Bullying and Mental Illness

An article in the March/April 2012 edition of Scientific American Mind caught my eye.  The article, entitled A Mind in Danger, was written by Victoria Costello and is an excerpt from her book A Lethal Inheritance: A Mother Uncovers the Science behind Three Generations of Mental Illness.  The author discusses childhood risk factors and early indicators of potential mental illness.  She writes that half of all adult mental disorders begin by the age of 14.  These disorders include anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression.

One of the risk factors mentioned is bullying.  In a study of over 6,000 British 12-year-olds, it was found that the risk of psychotic symptoms was increased twofold if a child had been bullied between the ages of 8 and 10.  The risk of psychosis doubled or tripled if the bullying had been more severe and more frequent.

It is imperative that parents and teachers keep on the lookout for signs of bullying.  Some of the possible signs of bullying are listed below.  If the child:

• Comes home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or other belongings;
• Has unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches;
• Has few, if any friends, with whom he or she spends time;
• Seems afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the school bus, or taking part in organized activities with peers (such as clubs);
• Takes a long, “illogical” route when walking to or from school;
• Has lost interest in school work or suddenly begins to do poorly in school;
• Appears sad, moody, teary, or depressed when he or she comes home;
• Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches, or other physical ailments;
• Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams;
• Experiences a loss of appetite; or
• Appears anxious and suffers from low self-esteem.

To learn more about this subject, please check out the following:  http://mentalhealthmomblog.com/2012/02/16/a-mind-in-danger-scientific-american/