The purpose of bullying is to exert control over another person and make him or her do things that the victim does not want to do. That is why the disease Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is sometimes known as the “bully within”.
Some children are able to ignore the bullying and move on – and they are the lucky ones. But all children are not the same. There are many who are not able to ignore it, and for them, impact of bullying can be significant. Some people argue that children need to learn how to deal with bullies because sooner or later they will most likely have to deal with bullies. But the problem is that as children, they still don’t have the maturity yet to be able to ignore bullying. Once they develop into responsible adults with a positive self-esteem, it typically is possible for them to ignore the bullying that they might have to face.
In fact, if we continue to let children fend for themselves, it may be difficult for some of them to develop the positive self-esteem that they need for future years. The consistent bullying they face during school years might come back to haunt them for many years to come. That is why it is extremely important for all adults to understand that bullying must be prevented and all children must be provided with a positive and safe environment during these developing years. Otherwise some of them may end up having to deal with mental health issues such as obsessive compulsive disorder.