Shattered Confidence: The Lingering Effects of Bullying and Body-Shaming on Teenage Girls
Aradhana Anand, a sophomore at Green Level High School, spent her sixth-grade year attending classes virtually during the COVID quarantine lockdown. When she returned to in-person school in seventh grade, she faced an overwhelming number of challenges that have stayed with her ever since.
At first, she was able to get along with people, despite the long period of isolation caused by the pandemic. However, things took a turn when a boy began picking on her just a few months into the school year. His bullying centered around her race—mocking her for being Indian, making fun of her culture, and giving her hurtful nicknames based on her ethnic name. It soon extended to her entire friend group. Though Aradhana isn't the type to let things slide, when she stood up for herself, it only escalated the bullying.
In an attempt to make it stop, Aradhana went to the Dean. The boy and his friends were called into the office, but it only made things worse. Other girls who had been bullied also complained, but instead, they only turned their anger on Aradhana for speaking out. After that day, the bullying intensified. Not only did they continue to mock her culture, but they started body-shaming her as well—something far too many teenage girls endure.
For the first time, Aradhana began to feel unhappy with her appearance. The cruel comments about her body came daily. Eventually, that boy spread his remarks to others, and soon, many boys in her grade joined in. It felt like everyone was turning on her. Aradhana, for the first time, became insecure—about her body, her complexion, her face. She began comparing herself to her friends. She even started wearing a mask during lunch, eating secretly so no one would see her face, and she wore jackets in the summer to cover her body.
Determined to change how she felt about herself, Aradhana started cutting back on food and spending more time at taekwondo, hoping to lose weight. Though she did lose some weight, she never found the confidence she was searching for. Instead, she continued to compare herself to others who seemed to have it all “naturally.” Aradhana admits that, even years later, she still struggles with confidence. Despite the weight loss, she was still criticized by family members who told her she looked "too skinny" and "sick." It felt like no matter what she did, she wasn’t acceptable—whether she was “chubbier” or “skinnier.”
Her story is unfortunately very common for teenage girls, especially in the difficult years of middle school. This time of life is filled with changes, and for many, it’s marked by deep struggles with self-image. Many girls call the bullying from boys the "middle-school-boy phase," where boys act out and can be especially rude, probably due to their own struggles with changes as well. Aradhana’s experience is something I personally relate to, and I’m sure countless other girls do as well. It’s a part of adolescence that’s often overlooked—the damage the middle school experience can have on a young person’s developing self-esteem. However, these struggles don’t end with middle school; they carry over into high school and sometimes even into adulthood.
We’ve made moves in raising awareness, but it’s time to take the next step—to have more productive, informative, and practical conversations about mental health during the teenage years. We need to equip young teens with the tools to protect their mental well-being, prevent harmful mindsets, and ultimately, avoid the unhealthy habits that could linger for years to come.
Written By Manjusha Pandian
