Cyber Bullying is a form of bullying that involves the use of digital technologies to cause harm to another person. The culprit engages in online hate using technology, including computers, consoles, or mobile phones to harass, stalk, or abuse another person.
When we hear of cyberbullying, we often think only of social media, however, it is widely seen in the online gaming community as well. Another widely affected community is that of students. They fall prey to harassment and bullying more often than usual and this can have negative consequences for them. Several teens also use the internet these days for socialization, academic, and entertainment purposes. Through therapy with adolescents, what is obvious is that social media and texting are two of the most popular ways for teens to communicate. What happens with this, is the rate of bullying increases. This online bullying can take place in several forms.
The most common form of cyberbullying is harassment**.** It involves language and behaviors that intimidate and humiliate another person. People engage in a form of text battles. This kind of harassment happens when several people text the target repeatedly with threats or abuses, causing extreme emotional distress to the client.
Impersonation, or pretending to be somebody else online, is another typical type of cyberbullying. It can occur in a variety of methods, but one of the most popular is to hack an account in order to alter the target’s profile.
Once access is obtained, they might publish offensive content such as sexual, racist, or other things to damage the target’s reputation and status in society. Or they could engage in conversation with others while acting like the victim.
Videos are commonly used to humiliate and shame the targets of online bullying. For instance, the cyberbully may release a video of something humiliating that happened to the target on YouTube, send it out via mass e-mail, or send it out via text messaging. In other instances, children who cyberbully others could fabricate an incident that upsets or emotionally distresses the target, then records the occurrence.
Impact of Cyber Bullying
People suffer a range of physical, psychological, and emotional effects as a result of cyberbullying. They might express concerns, ranging from melancholy and low self-esteem to dread and anxiety. Additionally, they might also experience academic difficulties. Children who become victims of cyberbullying also experience stress-related disorders. Often it can also cause low self-esteem, body image issues, and difficulty in confidence which might result in changes to your child’s personality, causing them to become more withdrawn and guarded.
How does it affect Mental Health?
One can feel embarrassed, anxious, and depressed when they become a victim of cyberbullying. This may result in withdrawal from friends and family, negative self-talk, regret about actions you took or did not take, or the perception that you are being unfairly judged. It’s alright to experience loneliness and a feeling of being overwhelmed.
You can get unmotivated to accomplish the things you typically like doing and have a sense of loneliness around the people you care about and trust. This could lead to persistently negative sensations and thoughts, which could be detrimental to your mental and physical health. If you or anyone you know, is experiencing these symptoms, please feel free to book an appointment with us.
Another common consequence of cyberbullying is skipping school, work, and other chores, which can have a negative impact on, particularly, young people. Depending on the medium via which it occurs, cyberbullying’s consequences on mental health can change. For instance, bullying that occurs over text messages or through images or videos posted on social media has been shown to be particularly damaging for teenagers.
How can it be stopped?
Try and Benefit from Privacy Options.
Find out any possible steps you can take to protect the privacy of the content on the websites you view. You can change your privacy settings on social networking sites to limit who can access your posts and personal information. Because websites occasionally modify their privacy rules, it’s crucial to check these settings constantly.
Pay Attention to What you Post
Remember that the internet is a public forum. Nothing you post online can ever be taken back. Be mindful of what you say online. Even sending someone private or unpleasant information via email or other platforms can have unanticipated results.
Keep your Information Private
Avoid sharing personal information online, such as your address, phone number, school, credit card number, etc. Only share passwords with people you trust. Be mindful of any forms you are asked to fill or any suspicious calls that you might get asking to share information.
Raise Awareness of Cyberbullying
Raise awareness of what it is. Speak to your children about it, use media platforms to have discussions, have campaigns, and teach children in schools how they can protect themselves. Speaking about it openly can also prevent the people around you from becoming cyberbullies.
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