Bullies Psychologically Affected By Their Bullying, Report Says

It does not come as a surprise that children who are bullied suffer from psychological consequences such as depression. However, a new report has stated that bullies, too, are psychologically affected by the act of bullying.

"Bullying is a serious public health problem, with significant short- and long-term psychological consequences for both the targets and perpetrators of such behavior," the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine said in a news release. They also said that evidence-based policies are better than zero-tolerance policies.

Bullies Prone To Depression Too

"Youth who bully others are more likely to be depressed, engage in high-risk activities such as theft and vandalism, and have adverse outcomes later in life compared with those who do not bully," the release said, as per Teen Vogue. It was also noted that bullies who are bullied as well are most likely to experience negative psychological and social effects.

"Bullying has long been tolerated as a rite of passage among children and adolescents, but it has lasting negative consequences and cannot simply be ignored," said Frederick Rivara, Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Endowed Chair in Pediatric Research in a statement, according to Teen Vogue. Rivara is also a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of Washington.

Bullying Statistics Hard To Come By

Getting the number of bullying incidents is also difficult, according to New York Magazine. Children choose not to report that they are being bullied because they fear the bullies. The report said that bullying occurs between 18-31 percent of children and young people.

Meanwhile, cyberbullying occurs in about 7-15 percent of children and young people. The aforementioned percentages are lower compared to children and young people bullied for their disabilities, obesity and being part of the LGBT community.

What do you think should be done to curb bullying? Share your thoughts below.