Bullying and teen mental health

Bullying has a greater impact on adolescents 

Bullying is more than unkindness. It’s repeated behaviour that causes harm, distress or fear, and often involves a power imbalance. For teenagers, that harm can cut especially deep.

It’s not always obvious. Physical bullying can be visible. But other forms, such as verbal, social or relational bullying1, can be subtle, cumulative and easy to dismiss.

Adolescence is a time of rapid emotional, social and psychological development. Teenagers are working out who they are, where they belong and how they’re seen by others. Friendships, peer approval and social status can feel intensely important.

When bullying happens at this stage of life, it can affect far more than a young person’s feelings. It can alter their sense of safety, damage self-esteem and begin to shape how they feel about themselves and their relationships with everyone – not just the people involved.

For some teenagers, bullying leads to fear and hypervigilance2. For others, it leads to shame, withdrawal, anger or hopelessness. Often, adults only see part of the picture.

The different forms bullying can take

Physical bullying | This is often easier for adults to identify because there may be visible injuries, damaged possessions or direct reports of violence. But the emotional impact can last long after an incident has ended.
When a young person feels physically unsafe, the brain’s threat system becomes highly active. Stress hormones such as cortisol3 and adrenaline rise, and the body prepares for danger. If this happens repeatedly, a teenager may begin to feel on edge even in situations that seem safe to others. Over time, this can affect sleep, concentration and their ability to settle.

Physical bullying can include:

• Hitting, pushing or kicking
• Physical intimidation
• Damaging belongings
• Blocking someone’s movement or cornering them

Verbal bullying | Sometimes minimised as banter, teenagers are especially sensitive to hurtful words that are repeated over time. They can begin to feel true, particularly when they focus on something a young person is already unsure about. The emotional pain can be profound.
Verbal bullying can include:

• Name-calling
• Insults about appearance, identity or ability
• Threats
• Spreading rumours
• Repeated ‘jokes’ aimed at the same person

Relational bullying | This can be particularly painful in adolescence because belonging is so central to development. Teenagers are often highly attuned to whether they’re included, valued or left out.
Being excluded can activate intense anxiety and shame. A young person may start to monitor every interaction, overthink social situations, and withdraw in an effort to protect themselves. This can create a painful cycle in which isolation deepens the emotional impact of the bullying.
Social or relational bullying can include:

• Deliberate exclusion
• Public humiliation
• Turning someone’s peers against them
• Withdrawing friendship as a form of control
• Silent treatment used to punish or dominate

Cyberbullying | Bullying in a digital space can feel relentless because it follows a young person beyond school or college. It removes the sense of safety that home might once have provided after the school day ends.
In turn, online content can spread quickly to a wide audience, which intensifies shame and panic. For some teenagers, there’s also the constant fear of not knowing who has seen something, shared something or commented behind their back.
This can be especially upsetting when it continues into the evening or night. Sleep may suffer, and without rest, emotional resilience is often lower the next day.
Cyberbullying can include:

• Hurtful or threatening messages
• Sharing embarrassing images or videos
• Impersonating someone online
• Public shaming
• Excluding someone from group chats or online communities

Bullying at home | Home should be a place of safety. But sometimes bullying can happen within families, where harmful behaviour is normalised as teasing or dismissed as ordinary sibling dynamics. What matters is the pattern. If the behaviour is repeated, one-sided and distressing, it should be taken seriously – the emotional impact can be especially confusing and painful.
Bullying at home can include:

• Sibling intimidation
• Repeated put-downs or one-sided ‘jokes’
• Ongoing humiliation
• Controlling or threatening behaviour

How bullying can affect mental health

Bullying can affect both short-term wellbeing and longer-term mental health. Some young people become quiet and shut down. Others become more reactive, defiant or emotionally volatile. A teenager who seems ‘difficult’ may in fact be overwhelmed, ashamed or frightened.
In the short-term, a teenager may show:

• Anxiety
• Low mood
• Irritability
• Sleep disruption
• School avoidance
• Withdrawal from friends or family
• Tearfulness or anger
• Changes in eating or confidence

Longer-term effects can include:

• Depression
• Persistent low self-esteem
• Social anxiety
• Trust difficulties
• Ongoing hypervigilance
• Self-harm
• Suicidal thoughts

Bullying can also affect learning. A young person who feels unsafe or is constantly on edge may struggle to concentrate, retain information or feel motivated in school. In some cases, they may begin to avoid school altogether.
None of this means the damage is permanent. With support, protection and time, recovery is absolutely possible. But early intervention can speed up the process.

Signs a teenager may be being bullied

Teenagers don’t always tell adults directly when bullying is happening. Shame, fear of retaliation, or worry that things will be made worse can stop them from speaking up. Signs to look for include:

• Not wanting to go to school or college
• Frequent headaches, stomach aches or vague illnesses
• Changes in sleep
• Withdrawing from usual friendships or activities
• Sudden distress after using a phone or computer
• Lost or damaged belongings
• Changes in mood, confidence or appetite
• Becoming unusually quiet, angry or secretive

None of these signs prove bullying on their own. Look for patterns or dramatic changes in behaviour.

What young people themselves can do

Teenagers are not powerless. When bystanders refuse to participate, bullying often loses some of its power. Helpful steps young people can take include:

• Telling a trusted adult early
• Staying near supportive peers
• Not joining in when others are being targeted
• Saving evidence of online bullying
• Supporting others who are excluded
• Using privacy, blocking and reporting tools online
• Seeking help before things escalate

The role of schools and other services

Schools have a duty of care to safeguard pupils and respond to bullying.
Safeguarding or legal actions may be required when bullying involves threats, harassment, hate incidents, stalking or image-based abuse.

Be sure to read the school’s anti-bullying policy. If you’re concerned, contact the form tutor, head of year, pastoral lead or safeguarding lead. Request a clear action plan and keep written records of incidents and responses – they can strengthen your case and reduce confusion. Always follow up if the issue doesn’t improve.