Signs your teen is being bullied

Spotting the signs of bullying early

Bullying is unfortunately a common occurrence amongst children and teenagers and it can have a dramatic effect on someone’s mental and physical wellbeing. 

We know from speaking to parents that it’s hard to spot the signs when someone’s being bullied, so we’re this up to help you!

Before we get into it, what is bullying?

Bullying can actually come in lots of different forms including…

• physical harm
• verbal abuse
• emotional  manipulation
• disruption of friendships/safe spaces
• stealing/damaging property

In the last few decades, cyberbullying has also become more common through increased use of social media amongst young people. 

Due to the many different types of bullying, your child may display different signs which may indicate they are being bullied which can make it even trickier to spot.

What are the signs your child is possibly being bullied?

• Emotional changes: your child may become more socially withdrawn, more irritable, and feel less excited to socialise or see friends
• Poor mental health: low mood, difficulty sleeping, eating more or less than normal, low self esteem, and feeling more emotional can all be signs that something isn’t right. However, these can be due to other causes, not just bullying. If you’re concerned, speak to your child’s doctor
• Physical signs: such as cuts, bruises, scratches, or unexplained aches/pains such as headaches or tummy aches. Your child may be vague about how these have happened, or avoid the topic altogether. As with some of the other signs, if your child is unwell or has unexplained injuries, it is best to speak to their doctor
• Changes in school life: reluctance to go to school, wanting to take more sick days, or a dip in grades may be signs of bullying at school
• Unexplained damage/loss of belongings: your child may describe unusual reasons for their belongings becoming broken or lost
• Social media: in cases of cyberbullying, you may notice your child showing increased anxiety around social media and technology, or be more upset or moody than usual after being online
• Change in social situation: a sudden change in who your child spends time with, or sudden isolation may indicate bullying amongst their peer group
• Avoidant behaviour: your child may avoid talking about school, friends, or social media. They may mention vague negative remarks about school or friends

What can you do?

luna’s got a guide on the steps you can take if you spot these signs of bullying, which we’d recommend taking a look through.

Hopefully with your ongoing support, you can help your teen manage and prevent bullying and navigate these challenging parts of growing up.

Why not support your teen with a luna subscription?

Our app, luna, has dedicated advice on navigating bullying – cyber and in-person – as well as managing negative or toxic relationships.

You can think of luna as a modern, digital approach to wellbeing – it’s cost-effective, verified by doctors and safeguarding experts, and has a direct line into the biggest concerns facing teens today – so it’s actually addressing what they need advice on, when they need it.

If you’ve been looking for an antidote to the misinformation and negativity shared on social media or forums, you can get luna for your teen via our luna premium page for the price of a coffee each month or manage their subscription by downloading luna yourself and signing up as a parent (it's "we are luna" in app stores).