Victims of bullying often show changes in mood, behavior, and daily routines that can act as warning signs.

Key emotional warning signs

These often show up first, even before anything physical.

  • Sudden sadness, tearfulness, or crying spells for “no reason.”
  • Increased anxiety, nervousness, or jumpiness; easily startled.
  • Low self-esteem, harsh self-criticism, or saying things like “I’m a loser” or “Nobody likes me.”
  • Irritability, frequent anger, or mood swings that seem out of character.
  • Expressions of hopelessness or feeling trapped (“What’s the use?” “Nothing will change anyway.”).
  • Talking about death, the afterlife, or “disappearing,” or giving away treasured belongings (this is a serious red flag).

If a young person starts talking about wanting to die, or harming themselves or others, treat this as an emergency and seek immediate professional help or emergency services.

Behavioral and social changes

Bullying usually disrupts how someone behaves at school, online, and with friends.

  • Not wanting to go to school or activities they used to enjoy, making excuses or suddenly getting “sick” a lot.
  • Avoiding certain routes, buses, hallways, or online spaces; changing how they get to school.
  • Declining grades, loss of interest in homework, or a drop in participation in class.
  • Becoming quiet, secretive, or refusing to talk about what’s wrong (“It’s nothing,” “Just tired”).
  • Withdrawing from friends, spending more time alone, or being left out of groups at school.
  • Increased clinginess or dependence on parents/caregivers, wanting to stay close to home.
  • Unusual preoccupation with violence in media (violent videos, games, or news) combined with distress or fear.

Physical and health-related signs

Stress from bullying often appears as physical complaints.

  • Frequent headaches, stomachaches, or vague pains with no clear medical cause.
  • Trouble sleeping, nightmares, or sudden changes in sleep patterns.
  • Changes in appetite (eating much less or much more) and possible weight change.
  • Coming home hungry because lunch was skipped, taken, or they were too anxious to eat.
  • Unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches, or injuries, especially after school or breaks.
  • Torn, damaged, or missing clothing, books, or personal items.

School and online warning signs

Victims often show changes in how they function in school and digital spaces.

  • Being a frequent target of teasing, mocking, or exclusion from groups.
  • Sudden fear or distress about checking messages, social media, or group chats.
  • Secretiveness about their phone or online activity, quickly closing screens when adults are near.
  • Reluctance to use devices or go online at all, if cyberbullying is happening.
  • Asking for extra money or replacing items that “got lost” repeatedly.

Serious red flags: when to act urgently

Some signs suggest the bullying is having a severe mental health impact and need immediate attention.

  • Talk of self-harm, suicide, or wishing they were dead.
  • Intentional self-injury (cuts, burns, or other self-inflicted wounds).
  • Giving away valued possessions or saying goodbye in a way that feels final.
  • Extreme hopelessness, saying nothing will ever get better.

If you see any of these, contact emergency services, a crisis hotline, or a mental health professional right away. Many countries and regions now have dedicated youth mental health and crisis lines that operate 24/7.

What to do if you spot these warning signs

You don’t have to be certain bullying is happening before you offer support.

  • Start a calm, nonjudgmental conversation (“I’ve noticed you seem really down lately and I’m worried about you”).
  • Ask both direct and gentle questions about school, friends, and online life.
  • Reassure them it’s not their fault and that you take their experiences seriously.
  • Document incidents (dates, places, screenshots) and reach out to the school or relevant organization if it’s happening there.
  • Consider professional help (school counselor, therapist, pediatrician) if distress is ongoing or intense.

Mini FAQ style recap (for quick reading)

  • Emotional signs: anxiety, sadness, low self-esteem, mood swings, talk of hopelessness.
  • Behavioral signs: school avoidance, withdrawal from friends, secrecy, sudden aggressiveness or fights.
  • Physical signs: headaches, stomachaches, sleep problems, unexplained injuries, damaged belongings.
  • Digital signs: fear of messages, secrecy online, avoiding or overusing social media with visible distress.

If you’re noticing several of these together, it’s worth gently checking in and, if needed, involving trusted adults or professionals to keep the person safe.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.