Have you been bullied? Have you seen anyone around you who was bullied for a very long time?
If you haven’t, you can’t even imagine what it feels like. And if you bully others, please don’t! Stop.
Something as “simple” as teasing or name-calling can have an impact so big that you cannot even imagine.
People literally give up.
They end up leaving this world and leaving everyone who loves them in pain. Because they aren’t able to handle the pain bullies cause them.
Insults, comments, teases- They get darker when piled up.
It’s like this constant pressure on your chest, squeezing the air out of you. Every joke, every whisper behind your back, every moment when you feel like you don’t belong… it builds up.
Bullying is a reality. We all know that. We’ve seen that, heard that, read about that and maybe even experienced it ourselves.
But the real question is: What happens when it keeps happening?
When it goes on for months, or even years?
When there’s no escape, and no one seems to care?
When bullying keeps on happening for a long time, it’s not just about being emotional, upset or sad anymore. It goes deeper.
People get depressed, start fearing and staying scared all the time, lose their confidence, and even start feeling as if they have no one in this world. They start losing their reason for existence.
They feel weaker. They feel unwanted. The pain that you cannot see from outside but it’s very deeply affecting.
There is so much news about victims of bullying.
Take Aubreigh Wyatt, for example. She was just a 13-year-old girl from Mississippi who, for years, kept dealing with bullying until she couldn’t anymore.
She was constantly picked on, left isolated, and made to feel belittled.
Even after she spoke up, no one listened to her. No one helped her.
Imagine that – being a young girl and already feeling invisible, like no one cared enough to help.
Sadly, her story ended in tragedy. One day, she took her own life hanging from a curtain rod in 2013.
And she’s not alone. Her story, just one among many, is a sign of how serious and dangerous bullying can be.
We’ve seen so many cases like hers.
Take the case of Megan Meier, a 13-year-old girl from Missouri. She was cyberbullied on MySpace for a long time. She also eventually took her life.
The same happened with Ty Smalley, an 11-year-old boy from Oklahoma, who was bullied for his appearance. He ended his life in 2010.
See this video of the news reporting Ty Smalley’s death. Imagine the impact on the family!
And these stories are all too common. We know because they made the news. Many don’t.
The tragic part is that most of them are forgotten away once the next trending topic comes around.
So, what happens to someone who’s been bullied for a long time?
It messes with their mental health in ways that we often don’t fully understand.
Anxiety becomes your invisible roommate.
You start second-guessing yourself at every turn.
Depression makes it feel as if you’re always trapped in a never-ending cycle.
And eventually, the loneliness becomes so much that you start feeling like you’re invisible to everyone.
And it’s not just the victim who suffers.
It’s everyone around them, too. Everyone who loves them.
Sometimes, parents even feel helpless.
Friends don’t know how to help.
Schools and communities sometimes fail to see the signs and take steps.
As a society, we all need to pay attention around us. We need to notice people who are bullied and take action before it’s too late.
This isn’t just a “teenager problem” either.
We have a tendency to reject these things as ‘teenage’ issues. That things will change with time.
But that’s just ignorance. It’s not a teenage issue.
Bullying affects people of all ages, all backgrounds.
From schoolyards to workplaces, you can see bullies everywhere.
Some abuse people physically. Others do it casually with words. Some people even play mind games and frustrate the victim.
Listen to the survivors of bullying.
Take it from the countless survivors of bullying who speak out about the emotional impact of their past. Scars that they carry even as adults.
The long-term effects can show up in medical ways too, like chronic anxiety, a fear of rejection, or even struggles with self-esteem.
Victims start questioning every move they make. They think that their worth depends upon what other people think of them.
They lose their self-identity.
And then there’s social media.
The sad reality is that social media has made bullying even more widespread, and more vicious.
Now, bullies aren’t only seen in the schoolyard. They follow you everywhere.
The moment you wake up, you can be hit with insults or slander. It may be through text, on Instagram, or even in private messages. You are now exposed to everyone, every moment of your life.
It’s scary!
So, what’s the point of all this?
Bullying isn’t harmless. It’s not “just a phase” or something people can “get over.” It breaks people in ways you can’t see. It destroys confidence, crushes spirits, and leaves scars that never truly fade.
If you’ve been a bully—stop. If you see someone being bullied—step up. And if you’re a victim—please know, you’re not alone. Speak up. Reach out.
We all have a role to play. Let’s make sure the next story doesn’t end in tragedy.
I am Timothy and this is the second article on bullying that I am writing. I am an entertainment writer and yet somehow my start on this website is with a serious topic.
I hope you don’t mind.
Please comment with any suggestions you have. Share your story with us too. If you are bullied, get help. If you need someone to talk to, you can message us too. Comment and we will respond.
Take care.
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