Have you experienced repeated abuse, pressure, or harm by an individual or group of people through the internet?
If yes, you have been a victim of online bullying or cyberbullying.
According to Techopedia, cyberbullying is the use of internet or any electronic gadget to embarrass, oppress, or threaten someone.
You may go through psychological distress where you would tend to have increased rates of anxiety, insomnia, and depression, says Dr. Elias Aboujaoude of Psychology Today. He also said that cyberbullies can more likely experience problems with substance use, outward aggression, and hyperactivity.
But then, this is something that can be prevented.
Here are 5 ways to deal with Cyberbullying.
- Do not respond
Ignore negative comments instead of reacting to it. Bullies want your attention. If they see you respond, they will continue to bully you because you’re giving them what they want, as explained in an article entitled The Best Ways to Respond to Adult CyberBullying.
- Document evidence of abuse
Save all evidence such as comments, messages, posts, etc. for proof. If you can determine who exactly made the comments, keep that as well, this is what Justin Patchin of Cyberbullying Research Center said in his article Advice for Adult Victims of Cyberbullying.
- Block the bully
Block the bully on all your social media accounts, as well as their phone number, and any means of communication to avoid interaction with them, as stated by Toni Birdsong in his article entitled Adult Cyberbullying is No Laughing Matter.
- Take a break from social media ()
Take away your gadgets for the meantime. Shift your attention to things that matter most – bond with your family or friends, read a book, or treat yourself, says Kimberly Hershenson from Talkspace in her article 7 Ways to Deal with Cyberbullying.
- Report it
The Wall Street Journal stated that if the bullying continues, you can report abuse to the site administrators or service providers.
You may also seek legal and police help. Contact the National Bureau of Investigation or NBI at ccd@nbi.gov.ph or call (632) 523-8231 to 38 local 3454, 3455 as stated in Cybersecurity of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Dealing with cyberbullies can be extremely difficult, but there’s a way to overcome it. The Bible tells us, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, NKJV)
We want to help you and pray for you. Text us at 0999-227-1927 or call 737-0-777. You can also reach us through iCanBreakThrough Facebook page and Instagram account or email us at connect@icanbreakthrough.com.