Understanding yourself
Bullying and cyberbullying
“They made a group chat about me. Everyone’s in it.”
Bullying, at school or online, harms mental health, sometimes for years. Children deserve to be believed and protected.
Ryan, twelve, goes to a well-known English-medium school in Gulshan. After the winter holidays, a group made a chat about him, with edited photos and a nickname that has followed him into class. He says he has a stomach ache on school days. His parents found out only when his younger sister saw the messages on his tablet. “Bro, it’s not that deep,” he told them, and locked himself in the bathroom.
An illustration drawn from common experience. The person is invented; the pattern is not.
Understanding bullying and cyberbullying
Bullying is repeated, intentional hurt by people with more power, physical or social: hitting, name-calling, exclusion, rumours, or online harassment through group chats and social media, which follows children home. Bullied children are at higher risk of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, a 2017 review of 165 studies found. Children often hide it out of shame or fear of making it worse.
Signs worth noticing
- Reluctance to go to school, or frequent stomach aches and headaches
- Damaged belongings, missing money, unexplained injuries
- Distress after using the phone or computer
- Withdrawal, sleep problems, or sudden drops in grades
How care helps
Listening calmly and believing the child is the first step, then working with the school to make it stop. Assessment checks for anxiety, depression and self-harm. Therapy helps the child rebuild confidence and safety, and family sessions help parents respond without making the child feel more exposed.
What getting better can look like
Ryan’s turning point might come from a school that acts, a chat that is shut down, a new friend at lunch, and a morning without a stomach ache.
Common questions about bullying and cyberbullying
What are the long-term effects of bullying on a child?
Bullied children are at higher risk of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, a 2017 review of 165 studies found. Children often hide it out of shame or fear of making it worse, so changes in mood, sleep or willingness to go to school are worth noticing.
What should parents do if their child is being cyberbullied?
Listen calmly and believe your child, then work with the school to make it stop. Keeping copies of the messages can help the school act. If your child is anxious, low or talks about self-harm, a doctor can assess and help, and family sessions can help you respond without making them feel more exposed.
When to see a psychiatrist
If a child is being bullied and is anxious, low or talking about self-harm, please seek help. Bullying is never just part of growing up.
Care here is personal: built around your history, your health and what you want to change, and reviewed with you as it goes.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
If some of this sounds familiar, a first conversation is a good place to start. You do not need the right words, or to be certain.
Dr. Tajreen is consulting in Uttar Badda now, until 8:00 pm. Call +880 1847-331010Every address and its hours
Sources
- Moore et al., World Journal of Psychiatry, 2017
You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.
