How can bullying affect me?

Bullying can make you ill, lose sleep, and make you dread the next day at work.

People who are bullied often lose self-confidence, perhaps for a long time, and suffer from work-related stress. And stress, in turn, causes ill-health, both physical and mental.

Ill-health symptoms of bullying

Your body

• headaches/migraine
• sweating/shaking
• feeling or being sick
• irritable bowel
• inability to sleep and loss of appetite.

Your state of mind

• anxiety
• panic attacks
• depression
• tearfulness

Your behaviour

• becoming irritable
• becoming withdrawn
• increased consumption of tobacco, alcohol, etc
• obsessive dwelling on the bully, and seeking justice or revenge.

In the worst case scenario bullying can lead to suicide.