Bullies Pick On Depressed People

If this sad dog was in a fifth grade classroom, his peers would probably give him a swift kick. Who could be so horrible as to hurt someone already in the dumps? Plenty of kids, as it turns out. According to a recent study done by the Arizona State University School of Social and Dynamics, kids in fourth through sixth grade tend to bully those with depression. The kids that show depressive symptoms such as crying and excessively talking about their problems are not very accepted by their peers

 I imagine the bullies as sharks, swimming toward their target at the first whiff of blood. Must children be such animals? Is it survival of the fittest in the dark waters of elementary classrooms?

Another question the study brings up is whether a bullied child has an increased risk for depression later in life. The answer is a surprising NO! The study began in 1992, so the children back then would be adults today. Apparently the bullied ones in elementary school did not report any depression due to their earlier traumas.

I personally find this hard to believe--I've seen several websites/blogs where the adults were obviously affected by the tormentors of their grade school years. Perhaps they were merely sad about the old times, but not clinically depressed.

Hopefully we can teach our children to be the ones to throw a bone at their depressed friend (as someone did to the dog in the picture). Though it can be difficult to help the odd one out, kids need to stand up to the bullies and put their arms around those in need of friendship and understanding.

Keep Kicking Those Bullies!

Source: CBS News  http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/02/08/depression-bully.html