school, neighbourhood or hostel. The child becomes a victim when the bullying peer group evolves or exists as a strong unit. The teen gives in to the fear of upsetting a group that is powerful. He often imagines a threatening situation or the peer group creates it in order to cause fear in the victim. Why Bullying Takes Place? It has been found in many cases that the members of the group who bully others are themselves suffering from a disturbed state, be it due to their family or any event that has occurred in their environment that has caused considerable disturbance in their thoughts. Bullying a mechanism to resort to violent actions in order to vent out some pent up distress and frustrations. They try to seek solace and derive a degree of sadistic pleasure by causing fear and harm in other fellow school mates. The perpetrators of this violence are mostly aware that their activities can cause harm to the individual and themselves, but it is a sort of vicious vengeful tendency where they want the victim to feel and suffer the impact the negative behaviour along with them. They want to extend the group and grow in numbers so that they accumulate enough ‘power’ to upstage the ‘good’. There is an underlying feeling of tremendous insecurity that pushes them more towards the undesirable behaviour and acts, as they feel if they do not resort to them, they might get ‘lost’. So, what can be the way out? Bullying and peer pressure is a very pervasive and extensive issue to have any simple solutions. Each case is relative and the most that one can generalise the condition is to ensure that we are able to provide the correct growing up environment for our kids. Often our engagement with our own lives and profession alienates us from our kids who not require material but a great deal of emotional support. As parents and guardians we need to ensure that we are there always for the kid whenever required, and also provide them with the assurance that they can depend on us, regardless of the situation. Whether a bully or a victim, it is this approach that can be counted as the initial healing touch.
Is your teen a bully or a victim of bullying? Get to know the facts regarding bullying and peer pressure to prevent irreversible harm to the emotional psyche of the teen. Peer pressure can be defined as the stress and strain that the respective individual is subjected to in order to behave, act and think and even appear in a certain manner. During teenage this
peer pressure becomes more evident and renders the maximum impact, whether positive or negative.
When the impact is negative, it is a serious cause for worry as the teenager can be pulled into the ring of undesirable habits and acts through bullying. It is thus important to know certain vital facts regarding bullying and peer pressure.
What is Bullying?
It is best described as a manifestation of youth violence that is incredibly pervasive in our society. It is better for the parents and kids to acknowledge the fact and this will equip them with strength and solutions to deal and overcome it. Bullying is a very serious issue that can potentially render immensely harmful effects like social and emotional anguish, mental and/or physical injuries and in extreme cases even death.
Bullying is very rampant in lower and higher schools and colleges. Parents need to carefully observe and understand whether the teen is a bully, a victim of bullying or both; as in many cases, the one who gets bullied initially turns into a bully eventually in order to vent out the suppressed frustration.
Why is Bullying Bad?
Apart from the harmful aspects of bullying mentioned earlier, bullying renders often certain irreversible damage in the emotional psyche of the teen. Since the teenage is a vulnerable stage in the life, the individual is liable to suffer its long term consequences like low self esteem in studies, career and relationships, depression, prone to drug, alcohol, smoking and substance abuse, vandalism, sexual crimes and even prone to suicidal tendencies.
Relationship between Bullying and Peer Pressure
When bullying takes place through the peer group, it can be dangerous for the teen. On one hand it is practically difficult to get out of the situation as the teen does not readily have the option of changing the school or neighbourhood, and besides, there is no guarantee that the bullying will not happen in another school, neighbourhood or hostel. The child becomes a victim when the bullying peer group evolves or exists as a strong unit. The teen gives in to the fear of upsetting a group that is powerful. He often imagines a threatening situation or the peer group creates it in order to cause fear in the victim.
Why Bullying Takes Place?
It has been found in many cases that the members of the group who bully others are themselves suffering from a disturbed state, be it due to their family or any event that has occurred in their environment that has caused considerable disturbance in their thoughts.
Bullying a mechanism to resort to violent actions in order to vent out some pent up distress and frustrations. They try to seek solace and derive a degree of sadistic pleasure by causing fear and harm in other fellow school mates. The perpetrators of this violence are mostly aware that their activities can cause harm to the individual and themselves, but it is a sort of vicious vengeful tendency where they want the victim to feel and suffer the impact the negative behaviour along with them. They want to extend the group and grow in numbers so that they accumulate enough ‘power’ to upstage the ‘good’. There is an underlying feeling of tremendous insecurity that pushes them more towards the undesirable behaviour and acts, as they feel if they do not resort to them, they might get ‘lost’.
So, what can be the way out? Bullying and peer pressure is a very pervasive and extensive issue to have any simple solutions. Each case is relative and the most that one can generalise the condition is to ensure that we are able to provide the correct growing up environment for our kids. Often our engagement with our own lives and profession alienates us from our kids who not require material but a great deal of emotional support. As parents and guardians we need to ensure that we are there always for the kid whenever required, and also provide them with the assurance that they can depend on us, regardless of the situation. Whether a bully or a victim, it is this approach that can be counted as the initial healing touch.
