School Bullying and Workplace Burnout: Origins, Protection

In both cases, the core issue lies in an asymmetry of power. At school, it relies on physical strength, group dynamics, or popularity. At work, it is based on hierarchy, salary, and fear of losing one’s position. This dynamic of domination thrives on repetition, isolation, and the absence of active witnesses.

Drawing a link between these two situations does not mean that a person who experienced bullying in childhood is automatically more exposed to harassment at work in adulthood. There is currently no psychological determinism supporting this idea: understanding these mechanisms mainly helps to recognize them more clearly and strengthen one’s capacity for protection.

The law of silence: the invisible engine of impunity

The law of silence is not based solely on fear of retaliation. It is more deeply rooted in a gradual normalization of injustice. When repeated without a clear response, psychological mistreatment eventually comes to be seen as an ordinary part of the environment, almost invisible both to those who endure it and to those who observe it.

At school, this mechanism is often reinforced by extortion, which frequently accompanies bullying. Money, snacks, clothing, or personal belongings become concrete levers of domination. Extortion establishes a humiliating, ritualized dependency: giving to avoid being hurt, yielding to buy a semblance of peace. Silence then becomes a form of currency.

Victims are not chosen at random. Being perceived as different is often enough: too discreet or too sensitive, overweight or judged insufficiently aligned with physical standards, poorly dressed or, conversely, too well dressed, intellectually advanced or socially out of step. The bully acts like a social predator, identifying visible or perceived vulnerabilities and methodically pressing on insecurities to consolidate their power.

In the professional world, the law of silence operates on a more abstract but equally effective level. It relies on implicit rules: do not make waves, do not challenge authority, do not expose dysfunctions. The system then protects the abuser not through direct threats, but through collective inertia and institutional denial.

In both cases, silence is not a free choice: it is a constrained adaptation. It allows survival, but it feeds impunity. As long as violence remains unspoken, it retains its corrosive power and continues to be transmitted from one setting to another.

Protecting oneself and breaking the cycle

Breaking the cycle is neither immediate nor linear. It is a gradual process that may begin early or emerge much later, when words finally become accessible. At school, protection involves learning a fundamental truth: not conforming to the group is not a fault. Developing one’s own identity, tastes, limits, and sensitivity constitutes a first line of defense against bullying and extortion.

Teaching a child or adolescent to speak up in the face of injustice is essential. Parents, the homeroom teacher, the school nurse, the school psychologist: these intermediaries exist to break isolation. Remaining silent out of shame or fear reinforces the bully’s hold, while speaking out, even imperfectly, cracks the power imbalance.

In adulthood, these learnings become valuable resources. Being able to identify an abusive situation, recognize one’s own limits, and refuse the normalization of the unacceptable helps prevent school-based patterns from replaying in the workplace. Protection then consists in no longer confusing adaptation with submission.

• Naming injustice: whether at school or at work, abuse loses part of its power when it is clearly articulated.
• Strengthening self-esteem: the stronger one’s identity, the less grip attacks targeting insecurities can gain.
• Using existing support systems: institutional at school, human or medical in adulthood.
• Refusing isolation: arbitrary and normalized injustice thrives behind closed doors, never in the light.
• Seeking support: psychological support helps untangle past wounds from present situations and rebuild inner safety.

Protecting oneself does not mean becoming indifferent or aggressive. It means learning to recognize oneself as legitimate, different without being at fault, and worthy of respect at every stage of life.

Strengths and vulnerabilities in the face of abuse of power

Each astrological sign and each Chinese zodiac sign possesses specific resources to deal with dynamics of domination. This symbolic ranking highlights their ability to protect themselves, name psychological harm, and break the silence.