Effects of Cyberbullying

 Effects of Cyberbullying

 December 14, 2023

Written By:

Ricky Munday,

La Puente, California, CA-USA

Numerous effects may be seen in those who are dealing with cyberbullying. It can be helpful to know what to expect to see in a victim, as this can be one way to identify when someone is being bullied online.

• Feelings of distress about the bullying
• Increased feelings of depression and mood swings
• Increased feelings of anxiety
• Problems falling asleep or staying asleep (e.g., insomnia)
• Suicidal ideation or suicide attempt
• Increased feelings of fearfulness
• Feelings of low self-esteem or self-worth
• Social isolation, withdrawing from friend groups, or spending a lot of time alone
• Avoiding doing things that they used to enjoy
• Poor academic performance
• Problems in relationships with family members and friends
• Symptoms of post-traumatic stress
• Self-harm (e.g., cutting, hitting yourself, headbanging)
• Substance abuse
• Increased feelings of anger, irritability, or angry outbursts

Many of the same principles as above will apply to your situation as an adult dealing with a cyberbully.

First of all, be sure to keep records of all instances of bullying, whether they come through your text messages, messenger chats, Facebook groups, Instagram DMs, or other online sources. Take screenshots and keep folders on your computer with evidence of the cyberbullying.

Next, if you know the source of the cyberbullying, determine whether there is a course of action you can take concerning that person. For example, if it is a work colleague or supervisor, is there someone in HR at work that you can speak to? If it is a family member, is there a way to bring up this issue with other family members to ask for their support? Finally, if it is someone you only know online, can you block and delete them from all your social media?

The best course of action will be to ignore cyberbullying as much as possible. However, if you are receiving threats, then you will want to report this to the police, along with the evidence that you have collected.