Social Anxiety | Bullying Can Hurt You!

I’ve been reading that a new study has found that bullying can hurt you and cause anxiety and social anxiety in adulthood. Remember what you were told to say to bullies? “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, I guess that was all a lie!

Bullying in childhood can actually cause anxiety and social anxiety in adulthood according to this study. 210 college students were studied and the University of Florida researchers have found a link between social bullying in childhood to depression and anxiety in adulthood.

Bullying Can Cause Social Anxiety

I can see how the bullying and gossiping and shunning of children by other children can really affect the psyche of another child. Social anxiety is a fear of being judged by another, and that’s all bullying is to a certain degree.

When you’ve grown up being bullied and shunned by your peers, it sounds very normal that one would carry those feelings into adulthood, but now what do we do with this information?

Do we try to convince other parents and schools that bullying isn’t just child’s play or just a part of growing up? I can tell you from experience that probably won’t work.

My child was bullied many years ago, and it got to the point that she was even cornered in the bathroom. My husband and I had a talk with the principal at the time and she said my daughter needs to stop wearing her feelings on her sleeve.

Thank goodness my child doesn’t have social anxiety to the point I did when I was her age. Some children will develop severe anxiety, social anxiety, or depression, however, and I hope everyone reads this study so they can be aware.

After all, bullying can hurt you, and living with anxiety and social anxiety is nothing to laugh at.