Signs of Adult Bullying You Shouldn’t Ignore

Adult bullying leaves subtle clues that can destroy your confidence and career

Adult bullying manifests differently from childhood harassment, often hiding behind sophisticated facades of professional conduct and social dynamics. 

While playground bullying might involve obvious physical confrontation, workplace and social adult bullying typically employs subtle psychological warfare that can be difficult to identify and address. These toxic patterns can have a profound impact on mental health, career progression, and personal relationships. 

Key Takeaways

• Persistent patterns of hostile communication, including aggressive emails, demeaning language, or condescending remarks in professional or personal settings.
• Deliberate social isolation through exclusion from meetings, group activities, or important conversations, both online and offline.
• Regular undermining of your work or reputation through spreading false information or manipulating others’ perceptions.
• Intimidating physical behaviours like aggressive posturing, invading personal space, or subtle threats of harm.
• Consistent digital harassment through social media, messaging apps, or workplace communication platforms.

Understanding Adult Bullying

Adult bullying refers to a pattern of repeated aggressive behaviour between adults where there is a real or perceived power imbalance characterized by deliberate actions intended to harm, intimidate, or exert control over another person. 

Workplace bullying represents a common form, with signs of bullying manifesting through emotional manipulation, social isolation, and professional sabotage. The emotional and psychological turmoil experienced by victims can have a substantial impact on mental health and work performance. 

Types of Adult Bullying

Adult bullying can take many forms, each uniquely harmful and challenging to address. 

Verbal Bullying: The Impact of Words

Verbal bullying manifests through damaging patterns of language designed to belittle, demean, or destabilize the target. This form of bullying includes:

• Name-calling and insults: Aimed at undermining confidence and self-esteem.
• Threats and intimidation: Creating a sense of fear and helplessness.
• Persistent criticism: Undermining an individual’s capabilities or accomplishments.

The emotional toll of verbal bullying is profound, and in today’s world, this behaviour extends into digital spaces, amplifying harm through cyberbullying and online harassment. 

Physical Bullying: When Actions Speak Louder

While verbal abuse can leave deep emotional scars, physical bullying among adults represents a more overt form of harassment that manifests through intimidating actions, aggressive body language, and direct physical contact. It creates a hostile environment that amplifies the emotional effects of bullying. ​​Common behaviours include:

• Threatening gestures that instill fear.
• Violating personal space to assert dominance.
• Deliberate physical interference, such as blocking paths or knocking items from someone’s hands.

Physical bullying often overlaps with other types, creating an environment of heightened hostility. Addressing overt harassment requires a multi-faceted approach, combining personal empowerment with legal or organizational intervention when necessary.

Relational Bullying: The Silent Saboteur

Relational bullying, also known as relational aggression, focuses on social manipulation and the systematic destruction of personal or professional relationships. It represents one of the most significant forms of adult bullying, characterized by social manipulation, exclusion, and the systematic destruction of personal or professional relationships.

Common tactics include: 

• Spreading malicious rumours to tarnish reputations.
• Withholding vital information to impede progress.
• Orchestrating social isolation to erode support systems.
• Undermining credibility with peers or supervisors.

Often operating covertly, relational bullying is particularly insidious and challenging to identify and address effectively. Victims may find solace in understanding the transformative potential of these challenges, supported by skilled counsellors who can guide them toward personal growth and resilience.

Cyberbullying: The Digital Age Dilemma

As workplace interactions increasingly shift to digital platforms, cyberbullying has emerged as a pervasive extension of relational aggression in professional environments. This type of bullying often includes:

• Malicious emails designed to shame or blame.
• Exclusion from virtual meetings to marginalize contributions.
• Public shaming on professional platforms.
• Unauthorized sharing of private communications.

These behaviours are pervasive and relentless and can occur 24/7, often leaving victims feeling perpetually targeted and professionally compromised. Addressing cyberbullying requires both individual strategies to build resilience and organizational policies to ensure accountability in digital interactions.

Prejudicial Bullying: Bias-Based Harassment

Prejudicial bullying persistently targets individuals based on their protected characteristics, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability status, or age. It manifests in various ways, including:

• Discriminatory remarks and microaggressions.
• Exclusionary practices that limit opportunities.
• Systematic undermining through biases in workplace or social settings.

This form of bullying is particularly harmful, as it exploits institutional power dynamics to reinforce inequality. Victims often face career impediments, isolation, and psychological distress, making it critical to seek legal and therapeutic support to address these behaviours.

Emotional and Psychological Effects

Withdrawal and Isolation

Adult bullying victims often exhibit noticeable changes in their emotional behaviour, including increased anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal from previously enjoyed activities. Individuals may begin to isolate themselves from colleagues and friends, resulting in strained professional relationships and diminished social connections. This behavioural shift frequently manifests in decreased work productivity.

Victims show difficulty maintaining focus, missing deadlines, or producing lower quality work than their usual standard.

Changes in Behaviour: Emotional Indicators

Behavioural changes that indicate adult bullying often manifest through emotional withdrawal and social isolation. These changes can notably impact an individual’s psychological well-being and daily functioning. Regardless of the type, adult bullying leaves lasting emotional and psychological scars.

Victims may experience:

• Anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Uncharacteristic mood swings and depression symptoms.
• Chronic stress and sleep disturbances. Sudden displays of anxiety, irritability, or emotional outbursts when discussing work or specific relationships.
• Difficulty concentrating and diminished professional performance. Heightened startle response and hypervigilance in certain environments.
• Social withdrawal and strained relationships. Loss of confidence and self-esteem, accompanied by self-blame tendencies.

Trauma counselling and psychotherapeutic interventions can empower victims to rebuild their confidence and resilience, fostering healing and personal growth.

Impacts on Work Performance: Productivity Drop

During workplace bullying episodes, a significant decline in productivity often serves as a telling indicator of ongoing harassment or intimidation.

Victims frequently struggle to maintain focus, miss deadlines, and produce lower-quality work. The mental energy consumed by managing hostile interactions and avoiding confrontations directly impacts task completion, decision-making abilities, and overall work efficiency.

Seeking Help: Reporting and Support Systems

When adults experience workplace bullying and exhibit emotional distress, taking action through proper channels becomes a vital step toward resolution.

• Document incidents thoroughly, report to HR or appropriate supervisors, and seek professional counselling support.
• Online or phone counselling services provide confidential, accessible options for processing trauma and developing coping strategies while maintaining workplace boundaries and personal well-being.

When 7 in 10 workers have experienced some form of harassment and violence at work, it’s a problem that’s too common to ignore. 

How Can Family Members Support Someone Experiencing Adult Bullying?

Family members should provide emotional support, actively listen, document incidents, encourage professional counselling, develop safety plans, and maintain regular communication to guarantee their loved one’s well-being.

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing adult bullying, reach out to Your Path Counselling. Our expert counsellors can help you reclaim your confidence and peace of mind. Book online today or call (250) 818-1623.