Bullying is the repetitive, prolonged abuse of power. Unwelcome and escalating behaviours are aggressively targeted toward an individual (or group) and can cause humiliation, shame, anxiety, depression and trauma.

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Bullying takes place in schools, online in cyberspace and at workplaces. Workplace bullying places wellbeing, health, safety, career (with workplace bullying) at risk, impedes on job performance, creates a toxic work environment and is an occupational health and safety breach.

 

Bullying behaviours, whether they take place at school, online or in the workplace, include personal attacks, social isolation, exclusion, verbal threats, physical assaults, spreading rumours, teasing, mocking, micro-management, name calling, overt threats and less obvious behaviours such as deliberate sabotaging and gaslighting (where a person questions their own memory or self-doubts due to a bully planting seeds of doubt or blame).

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Communication difficulties are when you struggle to clearly and effectively communicate with friends, family members, fellow students and colleagues. Communication difficulties often result in communication breakdowns and fractured connections with others, as well as a loss in friendships or relationships. Communication difficulties can present either with having passive, passive aggressive or aggressive styles of communication.