In the United States, bullying is one of the top 10 social problems in schools today (ProQuestStaff) According to the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 20% of students in grades 9-12 experience bullying nationwide (“WHAT IS BULLYING”). The reasons why people are bullied are appearance and social status (Lyness). Bullying is about showing power over another individual (ProQuestStaff). Bullying can come in many forms: physical, verbal and cyber. Furthermore, it can have a substantial effect on the lives of many adolescents. In fact, the most common effects of bullying are health problems such as depression, which can lead to future acts of self-harm, such as suicide. Being bullied can decrease your academic performance, such as grade point average and test scores ("WHAT IS BULLYING"). Finally, bullying contributes to school violence such as school shootings and fights. Bullying has extraordinary effects on society because it causes self-harm, low academic problems and school violence. Over four million American children and adolescents suffer from mental health problems caused by bullying. Many endure problems such as sadness, loneliness, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression every day (Lyness). Many of these problems can branch into other things. For example, someone who has low self-esteem and is bullied for their appearance may suffer from depression. Another mental problem caused by bullying is suicidal thoughts or actions such as cutting. In the United States, more than 90% of children and adolescents who commit suicide have a mental disorder or problem (Facts on Children's Mental Health in America). Suicide is known as the third leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 15 and 24 (Sui.. .... middle of paper ......013. Web. December 18, 2013. Downey, Maureen "Teens on violence and bullying: Half of high school kids admit to targeting teens with violence." Bullying: Half of high school kids admit to... The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 4, 2013. Web December 18, 2013. “Facts about the mental health of children in America” NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness,. Web. December 20, 2013. Lyness, D'Arcy, PhD. “Addressing Bullying.” LLC. 2013: page no. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. December 20, 2013. "Suicide Prevention." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. December 19, 2013. “What is Bullying.” StopBullying.gov. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. December 18. 2013.