Teens who are bullies or victims of bullying are likely to be depressed and at higher risk for suicide, according to a new study from Columbia University.
Dr. Madelyn Gould, professor of Clinical Epidemiology in Psychiatry at Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons, said that depression, not bullying, causes people to commit suicide, but there is a clear association between bullying, depression, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.
- Nearly one in three victims of bullies are depressed, and 11 percent have suicidal thoughts.
- About 19 percent of those who participate in bullying told Dr. Gould and her colleagues that they experience depression, and 8 percent have had suicidal thoughts.
- Among students who are not involved in bullying incidents, only 7 percent report depression and 3 percent have suicidal thoughts.
- Boys have twice the rate of bullying incidents than girls do.
Dr. Gould advises parents to tell their children not to react to bullies, because the bully's goal is to incite reactions from his victims.
"Defend yourself, not by getting into a fight, but by showing that you have resilience," she said. "Find other friends, join other groups, find another social network that is not going to do that to you." She also noted that her newest unpublished studies show that the majority of those who were bullied in high school are not suicidal, depressed or at risk for suicide as adults.
Labels: bullying
Posted By: Jane St. Clair