Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar University, was a live broadcast guest on TGRT Haber's program 'Bilmedikleriniz'. Tarhan made evaluations regarding the topic 'Increasing Peer Bullying in Recent Times'. Tarhan pointed out that peer bullying has become a global problem, stating that this is proven by statistics. Tarhan stated that substance use triggers peer bullying, noting that under the influence of substances, young people exhibit uncontrolled behaviors. He added that the lack of a warm environment within the family makes one a candidate to be both a perpetrator and a victim.
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan made evaluations regarding the topic 'Increasing Peer Bullying in Recent Times'.
'Peer Bullying Has Become a Global Problem'
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, noting the increase in peer bullying in statistics during his live broadcast on TGRT HABER, began his speech by saying: 'Peer bullying has become a global problem, and there has been an increase in recent years. There are statistics from the USA regarding this, showing increases since 2011. That is, there's an increase in both peer bullying, suicide attempts among children, and depression cases. This is very closely related to the widespread use of social media. It is noteworthy that digital platforms and some changes brought by the pandemic also play a role. Peer bullying does not usually occur in every young person. When researching the family environment, families where parents are not consistent stand out. Another factor involves children with traumatic experiences. In other words, we see peer bullying in children who learn violence as a method of seeking rights or solving problems. It is rare for this to turn into murder.'
Substance Influence Leads to Uncontrolled Behaviors in Young People
Tarhan, speaking about the effect of substance use on peer bullying, said: 'The widespread use of substances among young people leads to adolescent problems experienced during adolescence, even if young people do not have a tendency towards violence in their basic personality structure. When the effect of a substance is added to this, it leads to uncontrolled behaviors in young people. There are both visible and invisible reasons for this. The visible reasons are external influences, the influence of society, and the influence of digital platforms. The invisible effect is the inadequacy of children's psychological internal resources. It is their not knowing what to do when faced with such a problem. Their vulnerability to trauma plays an important role. For this reason, peer bullying is frequently encountered.'
Children Learn Violence as a Problem-Solving Method!
Tarhan, stating that parents should provide quality companionship with their children, said: 'What we most often see in children who experience peer bullying is that families show little love and attention and are overly oppressive. When these two come together, the child learns violence as a problem-solving method. They try to use it. Generally, individuals who are overly criticized, have low self-confidence, and feel psychologically inadequate cannot defend themselves. Because they cannot defend themselves, they are oppressed by others. Due to these traits, they unknowingly become victims. Therefore, the attitudes of parents here and the quality of time they spend with their children are very important. Parents can work, but they must provide quality companionship with their child. That is, it's not just about sitting in the same room with the child, but both sides need to communicate in a dialogue-like manner.'
'Lack of a Warm Environment in the Family Makes One a Candidate to Be Both Perpetrator and Victim'
Tarhan, stating that adolescents are bothered by being compared, concluded his remarks by saying: 'One of the reasons for anger outbursts in adolescents is being compared. For example, fathers might say, 'When I was your age, I was like this, I was like that,' comparing themselves to their child. However, what bothers adolescents the most is being compared to other peers. Even parents should not compare themselves to their child. They are not children living in that era. That is, they need to be raised according to the times. Here, the home not being a safe space plays an important role. The lack of a warm environment within the family makes one a candidate to be both a perpetrator and a victim.'