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How does school bullying affect teens who are the targets of bullies? Teen bullying can lead teenagers to feel tense, anxious, and afraid. It can affect their concentration in school, and can lead them to avoid school in some cases. If teen bullying continues for some time, it can begin to affect teens' self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. It also can increase their social isolation, leading them to become withdrawn and depressed, anxious and insecure. In extreme cases, bullying can be devastating for teens, with long-term consequences. Some teens feel compelled to take drastic measures, such as carrying weapons for protection or seeking violent revenge. Others, in desperation, even consider suicide. Researchers have found that years later, long after the bullying has stopped, adults who were bullied as teens have higher levels of depression and poorer self-esteem than other adults. What are the long-term consequences of teen bullying behavior? Teen bullying is often a warning sign that children and teens are heading for trouble and are at risk for serious violence. Teens (particularly boys) who bully are more likely to engage in other antisocial/delinquent behavior (e.g., vandalism, shoplifting, truancy, and drug use) into adulthood. They are four times more likely than nonbullies to be convicted of crimes by age 24, with 60 percent of bullies having at least one criminal conviction.

CBS News) - A 10-year-old San Gabriel, Calif. boy is trying to stop bullying in a viral way: He's released his own short movie on YouTube to help stop harassment in schools. Gerry Orz, known by his nickname G, decided to produce, direct, write and star in his own anti-bullying film called "Day of Silence." He told CBS station KCBS in Los Angeles that the movie was inspired by his own childhood experiences with bullies. "They called me bad names, stupid, fat, stuff like that. It felt horrible, very horrible," he said to KCBS. "Day of Silence" follows efforts across the country to shine a light on the problem of bullying in schools. Recently, a documentary named "Bully" made headlines because it included profane language to show the reality of bulling, garnering it an initial R rating. The film has been re-edited and released with a PG -13 rating. "It's actually the worst in elementary school because in high school and middle school they have less to tease about because they understand more," Orz said. Orz asked his friends, brother and mothers to help out with his project. He also hired a production company to help make his vision a reality. He said that while he enjoys watching sword fights on film, those movies can't make a difference. The young filmmaker hopes that the film can be distributed to schools everywhere. He's also encouraging people to join in the Day of Silence on Dec. 12, 2012, an annual event where students take a vow of silence to bring attention to the silencing aspect anti-LGBT bullying and harassment inflicts on those affected by it. He may get his wish: He's been invited to screen his movie at the San Gabriel school board meeting where they will talk about distributing it to schools across the district. The Illinois state legislature has also shown interest in the film. Next up on Orz list is hopefully meeting with President Barack Obama to see if he can help encourage the legalization of gay marriage so his mothers can marry. To see Orz's film, watch the video below. (Warning: Some strong language.)

We Can Help! When Nobody’s Listening - We Can Help  • Are you having trouble getting anyone to believe you when you say somebody is really scaring you or hurting you?  • Are you afraid to tell because it might make it worse?  • Do you think you have to put up with being bullied because you aren’t popular or you are a bit different in some way?  • Are you finding it too hard to stand up for yourself or is it too hard to tell someone?  • Or have you tried to stand up for yourself and/or get help and the bullying is still happening? Write to us on our “When Nobody’s Listening” forum and tell us about what is going on. We will write back with suggestions on how you can get help, stand up and stop the bullying. This site is completely confidential – nobody will know you’ve written except for us.