Bullying can affect everyone those who are bullied, those who bully, and those who witness bullying.

According to www.stopbullying.gov bullying is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health, substance use, and suicide. It is important to talk to kids to determine whether bullying or something else is a concern. Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues.

Jaydn Nixon, who is a freshman at Rose Hill High School, said when she was bullied, she did whatever it took to stay away from school.

“It (bullying) made me feel like I couldn’t come to school,” Nixon said. “It also hurt my grades.”

The website bullyingfrenz.com “kids who are bullied are more likely to experience some of the effects depression, anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns,loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy”. These issues may persist into adulthood. Decreased academic achievement GPA, standardized test scores and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.

Media reports often link bullying with suicide, however bullyingfrez.com also said “youth’s who are bullied do not have thoughts of suicide or engage in suicidal behaviors, kids who are bullied are at risk of suicide, bullying alone is not the cause.”

“People take bullying to heart,” junior, Lexi Murphy said. “It is frowned upon to share feelings, so they become bottled up and then those thoughts like suicide start to happen.”