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Bullying, harassment faced by school students: Mental health experts ask parents, teachers to pause, listen to the child
Delhi and Jaipur teen's suicides, blaming bullying by teachers, raises concerns. Experts stress on recognising signs of depression and providing timely support.
Actor Aamir Khan uttered these lines in the film Taare Zameen Par (2007): Har bachche ki apni khoobi hoti hai, apni kaabiliyat hoti hai, apni chahat hoti hai. Today, these words re-echo as one reads the note left by the 16-year-old Delhi-based school student, who died by suicide on November 18.
‘Sorry papa, I should have been a good person like you,’
and ‘School ki teachers ab hai hi aise, kya bolu,’ are some of the words from this teenager’s last letter wherein he repeatedly apologised to his family and blamed his school teachers for his action. This can hound your consciousness long after reading it. But herein, the larger issue to not be missed is the rise in cases of harassment – bullying faced by the young at the hands of educators, teachers – and their response to similar difficult situations in life for this isn’t an isolated case.
On Friday, a Jaipur-based student’s video of jumping from her school’s fourth floor was all over the internet. Here, too, one reason — bullying.
Educationist Dr Shayama Chona opines: “The new generation is extremely sensitive, and the teachers are more result-oriented and forget that the students require psychological comfort so that they can study. Unfortunately, the teachers push the students and the young today are not one to take criticism unlike the old times.”
This makes us bring you the psychological side of the narrative.
“The extent at which bullying is happening, one school counsellor cannot deal with 900 students,”
says Dr Roma Kumar, senior consultant psychologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and Dr Rahul Chandhok, senior consultant consultant and head psychiatry at Artemis Lite New Friends Colony, adds, “The awareness about how to recognise depression in teens is lacking because it’s not like Covid symptoms that anyone could associate. Parents need to be definitely aware, not dismiss it because you cannot revert the outcome. So seek out help of mental health professionals.”
Elaborating on the warning signs, if a child is unable to talk or openly discuss about facing harassment, Dr RP Beniwal, professor of psychiatry at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) - Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) Hospital, shares,
“One must note for behavioural issues like if the child becomes irritable,
skips meals and doesn’t enjoy doing regular activities as cheerfully as before. This could be due to stress, depression or anxiety. So parents as well as teachers need to be vigilant and notice these.”
If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, on these helplines:
- Aasra: 022 2754 6669
- Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050
- Sanjivini: 011-24311918
- Roshni Foundation (Secunderabad): 040-66202001, 040-66202000
- ONE LIFE: 78930 78930
- SEVA: 09441778290
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