When most people hear the term bullying, they often associate it with school-aged children—images of playground conflicts or negative interactions on social media. However, bullying is a pervasive issue that extends far beyond childhood and school settings. It can affect individuals of all ages and has far-reaching consequences for our collective mental health and well-being.
Research has consistently shown that bullying is linked to a range of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and even suicidal ideation. These outcomes are not limited to those who are directly targeted. Those who engage in bullying, as well as those who witness it, may also experience poor mental health. The ripple effects can lead to long-term emotional and behavioral issues.
Everyone is impacted by bullying. The bully is likely suffering and may have a variety of issues later as an adult, including in their personal and professional lives. The person being bullied could likely have problems with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and experience sleeping and eating disturbances. Even the bystanders who witness bullying are not immune from the negative impact that it has on us all.
A recent study published in Translational Pediatrics in March 2025 reinforces this understanding. It found that school bullying is a significant public health concern associated with serious psychological outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, substance use and suicidal thoughts, not only in victims but also in those who bully and those who observe these behaviors. These findings highlight the urgent need to view bullying not as an isolated event but as a widespread issue with profound effects on the community.
At New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center, we have helped thousands of people over the years who have had their lives impacted by bullying. We believe everyone deserves access to the best mental health care, and we strive to help make that happen. We focus on providing much-needed counseling services to some of the most underserved communities in the area. We provide the tools to help people where they are and realize that for many of them, bullying helped them get there.
Bullying isn't something that happens to someone else at a school far away or down the road. It's not something that happens on a playground miles or cities away. We don't merely read about it in the headlines and how it's impacting someone else, somewhere else. Its impact is happening right here, to all of us.
We must make bullying a high priority to deal with in our society so that we won't have to bear the consequences of the mental health impacts that it creates for everyone involved. Bullying impacts everyone involved—the bully, victim and bystander—and ultimately, we’re all bystanders.
Elliott Klein is the chief executive officer of the New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center, which operates clinics in Bushwick and East New York.
