Bullying is linked to many negative effects, including mental health issues and substance abuse. However, even though Reddit user No_Conversation6077 has had a fair share of experiences with it, he turned out well. The man made a name for himself in the tech industry, rising to a high-ranking management role after years of hard work.
But as he explained on the subreddit 'True Off My Chest,' the days of torment came back the instant he realized that one of the applicants he had to screen for a position within his company was Brad — a guy who played a big part in making his teenage years a living hell.
This recruiter saw that his high school bully applied for a position at the company he worked for
Image credits: LightFieldStudios / envato (not the actual photo)
And found himself grappling with emotions from the past
Image credits: wichayada69 / envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: No_Conversation6077
Image credits: Keira Burton / pexels (not the actual photo)
Bullies often maintain aggressive behavior in adulthood
It's understandable that the author of the post was distressed by the encounter even now that he's grown up.
About 20% of people who have been bullied experience some kind of mental health problems later in life, even at the age of 50. While some of these, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are easy to spot, others may be more difficult to recognize and can range from inexplicable bouts of anger to a lifetime of feeling inferior to other people.
"Although there has been an immense amount of research on bullying, most of it has focused on immediate effects, intervention and prevention. So we need more research on long-term effects and new forms of bullying, such as online abuse," Calli Tzani, lecturer in Investigative Psychology at the University of Huddersfield, wrote.
"That said, severe long-term effects of bullying are relatively well documented. Research has shown that victims of bullying report more severe anxiety symptoms than others. Being bullied is also linked to social anxiety, which often lasts into adulthood and increases the risk of developing personality disorders."
Bullying can also lead to health problems, alcohol and drug abuse, social withdrawal, and severe trust issues. For many victims who are trying to overcome these experiences, the loss of trust is one of the most challenging consequences.
Luckily, the Redditor seems to have built a good life for himself.
While some individuals take their own initiative to face their past bullies in adulthood and seek answers for their victimization, such encounters sometimes have the exact opposite results.
Research shows that bullies often maintain aggressive behavior in adulthood. So the fact that "Brad" tried to pressure No_Conversation6077 into giving him a good review isn't that surprising.
As people shared their reactions to the story and chatted with its author, some also shared their own similar experiences
