Bullying and its Ominous Effects on Adolescent's Identity and Self Formation, worsening since the introduction of AI.

Bullying, a long-standing issue in the world has been exacerbated by COVID and the introduction of Artificial Technology has ensured that people now have supposedly greater freedom and choice in their lives, but the converse is true where people have been stripped of their agency. It affects the children and the specially challenged the most who have no power and voice. Automation has made life onerous and insurmountable for those who are relegated to the bottom. The old adage: " Speak Now, or Forever hold your Breath is true and evident." Various theories have been put forward ranging from psychology, sociology, history, and biology but none have provided adequate or comprehensive answers to life's problems. Psychologists argue that Bullying reduces children's self-esteem and confidence which is true but this is a simplistic argument, why do the Bullied have to sit and suffer in silence? The Bullies are also accountable for their behavior. Sociology provides a good grounding for Bullying, it gives pleasure and power to people to inflict pain on others and they revel in each other's pain. Bullying gives credence to the Bully's self-esteem and sense of worth because they feel they need to dominate over others.

From a Sociological and Gendered Perspective, Men and Wealthy people bully more than poor and indigent people and they practice all forms of hidden prejudices and hatred towards others. Men exhibit misogyny and abuse women and exploit them, and Society says people are exploited because of their natural position and unrealistic expectations.

A new study has shown that bullying starts as early as fourth Grade and can become vicious and toxic for people and children. By the time adolescence is reached, children especially boys become violent and turn into criminals and girls become passive objects of victimhood which ensures a never-ending cycle of violence and hurt. It has a negative impact on the family and the child and leads to an array of social problems such as late-coming and truancy.

Leading academic researchers into the ways bullying victimization in childhood harms brains, Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt and Dr. Iryna Palamarchuk conducted a meta-analysis of the last 25 years of research. They placed their own findings on bullying victimization into a larger arena of what other researchers have found about toxic stress’ impact on children’s developing brains. Their in-depth overview of stress psychopathology is vitally important reading for all who work with children: medical personnel, parents, teachers, coaches, social workers, mental health professionals, counsellors, and first responders.

They further argue that the negative impact of bullying on specific brain regions leads children to develop poor facial expressions, poor cognitive reasoning, and overall distress that affects behavior and emotion regulation. They may experience difficulties in misinterpreting emotions and tones, struggle with school, and suffer emotionally in the form of depression, anxiety or unregulated behavior.

What impact does bullying have on the brain?

Vaillancourt and Palamarchuk’s summary statement on what they discovered in their own, and extensive research done by other experts, is that “targets of bullying victimization suffer chronic emotional distress which compromises their mental health and leads to persistent physical and social dysfunction, as well as poor academic achievement.” Considering the failure in developed nations to stop bullying in childhood, this summary grounded in a scientific study should galvanize change.