My vision begins to blur as my eyes fill with tears. I stare in the mirror wanting to disappear. The voices in my head mock me with every insult I have ever heard. The bullying died down months ago, but the voices had not. I desperately want to change everything about myself, and I know I will never be the same person again.

After years of verbal and physical bullying, I am worn out. From a burn page made about me, to the constant stares and the pushing in the hallway, the effects of this will never fade.

The emotional impact of bullying causes students to lose skills that they could need for their future. Self-esteem, confidence, leadership and other important character traits are vital aspects of a student’s future that can be taken away by a bully. Researchers have found a strong link between bullying and depression. When a student becomes depressed, they lose their motivation and their ability to live up to their full potential. Everyday tasks become hardships.

Along with the emotional effects, academic success and attendance can also be affected by bullying. According to the Cyber-Bullying Research Center, over 160,000 students stay home everyday due to bullying. This effect in attendance could also impact education and academic success. Even when coming to school, students are filled with fear and not able to properly concentrate on the material. But above the academic effects there are permanent decisions students sometimes make because of bullies.

According to the National Association of School Psychologists, someone who is bullied is twice as likely to end their own life compared to someone who is not a victim. The effects of bullying are hurtful, and can drive students to make permanent decisions. Students can be pushed to their limits by constantly being brought down by others. The words said by bullies can never be taken back, along with decisions like suicide. Other fatal effects can include eating disorders, depression, self-harm and other mental conditions that can alter a person’s life forever. Bullies may bring others down to help themselves feel more secure, but what they do to others can hurt people forever.

The years of bullying have had permanent effects on me. I struggled with self-image for years. It seemed I would never be able to overcome the obstacles I had faced and truly love myself. Programs like No Place for

Hate brought back my confidence by offering me leadership positions and helping me get involved. Despite growing as a leader and a person, I still have bad days where all the words the bullies said come back and haunt me.

The effects of bullying are permanent, and student’s lives are getting negatively impacted every day.