HIDDEN DANGERS OF CYBERBULLYING
Cyberbullying is an underestimated act that breaks people down either physically or emotionally. It is an act done by a large number of people but most of them take it lightly as they do not know its crime. Cyberbullying has taken over mostly on social media platforms and a question comes in mind if people know that some of their actions are affecting people. Most people take bullying as a normal thing, they do not seem to care about how the other person is feeling after saying or typing their mockeries.
Most actions of cyberbullying start when someone posts his or her staff like pictures, meme and other staff. There is a thing called the comment section which people use to speak negatively and positively about a certain post. This is where cyberbullying starts when people comment negative things about a post in a way that the person who posts does not feel comfortable and at this level it is seen as cyberbullying. The most bullied people on social media platforms are celebrities in which people critique their ways of trending.
The most hidden dangers which are associated by cyberbullying include:
- Emotional impact– victims are affected emotionally and they end up having anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia and low self-esteem. Being continuously provoked disturbs the victims emotions because one will be saying negative things and it becomes like a food chain whereas it grows bigger and bigger and more provokers also join as it seems fun to damage someone’s reputation. This can lead to a decrease in overall mental health issues.
- Social isolation – victims tend to idolize their selves from social interactions to avoid mockery and other things. This usually leads to loneliness and loss of confidence as they will be thinking that they are always lacking or having shameful things.
- Academic Consequences –for example we have students at primary, secondary and tertiary level that are associated with cyberbullying, they end up having academic issues which include decline in academic performance and also school avoidance as result of being bullied. Students tend to avoid connections with people at school as they will be scared to get humiliated again.
- Escalation of bullying – cyber bullying escalate quickly to both the victims and the bullies as it leads to more severe forms harassment that including violent threats, change in mood or behavior. These violent threats or harassment can end up being criminal behavior as they will be increasing each and every time.
- Long-term psychological effects –if one is continuously bullied he or she might carry the trauma into adulthood affecting their relationships, work life and overall mental health. Thus, causing problems like aggressive behaviors, decreased concentration, difficulty in making decisions and many other problems.
- Increased risk of self-harm – individuals that experience severe cyberbullying tend to harm themselves as they think that is the only way or solution to run away from the insults. Some of the self-harm risks include drug addiction, committing suicide in a way that they will not suffer from what they have experienced.
The hidden dangers of cyberbullying reach out beyond immediate emotional distress. It is important for parents, educators and communities to foster open discussions about cyberbullying. We also have Safety n Us as an acting organization which has a goal to thrive for safer online space for the youth and children. It also has a support system for the victims of cyberbullying.
To fight the hidden dangers above one has to take some steps and it is important to include a combination of proactive and reactive strategies. Some of the effective ways include:
- Education and awareness: Meetings like workshops and seminars should be held to educate people about cyberbullying as it has become a global pandemic that is taking over most of the social media platforms to turn into a dreadful place. By education and awareness people will know and be aware of what cyberbullying is and its hidden dangers as also how to overcome or protect yourself from being harmed.
- Open communication: There should be a creation of an environment where individuals feel comfortable discussing their online experiences and also how to stand up against cyber bullying in a constructive manner. An encouragement dialogue should be a good space for one to learn or get encouragement from such that he or she will not get any troubles as one can be able to relate to an encouragement dialogue.
- Strengthen online safety: Educate users of social media platforms on how to control who can see their content and connect with. Individuals should also be mindful of what they share or receive on social media thus, we should strengthen online safety.
- Encourage reporting: Individuals should be educated on how to report cyberbullying actions in all social media platforms and also within company or school environment. To achieve this we should also give support to those who report their cyber issues such that they will not lose confidence in reporting.
- Involve parents and guardians: Parents and guardians should also be educated on cyberbullying and how to help their children to fight for a safer online space. They should also be advised to be aware of their children’s online activities and to have open discussions on their experiences.
- Legal awareness: People need to be educated on the enforcement of laws about cyberbullying and harassment, encouraging them to take action if necessary. This will help people to be aware of the local laws and also on how to get legal support access.
By having a supportive environment and individuals having the tools needed, we can thrive for a safer online space experience for everyone and mitigate the risks of cyberbullying. If everyone is aware of the strategies it will be of lesser concern to find a large number of people being bullied online and physically.
In conclusion, cyberbullying is a huge cup of tea that needs understanding because one needs to know when he or she is being a bully or being bullied. It needs crucial awareness for people to know that cyberbullying is real and it comes with dangers that harm you in many ways.