Bullying’s hidden legacy: trauma that never fully heals

Just like the sound of fireworks or the noise of breaking dishes, bullying can “reawaken” alarming states and anxiety in its victims — even many years after the traumatic experience, writes salute.eu.

“This type of post-traumatic stress disorder activates the brain’s emotional state as well as the body’s autonomous systems that respond to threats,” said researchers from universities in Turkey and Finland, who conducted the study and published it in the Journal of Neuroscience, CE Report quotes ATA.

“The results show us how deep the wounds and scars of a bullying victim can be,” commented Matteo Balestrieri, former Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Udine.

“Bullying can generate trauma, and those who have experienced it are more sensitive to recalling it, even after many years,” Balestrieri explained.

“It’s like an ever-open wound — witnessing something similar is like pouring salt on it, making it burn even more,” he added.