Is There a Connection Between Bullying, Depression, and Drug Addiction?
The subject of bullying among teenagers and young adults is currently a hot topic in the news.
People magazine’s issue of 10 October 2010 carried a story aptly titled “Tormented to Death” concerning the suicide of three young students ages 18, 13 and 14.
A more frequently used term for youngsters who take their own lives as a result of being cruelly and chronically bullied is bullycide and it’s been studied by social and educational researchers since Norway’s Dr. Daniel Olweus called attention to this tragic and deadly phenomenon in 1993 with the publication of his groundbreaking research studies. Today, such studies continue as the world tries to understand, explain and stop the potentially fatal practice of school bullying and bullying in the workplace.
One of those researchers/authors is Margaret Kohut, whose book, A Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling and Stopping Bullying and Bullies: A Guide For Parents and Teachers” (Atlantic Publishing, Co, 2007) won the 2008 National Book Award in the Parenting & Educational category. Kohut also holds extensive national credentials in the fields of addiction, criminal justice, clinical social work and behavioral forensics. “An issue I haven’t heard anything about,” Kohut says, “is the possible connection between addiction, depression, and a history of being bullied. What we do know about targets of bullies is that they develop an extremely low self-esteem. My theory is that this inevitably leads to depression; the self-medicating drug of choice for depression among both men and women is alcohol. I often wonder if a researcher asked a random control group of adult alcoholics about whether or not they have experienced symptoms of clinical major depression, and if they had a history of being bullied as a child or young adult, what would that researcher discover about this connection?”
Upon first glance, it seems highly likely that the connection between drug addiction, depression, and being a survivor of bullying does exist for many men and women. Kohut explains that depression can develop in students as young as 10 or 12 years old, and that this early-onset depression is primarily linked to social factors like peer pressure, pressure from parents to make exceptional grades, and “wild card” factors like bullying.
“In this Internet age,” says Kohut, “being bullied doesn’t stop with the sound of the school bell that ends the day. Cyberbullying via the social networks like Facebook and MySpace guarantees that a bullying target will be horribly and relentlessly taunted 24 hours a day. Not just at school, but on the Internet for millions of people to read. If this isn’t a reason for a young person to pick up a bottle of booze or a stick of marijuana, I don’t know what is.”
Self-medicating mental health conditions like depression with alcohol and other drugs is hardly breaking news to addiction professionals since this practice has been studied extensively for at least two decades. Now, with President Barack Obama speaking to the nation about the awful consequences of school bullying and cyberbullying, perhaps this is exactly the right time to ask questions about a relationship between addiction and a history of being bullied.
Margaret Kohut is a researcher who intends to explore these questions. “Oklahoma, my native state, is just one of many states preparing to introduce anti-bullying laws in their legislatures. The federal government is warning schools that bullying can be a violation of a child’s civil rights and could be legally sanctioned as a hate crime. Facebook has installed anti-bullying software. A 16 year-old boy recently killed himself because he was accused of bullying another boy. Kids are committing bullycide in the heartland, all over the US, and all over the world. In the alternative to bullycide, the stage is being set for the development of depression-fueled addiction to alcohol and other drugs. We’re losing people to the after-effects of bullying every single day.”
The time is right, the iron is hot, and the anti-bullying campaign is on the move. For more information on bullying, Kohut recommends the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program at www.Olweus.org. Her own book is available through the publisher, on Amazon.com, and at major bookstores.
bullying and addiction
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Is it Possible to Prevent Bullying?
by Art Gib of Not All Prisons Have Bars (7-Sep-2010)
Bullying has become a larger problem in recent years than ever before. Bullying is not only a physical issue anymore. Most children are verbally abused and the mental scars can last just as long and run just as deep as the physical ones. With social networking websites, like Facebook and Myspace, available, bullying has become even easier than ever before. Children can now be bullied over the internet, at school, or in sports teams. It is important to recognize the signs of bullying, even over the internet.
We have all seen the most recent news stories outlining extreme cases of bullying. In recent years, as well as in past decades, bullying often does not end in simple bullying. Bullying most often leads to depression, fear, and feelings of hopelessness. After the bullying has ended, the internal scars may not have healed. Studies have shown that adults who were bullied as children have lower self-esteem and higher levels of depression than those who were not. Often times, bullying can even lead to serious or fatal injuries, or even suicide. It is more important now than ever before to try and find ways to prevent bullying before it is too late. Just as in coping with ADHD, identifying and coping with bullying earlier in a child's life gives them greater opportunity to overcome it.
To avoid being bullied in the first place, one must do all they can to prevent being seen as a target. Things that a parent may find cute can be recognized as an easy target by bullies. For instance, “cute” beanies or hats may be cute for a parent, but will be an easy target for bullies to pick on. Avoid forcing your child to wear something to school that they know other children will make fun of.
Using good posture, voice and eye contact can help show confidence and detract bullies. If your child is experiencing bullying, it is important that they avoid isolated places. Often times, they can also deflect bullies with humor or by changing the subject. Reasoning with a bully is not usually an option. It often makes bullies even more upset and can do more harm than good.
In order to try to prevent bullying, first one must be able to recognize it. If your child says they are being bullied, then they most likely are. It is important to take your child seriously and alert the proper school authorities, as well as heavily monitor your children’s actions and behavior.
Although bullying may not be completely preventable, it is important that you recognize the signs of bullying before it is too late. Bullying is a serious problem and should not be taken lightly.