Bullying and Cyberbullying: A Complex Issue
Bullying is a prevalent problem in United States schools. Often, acts of bullying are physical acts, though a majority are psychological. In fact, bullies are often victims themselves, and seek ways to channel their frustrations, finding these in their ‘vulnerable’ colleagues. These vulnerable victims are themselves struggling with underlying mental or social issues. Bullying is a complex issue, with several causes. This complexity in bullying behavior is exacerbated by increasing internet and social media usage in young adolescents. These platforms provide the necessary space for cyber bullying, which is becoming a cause of concern. Essentially, all the hurtful or abusive things that a bully would have said to his or her victims in person, is said online with the added advantage of anonymity. However, this anonymity does not reduce the psychological impacts of bullying. cyberbullying has been linked to teenage suicides. Although cyberbullying does contribute, in a significant way, to development of suicidal thoughts in adolescent, it does not act alone, rather it is a combination of several psychosocial factors. If these factors are addressed, the victims may develop the right skills and mindsets to avoid suicide and stand up against bullying.
The Impact of Cyberbullying on Young Adults
In her article on cyberbullying, Jennifer Holladay discusses the impact of cyberbullying on young adults who are active online. Through Phoebe Prince’s case, Holladay highlights how cyberbullying is becoming a threat amongst teenagers. Holladay makes reference to a study by Sameer Hinduja of the Cyberbullying research center, which found that more than 2000 students in school developed suicidal thoughts after experiencing some form of cyberbullying, pointing to a rising trend. Bullies seek out individuals who are weak and unlikely to fight back, since these bullies are not as strong as they appear. A study by Swearer and Hymel (2015) found that bullying is a stressful period for both bully and victims, brought about by the victim’s upbringing and perception of violence, pain, and torture. Aside from the physical, words are a significant part of bullying. Words are the basis of cyberbullying, with online bullies targeting sensitive aspects of their victim’s social lives. With over 90% of youths having access to social media or the internet, they are susceptible as they use these platforms have become to air out their grievances and frustrations. Cyberbullies target this openness, worsening the victim’s depression and leading to suicidal thoughts or actual suicide.
Managing and Preventing Bullying
However, cyberbullying and all other forms of bullying are manageable. Often, bullies attack out of a sense of power. That is to say, the more a bully perceives fear and weakness in his or her victims, the more they would want to continue. Bullies are only as strong as they are let to be. It is highly unlikely that a bully will confront a confident person, full of self-esteem (Hickson, 2017). An individual who believes and values himself or herself would not take personally, disparaging remarks from cyberbullies. Therefore, suicidal tendencies are not an absolute product of cyberbullying in itself, rather a final nail in the coffin for victims who are already suffering from some form of mental health issue. If a victim of cyberbullying chooses not to respond, exits these social media platforms and instead focuses on his or her own personal growth, eventually the bullies will stop and shift their focus. In fact, if the victim exudes a renewed sense of confidence and self-esteem, the bullies might fear physical confrontation. This argument does not oppose the existence of cyberbullying, in fact, cyberbullying does exist and it is a real problem. However, by focusing on the problem behind the problem, identifying vulnerable individuals early and providing the necessary assistance, cyberbullying will not be the deadly vice that it is slowly but certainly becoming.
An Integrated Approach to Bullying and Teenage Suicide
Bullying and teenage suicide are real problems that require an integrated approach to solving. As social media and the internet continue to take over literally all aspects of young adolescent’s life, they are becoming more susceptible to online bullies. These bullies thrive off the anonymity that online sites present and prey over vulnerable users who seek these sites to air out the problems and frustrations. However, cyberbullying, like any other form of bullying, is not the direct cause of suicides. In fact, most suicide victims have underlying mental health issues, making cyberbullying a finality. Thus, instead of focusing on mitigating and litigating against cyberbullying, it would be more prudent to identify vulnerable victims, address their underlying issues, and empower them to stand up against bullying.
References
Bauman, S., Toomey, R. B., " Walker, J. L. (2013). Associations among bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide in high school students. Journal of adolescence, 36(2), 341-350.
Hickson, A. (2017). How to Stop Bullying: 101 Strategies That Really Work. Routledge.
Holladay, J. (2011). Cyberbullying. The Education Digest, 76(5), 4.
Swearer, S. M., " Hymel, S. (2015). Understanding the psychology of bullying: Moving toward a social-ecological diathesis–stress model. American Psychologist, 70(4), 344.
