Certain life situations can have devastating and distressing consequences for children. Often, the core reasons must be identified quickly in order to avoid long-term consequences. The first step, though, is recognising if anything is wrong with your child’s conduct in the first place. Cyberbullying is one of these issues. As a result, youngsters frequently engage in unusual behaviour. But, rather than ignoring their misbehaviour or dismissing them as “acting their age,” it would be unfair to them to do so. Any sort of bullying may leave children physically and psychologically scarred.
UK Dissertation Help would like to point out that nearly 95% of the teens in the US have access to the Internet through their mobile phones. Which is the most used medium for cyberbullying. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying can take place anytime. Worst of all, bullies can even get rid of evidence so that you can’t prove how they wronged you. Such distressing times can take a huge toll on the victim’s health. Let’s have a look.
Behavioural Effects
After becoming a victim of cyberbullying, the behaviours of many kids tend to change overnight. Partially due to fear and partially because of anger or self-hatred towards their own self for letting themselves become a victim in the first place. It also stems from the conviction that they will exact revenge from the bullies. However, there are many other behaviours that such victims pick up on.
Increased Emotional Distress
Anger, irritation, and despair are common and immediate reactions to being attacked by a cyberbully. Typically, the severity of difficulties offline is exactly proportionate to the extent of bullying behaviour encountered online. Victims of cyberbullying are frequently anxious, making it harder for them to pinpoint the source of the destructive online activity. In the victim’s anguish, bullies may easily disguise their actions by creating many social media profiles and personalities to conceal their identities and make it appear that the victim is despised by many people rather than just one.
Using drugs or alcohol
Among the different behaviours victims exhibit. They may also pick up on habits that they would’ve never considered had they not been bullied. But with different circumstances, they have to find coping means regardless of how worse they can be for their health. For instance, children who are tormented online are more likely to take drugs or alcohol. In fact, one research discovered that targets of cyberbullying were 2.5 times more likely than their peers to use marijuana or binge drink. They feel like they’re losing control of their life and hence as a means of gaining that control. They resort to drugs or alcohol.
Lowered Self-Esteem
As mentioned before,, bullying can demotivate an individual or, worse, lower their self-esteem to the point that they become a different person entirely. Bullying, at its foundation, lowers the victim’s self-esteem since the victim believes their peers or co-workers hate them. They begin to have a mindset that perhaps it was their fault that they got bullied or that they had it coming. If your kid or a loved one used to be bright and vivacious but has recently become less confident or bold. It may be time to investigate what’s going on in their lives.
Skipping School
When children are cyberbullied, the notion of going to school may be overwhelming. Because they fear that more people will find reasons to bully them in person or embarrass them even more. So instead of facing them, they’d rather skip school and lie to their parents about going. As a result, it is not uncommon for kids to skip school or behave in such a way that they get suspended on purpose. So they don’t have to face their so-called friends. According to one poll, individuals who had been cyberbullied had two or more suspensions or detentions in the previous year.
Withdrawal from people
Bullied victims generally disengage from family members, relatives, and friends. As a result of the bullying, they may spend a lot of time alone. They stop socialising, going to school and prefer solitude rather than mingling with other people. They may also be taught to feel that being around other people only causes them pain or that the majority of people are attempting to inflict pain or emotional harm. Which only leads them to become warier of their surroundings and the people. Being cyberbullied might cause them to be rejected or stigmatised at school or work, which means they will almost certainly end up alone.
Arming themselves
Even more worrisome is the fact that cyberbullied children are more likely to bring a weapon to school as a means of self-defence because they feel like they’re in constant danger and that they have to protect themselves. With gun control not even being fully implemented; such a thing can be heavily frowned upon. We’d highly encourage that such kids be taught martial arts so that they don’t have to pick up a weapon ever as a means of defending themselves. Because many school shootings have come into light that has been a result of cyberbullying. You can never predict when things can go wrong if a lethal weapon like that of a gun is in the hands of a victim. In fact, one poll indicated that victims of cyberbullying were eight times more likely than their peers to have taken a weapon to school.
If your child is being cyberbullied, it is critical that you assist them in taking action to cease the misery. This may entail reporting cyberbullying to social media platforms, school officials, and possibly the police. Make every effort to put an end to the agony, including being acquainted with the laws governing cyberbullying. Communicate with them on a regular basis and keep an eye out for changes in mood and behaviour.
As a reliable dissertation introduction. We’d advise that every individual who has been the victim of cyberbullying can benefit from having a counsellor or therapist instruct them.
