Can Bullying Cause Anxiety Disorders?
As a trained Anxiety Therapist, I see firsthand how childhood bullying can cause anxiety disorders and trauma that carry over into later life and adulthood.
Bullying can specifically cause generalised or social anxiety disorders, and/or lead to PTSD and panic attacks.
The pain and distress that victims of bullying experience impacts almost every aspect of their lives, often leaving them feeling lonely, isolated, vulnerable and anxious.
Bullying is victimising, shaming and humiliating, and a hurtful way to make someone feel rejected. When someone is bullied, they become ostracised, dismissed and isolated, and often go on to develop feelings of unworthiness, guilt and inadequacy.
Bullying can be a combination of emotional or physical abuse, and research indicates that it is not uncommon for someone who has been bullied as a child to continue to be bullied long after their school days are over.
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From an evolutionary perspective, we are wired to attach and belong to a tribe.
Our tribe would look out for us and keep us safe. It was not possible to hunt for food and keep a campfire going continuously without the support of others in our tribe. Being ostracised and excluded from our tribe or community was likely to lead to death.
Without an attachment to a tribe, our sense of belonging is lost, which can feel extremely scary, even in today’s modern world. The nervous system activates the survival mechanisms of fight or flight when emotions like shame and hopelessness are experienced.
Bullying involves an imbalance of power between perpetrators (bullies) and victims, where one perpetrator engages in physical or emotional abuse, and the victim is not able to defend themselves.
The most common anxiety disorders that may develop as a result of being bullied are:
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Panic Attacks or Disorder
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Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Anxiety becomes a disorder when we are feeling intensely worried or fearful the majority of the time, and for an extended period. This is the most common form of anxiety, and someone suffering from GAD may be inundated with irrational worries and fears that distract them from their everyday lives. Anxiety can then have an impact on relationships, our ability to go to school or hold down employment, energy levels, concentration levels and even sleep.
As a result of being bullied, we may have a constant dread that something else bad will happen to us. This may impact our actions and behaviour, which could make us more vulnerable to future bullying and lead us to avoid situations, such as school or the workplace.
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Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Social Anxiety Disorder is an overwhelming feeling of intense fear and self-consciousness about being around other people. We may worry that we will be ridiculed or humiliated, or do something that will lead to judgment, or act in a way that is embarrassing in front of others. As a result, we may avoid public places or social gatherings as we have an excessive fear of being judged or criticised.
However, the more we avoid something, the more we are subconsciously telling ourselves that the situation is unsafe.
Victims of bullying may develop a social anxiety disorder, especially if they are repeatedly shamed or publicly humiliated, and often believe that the humiliation and embarrassment they experienced previously will happen repeatedly.
Prefer to watch a video about the connection between Bullying and Anxiety? Click on the video below
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD may occur after a particularly traumatic and terrifying event where some physical harm occurred, was witnessed or threatened, or after repeated abuse or bullying. PTSD will often result in flashbacks of past events and nightmares, and may cause the sufferer to withdraw from others.
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Panic Attacks or Disorders
Someone with a panic disorder will regularly suffer with unprovoked and intense feelings of panic combined with the physical sensations that may include increased heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness and often chest and/or stomach pain. These feelings of terror can be particularly scary when in the midst of a panic attack, as it can feel as if we have no control over what is happening to us, and we feel as if we can’t properly take a breath.
When left untreated, panic attacks can lead sufferers to avoid going out or doing things they once enjoyed. You may have a constant worry that you will experience another attack so often choose to stay home where you feel safe.
While this eases the anxiety in the short term, it has negative consequences in the long term and can often make the anxiety even worse.
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What Can We Do to Overcome the Long Term Effects of Anxiety Related Bullying?
Firstly, we need to understand that what happened to us was not our fault. Bullies often do what they do because they are struggling with something in their own lives, and they use the power imbalance to feel better about themselves. Bullies are often incredibly insecure themselves, and attacking others, either physically or emotionally, is often the only way they feel in control of their lives.
Bullies are often insecure and trying to fulfil a need for control in their own lives.
Forgiving the bully can be a beneficial step in your recovery. If this is too much of a stretch, try to work on accepting what has happened to you, without guilt or shame. Remind yourself it was not your fault.
What skills would have helped you back then? If it's confidence, work on building your confidence. If it were resilience, how can you build on this?
You may also find it helpful to identify the coping strategies you used when you were younger and see if you still apply them today. Learning to update your coping strategies can be extremely helpful.
Talking to a therapist could help you remove the negative emotions that you stored when you were bullied and help you rewrite your story to remove the ‘victim’ role.
You may need to strengthen your social skills if they were not developed sufficiently when you were younger.
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If You Need Further Support from an Anxiety Therapist
Overcoming anxiety is a journey that involves a combination of techniques and strategies.
While you can implement these tools independently, seeking the support of an anxiety therapist provides an additional level of guidance and assistance, and enables you and your child to get to the root cause of anxiety and negative thoughts.
Taking care of our mental health is an essential part of our overall well-being. Left unresolved, anxiety can spiral out of control and have a significant impact on relationships, work, school and family life.
It is my belief that no one needs to struggle with anxiety, we just need the strategies and techniques to overcome it.
So if you want to take the next steps to have a happier life where your fears no longer hold you back, click the link below and book a free no obligation consultation call.
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Additional Resources
Read What Causes Anxiety?
Read What Are The Different Types of Anxiety?
Read Could Overprotecting Our Children Make them Anxious?
Read Overcoming the Fight and Flight Response
Watch How to Feel Less Anxious
Watch How To Reduce Anxiety Immediately
Download Circle of Control and Influence worksheet
Download Cognitive Distortions worksheet
Click the button below to book a Free Consultation call
Click the button below to book a Free Consultation call
Last updated 20/08/2025