By There is so much about bullying that you need to know for the sake of your child. In the past, people believed that bullying only consisted of name-calling and physical bullying. You have to be aware that when it comes to bullying, there are six types. The six types include verbal bullying, sexual bullying, relational aggression, physical bullying, prejudicial bullying and cyberbullying.
Remember that not all bullies are the same – they have different style and tactics to intimidate and control. By being aware of the types of bullying and its effects, you are better equipped to help your child deal with every encounter. If in this case, you want to focus on cyberbullying because of the proliferation of Internet and smartphone, you should know its nature first. Cyberbullying utilises the technology to harass, embarrass and threaten another person.
Cyberbullies take advantage of the anonymity of the Internet. Here are the effects of cyberbullying on your child:
The child will feel vulnerable
Victims of cyberbullying will find it difficult to feel safe. This is because bullying directly invades their private space. For your child, there is no safe place. The child believes that bullying is everywhere. Since bullies can remain anonymous, it will escalate the child’s fear.
The child will feel humiliated
Cyberbullying can cause irreparable damages – once something is out, it will always be there. Your child will read horrible posts and hate messages that are shared with many people. Since there are many people who know about it, the child will feel intense humiliation.
The child will feel disinterested in life
For victims of cyberbullying, they lose interest in life. They see life as meaningless and hopeless. They no longer relate to the world around them. It is critical that you observe your child. If you notice sudden disinterest in life, you need to reach out as soon as possible.
The child will feel alone and isolated
Cyberbullying can cause your child to be excluded from school. With this, the child will feel alone and isolated. This is painful because the friends will be distant and it can lead to more bullying in the future.
The child will feel anxious and depressed
You have to know that victims of cyberbullying often succumb to anxiety and will eventually feel stressed and depressed. Cyberbullying, without a doubt, will erode the self-confidence of your child and self-esteem. When these two are not present, serious things will happen.
The child will feel ill
Due to anxiety and stress, the child will often feel ill like stomach aches, headaches and other physical ailments. If you notice that your child is always complaining about being unwell plus changes in eating habits or sleeping patterns, you have to reach out.
The child will feel suicidal
You heard stories about cyberbullying and how it leads to suicide. For your child, the world is crumbling down. They feel tormented and in pain all the time so there are some who want to escape the pain through suicide.
Knowing the effects, it is important that you help your child get through cyberbullying. Do not hesitate to ask for professional help if there is a need to save the life of your child.
