Lost in the Corridors: Bullying, Abandonment, and the Lasting Trauma

Abstract

This paper explores how boarding school environments uniquely amplify emotional trauma stemming from bullying and abandonment anxiety. The manuscript examines how the absence of familial support and rigid institutional culture can intensify feelings of isolation, significantly impacting students’ emotional development, self-perception, and attachment patterns. Utilizing a systematic qualitative literature review approach, this study integrates attachment theory, trauma research, and social-ecological models of bullying to analyze how prolonged experiences of peer victimization and emotional neglect within boarding schools shape long-term psychological outcomes, including struggles with self-worth, trust, and relationship building. A thematic analysis of literature review highlights the hidden scars carried into adulthood, revealing how emotional suppression, institutionalized bullying, and the loss of secure attachments contribute to complex psychological distress. By synthesizing scholarly literature and survivor accounts, this research emphasizes the critical need for institutional accountability, therapeutic interventions, and trauma-informed educational reforms. Ultimately, by uncovering the profound emotional impacts of boarding school experiences, this study calls for systemic change and greater psychological support to promote resilience, emotional health, and recovery among survivors.