Workplace bullying can happen everywhere. It is can take various forms such as persistent verbal criticism, personal attacks, humiliation, coercion, belittling, intimidation, lying or gaslighting, taking credit for other people's work, destructive criticism, embarrassing in public, emotionally manipulating, unfair treatment, creating unrealistic or unattainable expectations and exclusion from social or work processes.
Bullying damages the mental health of the employee. It reduces self-esteem and self-efficacy while increasing anxiety, depression, mood changes, panic attacks, shame, helplessness and frustrations. It also creates health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, sleeping problems, tensed muscles, aches, changes in appetite and ulcers. Functioning levels, effectivity, motivation and productivity drop, as the frequency of absenteeism may raise.
If you are being bullied at work, there are strategies that you can use to cope.