The Power of Words: Bullying, Insults and Bad-mouthing

Bullying or any form of bad-mouthing has a greater effect to one’s self-esteem. It deteriorates a person’s confidence and interaction with other individuals. Words coming out from your mouth are powerful and destructive, if you used it in a wrong or incorrect way. It is true that words are sharper than swords.

Sometimes people thought that when they drop a joke, regarding the physical appearance of a person, is humorous. The audience and the doer could actually perceive it as a normal or regular joke, but have you ever thought of the subject’s feelings? The victim of the given joke might be smiling or laughing outside, however he or she might be offended inside. Most victims have the tendency to hide their true feelings when people treat them as the laughing stock of the bunch, primarily because of they don’t want to be tagged as party poopers or joy killers. They want people to say that they can be as cool as others too.

People who are victims of bullying or bad mouthing does not only lower their morale and self-esteem but sometimes, they tend to practice what they have experience to other people as well. It is like a revenge of the “punk’ds.” They want other people feel like when you are the topic of a comical get together. Instead of just saying out loud that you were offended, you want others to encounter it. You want them to be the victim and see how humiliated they can be.

Bullying, insults and bad mouthing are all the same; they are verbally given to mock, intimidate or dominate other people. These can be described in different contexts such as:

• Cyber bullying. This type of bullying is by far the most common nowadays as it is done over the use of the World Wide Web. Due to limited parental control, cyber bullying is often undetected as many internet users uses pseudonyms or face accounts to mock or insult certain individuals. Netizens or online bashers post hateful messages or comments to humiliate other people.
• Handicapped bullying. Even if different countries have set some laws to protect the rights of disabled or handicapped individuals, some people still perform such mockery. Some establishments or companies also practice handicapped bullying. For example, restaurants those prohibit mentally disabilities from dining in or companies that do not let these disabled citizens to apply for a job vacancy.
• Third Sex bullying. Though most people are open-minded due to modernization and diversity in culture, they still stick with their tradition. Most of them do not mind having gays, lesbians or bisexuals walking in the same park but they do not want LGBT communities have the same equal rights they have.
• Parental bullying. Some parents have the tendency to humiliate or throw hateful words to their children as a result of their anger or disappointment. But you have to remember that you do not own your children; they are also humans and have their own preferences in life. You, as a parent, can only guide and teach them but do not have the right to dominate their lives.
• Academe bullying. Due to different clicks and segregation of the cool groups from the nerdy groups, bullying can also start from school. Normally, this takes place during extracurricular activities or breaks. There are also cases where teachers bully their students in front of the class.
• Work setting bullying. This takes place in a working environment between a supervisor and a subordinate or from both subordinates.

There is a huge list of different types of bullying, but we have just named a few. The bottom line is, regardless of whom, where and when you drop a bomb; as long as you insulted or humiliated a person and you do this habitually it is already considered bullying.

The Upshot of Bullying

We all of heard of a common bullying experience, from the entire situation where one was bullied, it affected one’s life as he or she grows older; there are pent up emotions and hatred formation. If bullying happened once, it is already considered abusive, but if it is done on several occasions it may result in a very serious problem.

If you happened to be in a comedy bar once, you know that most stand-up comedians use mockery or insult as part of their jokes. You, as an audience, might laughed about it especially if these jokes are well delivered. In addition to this, most jokes are half meant; it is an alternative way to deliver one’s thought instead of using a formal, serious approach.

But because of these things, there are several short and long term effects of bullying. Here are some:

Short term Upshots of Bullying

• Annoyance or rage
• Melancholy or misery
• Health related problems such us vomiting and nausea
• Low performance in work or school
• Suicidal notion

Long term Upshots of Bullying

• Limited opportunities in life
• A deeper yearning for revenge
• Trust issues
• Several fear formation, fear of rejection included
• Propensity to become an anti-social or loner
• Hypersensitive
• Severe health related problems such as panic disorder or bipolar personality

How to fight bullying?

In any path you take, you will never get away with bullying. You can be a victim in one or two occasions and be the doer at some cases as well. But all these boil down to one common denominator – You. Yes, you read it right. It will start and end within yourself. It does not matter if you have experienced it from the past; the important thing you need to bear in mind is today matters. You have to get rid of the word revenge. You have to learn that you do not have the control to other people’s action but you could always influence them to do well.

This is an excerpt from an electronic book that I have written years ago. Yes, beautiful people I was once a ghost writer. I hope I opened your thinking caps that bullying or any form of bad mouthing is a serious issue we are facing nowadays. Do you have a story of your own about bullying? Were you the victim or the doer? What did you do at the end? Comment and share you personal experience. Thanks for reading! ❤