Childhood is often equated with joy and happiness but for some the mere mention of the term can serve as a reminder of traumatic incidents. While some rejoice over memories that bring them face to face with the cheerful moments of their parents singing them to sleep or telling them bedtime stories, there are those who wish to avoid any mention of their childhood because of the pain it inflicts upon them.
This is what bullying does to a child. Children who are bullied because of their appearance, race, gender, class and religion are robbed of their childhood and they grow up with a number of psychological problems, including aggressive behaviour and poor self-esteem.
According to a World Federation for Mental Health’s study, those who were bullied as children were at increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, poor school performance and suicidal behaviour. While on the other hand, those who grew up in a comparatively positive environment were on the opposite end of the spectrum with low stress levels and greater self-esteem.
Therefore, it is important for parents and teachers to take measures to curb bullying in schools and society. Children should be educated about the negative impacts of bullying in order to stop them from bullying others and to enable them to stand up for other children. Children should also be raised in an atmosphere of tolerance, respect and compassion so that a healthier generation can be raised.
It is only through collective effort that we can eradicate this menace from our society.
Wasif Kazmi
Lahore
