Technology has brought a lot of new and good things, however, sometimes with the good comes the bad. One of the things that has evolved with the recent innovations in technology is bullying. Online bullying commonly referred to as cyberbullying is damaging, especially to one’s mental health.
In today’s society technology is a big part of our children’s growth. At a young age of 7 some kids already have their own mobile phones or tablets. Most of their time spent online on social media sites, gaming sites and instant messaging sites.
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices. It can occur through SMS, on social media,or gaming forums where people can view, participate in, or share content. It involves either sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It mainly involves sharing personal information about a person aimed to cause embarrassment or humiliation.
According to StopBullying.gov, cyberbullying commonly occurs on social media, via SMS, email and Instant Messaging. With technology comes anonymity and easy access even when you are not physically near the bully. This makes cyberbullying Persistent, Permanent and Hard to notice.
Bullying is especially rough on kids that are viewed to be different. Your child may not tell you if he’s being bullied but there are signs you can watch out for.
These are the most common signs to watch for that may indicate that your child is being cyber bullied. Please note is not a conclusive list of the signs, however they are the most common signs.
- Appear nervous when receiving a text, instant message, or email
Normally kids are excited when they receive any message from their friends, they cannot wait to chat with them for hours. However, a child who is being cyber bullied usually feels anxious and is worried to open any new messages that they receive.
- Seems uneasy about going to school or pretends to be ill
It may seem like a normal excuse for children to fake illness just to avoid going to school. Let’s be honest some of us did it while we were in school. However, if your child is normally excited about school days, this is a strong indicator of bullying.
- Unexpectedly stops using their device(s)
In a generation where kids are connected to their devices, when your child unexpectedly stops using their mobile device you should be concerned.
- Unexplained anger or depression, especially after going online
When your child has angry outbursts or is an indicator that all is not well. Your child is most likely being cyber bullied if they get depressed after going online.
- Abruptly shutting off or walking away from the computer mid-use
Shutting of your computer and walking off is usually a sign of anger. When your child does this, it is important to know what is causing this reaction.
- Withdrawing from friends and family in real life
Withdrawal is usually a natural response when an individual is feeling harassed or embarrassed. When your child starts to withdraw it is important to take that into account and ensure that all is well.
- Unexplained stomach aches or headaches
If your child keeps having unexplained pains it may be from stress they are facing from being bullied.
- Trouble sleeping at night
The stress and worry of what will happen next has the effect of causing your child to have trouble sleeping. When being cyberbullied one is always in fear of what happens next.
- Unexplained weight loss or gain
Cyberbullying may cause loss of appetite which would cause weight loss, it may also have the effect of turning to food for comfort which would cause weight gain.
- Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts
Suicide is a reaction to cyberbullying where the child being bullied is tired of the continous harassment
wants it to end.
If your loved one is exhibiting some of these behaviours, it should be your cue to take a closer look at what is going on in case your help is needed.