Introduction
Mobbing is the term used to describe behavior in which children and adults are subjected to psychological and sometimes physical harassment at work or school. One could also call it psychoterror. However, not every nasty word or teasing is bullying.
Mobbing is a regular severe humiliation that lasts for months. One speaks of direct mobbing when victims are verbally and physically attacked and of indirect mobbing when those affected are isolated. Mobbing knows almost everyone – either from itself or from other affected persons.
Although this topic is well known, people often react relatively late and the perpetrators are often not punished for their actions. In many cases, especially among adults, the victims often do not dare to confide in others and ask for help. They usually meet with little understanding and are ashamed of being forced into the role of victim.
Mobbing often begins at a very early age for many of those affected, during primary school or kindergarten. Severe depression, eating disorders, severe weight loss, growth disorders, anxiety disorders and many other mental illnesses can be the result. Many mobbing victims need intensive psychological therapy to recover from the consequences.
Sometimes an inpatient stay in a psychiatric ward in the hospital is necessary. It is also possible that the victims themselves become perpetrators at some point. On the one hand, to take revenge on those who caused them this suffering and, on the other hand, to strengthen their lack of self-confidence by exercising power over another person.
The causes of bullying can be manifold. Often the class community senses when a psychologically more unstable person is among them. Envy and resentment can also play a major role.
Often bullying victims are also children who come from poorer backgrounds or who are simply a little different. Many of these children are rather quiet and introverted. Bullying is possible in almost every area.
The workplace and school are classic examples. Nowadays, however, cyberbullying via the Internet is also on the increase. Of course, those areas from which it is not so easy to “break out” are really stressful.
