Verbal bullying is a type of bullying that involves the use of hurtful words, ridicule, insults, slurs, or verbal threats to intimidate or emotionally harm the victim. This type of bullying can have serious and long-lasting effects on the self-esteem and mental health of the person affected. The truth is that bullying is a social scourge that currently has an exaggerated global prevalence. It is stated that around 20% of students have suffered bullying at some point in their lives. The bullying most used by aggressors is psychological bullying, followed by verbal bullying and physical bullying in third place.
In the following Psychology-Online article we will explain in detail What is verbal bullying, consequences and how to prevent it.
What is verbal bullying
Verbal bullying is a type of bullying in which the aggressor uses humiliating words or expressions towards the victim. Humiliation, contempt, the use of nicknames, insults, screams, threats, as well as the spread of rumors are clear examples of verbal bullying.
The purpose of each and every one of these unpleasant verbal acts is to verbally attack the victim, frighten them, diminish and undermine their dignity.
Causes of verbal bullying
The causes of verbal bullying are not very far from the causes that drive the rest of the attacks included in bullying. Below we show you the main reasons that can give rise to situations of verbal bullying:
- In the case of the aggressor: This is usually a child with a history of lack of impulse control, low tolerance for frustration, insecurity hidden with pride and aggressiveness, manipulative and with an excessively authoritarian or permissive upbringing. These are students who have not been educated in respect and establishing clear limits. During their childhood, they were either abused (physically or verbally) and, as a consequence of the accumulated resentment and lack of better role models, they currently repeat the aggressive parental patterns, or their actions were permitted in their entirety without the incorporation of no type of limit and now they are unable to stop at anything, especially due to their high level of intolerance to frustration.
- In the case of the victim: This is usually a physically and/or psychologically “weak” person who presents the perfect profile to be attacked by an aggressor who seeks to easily enhance his ego. Students who suffer abuse, as happens with aggressors, incredible as it may seem, present the same base of insecurity and lack of self-esteem. Its origin, in this case, is usually due to children’s lack of attention that has made them believe they are of little value.
- Passive observers: Another important determining factor in the final manifestation of bullying is the group of passive observers who either do not report the humiliating situation observed or, worse, reinforce and feed it. These students, again out of insecurity, fear or feeling integrated, behave in this way, giving rise to bullying situations.
However, there are cases of bullying in which the victim did not present any childhood traumatic situation prior to the bullying, but due to specific characteristics such as simplicity, good heart, excellent academic results, etc. They suddenly become victims of bullying, with the unpleasant negative consequences that this unfortunate experience will have on their lives.
Consequences of verbal bullying
Verbal bullying can cause a large number of serious consequences for the victim, including fear, blockage and paralysislearned helplessness, complete loss of self-esteemmotivation and joy in life, anxiety, thoughts of suicide…
The verbal harassment to which the victim is repeatedly subjected causes an atrocious fear of the aggressor, increasing the feeling of little worth. This situation of fear generates strong states of anxiety due to the panic of experiencing such ridicule and humiliation again. As a result, victims of verbal bullying lose or devalue their ability to demonstrate and express themselves, resigning themselves to remaining silent, apart, almost invisible and, over time, incorporating this way of life as their own.
If the harassment exceeds certain limits, it can cause such states of anguish in the victim that they may have thoughts of suicide or even carry it out.
How to prevent verbal bullying
Taking into account the high percentages of bullying and subsequent school suicide that are currently coming to light, preventing any type of bullying must become a social priority. For this, it is of vital importance create a prevention plan that actively involves each and every member of the educational community.
Cases of bullying are not only the responsibility of the aggressors and their families, but also of the rest of the students, families, teachers and even the management team and family members of the victim. Everyone must be an active part of the solution to the problem. It is about creating a generalized environment of respect, total intolerance of abuse and unity of the entire educational community to create a spirit of coexistence that does not give rise to these attitudes.
Learning to treat each other well, to respond calmly and kindly, even to the small mistakes of our colleagues, without judging and trying to see the virtues in others will help to incorporate another way of life in which bullying has no possibility of manifesting itself. . In this article you will find more information about .
How to intervene in cases of bullying
Regarding how to intervene in the case of a case of verbal bullying, as a first emergency measure it will be appropriate strengthen the victim emotionally and psychologicallyalways with the active participation of the family.
Subsequently, in order to eradicate the root problem, it will be essential to intervention with the aggressor, observers and their families. On the other hand, the awareness-raising work of the teachers, management team and families of the educational community will also be part of the intervention process to definitively put an end to any type of present or future bullying.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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