Report: What Colleges Should Know About Teletherapy and How to Pick the Best Telehealth Vendor for Your Students
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post....
By Cassie Shortsleeve
Cyberbullying may sound like something someone else does, but the truth is that we all do things we’re not proud of from time to time. Experts also say cyberbullying can occur in a loop, where people who are cyberbullied end up cyberbullying and cyberbullies may cyberbully because they were bullied. That means if you’ve ever been the victim of cyberbullying, you’re more likely to cyberbully someone yourself and more than half of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online.
When we are victimized or hurt, our pain and anger may come out toward others—even if we’re not aware of it. Working through hurtful, painful, or traumatic experiences can help, and you deserve support no matter what you’re feeling. Reaching out can feel scary, but with the right help, you can and will feel better than you do right now.
If you’re posting rumors online, calling people names, or sending unwanted messages, it’s important to remember that these actions have real and lasting effects on mental health.
What’s most important is figuring out why you may be acting in a way you don’t feel great about and taking steps toward interacting in a way that leaves you feeling good.
Here are some signs you may be cyberbullying and how to stop the cycle.
Do you recognize any of the below behaviors in yourself? They’re all signs you could be cyberbullying.
If you notice yourself acting in any of the above ways, it is possible to stop and change your behavior. Start with these four steps.
Taking an honest look at your behavior and the root causes for it—and acknowledging you want to change—isn’t always easy work, but you can make significant changes with a little attention, self-honesty, and time. When you have a quiet moment, consider writing down or thinking about the following:
Then consider writing down your answers to the below questions, or simply think about how you would answer them.
Reflecting on these questions can help you put all of the pieces together and build a blueprint for what you want your online experience to look like. Behavior change isn’t always easy, but the fact that you want to make a change is a powerful step toward doing it.
There are many reasons you may find yourself being less than kind online. Sometimes the following factors come into play:
You deserve the support you need to heal and be the kind of person you want to be. Taking time to reflect on the questions above and seeking support to better understand your own pain points can make a big difference. Consider talking to someone you know who can support you, such as your parents or caregivers, another trusted adult, a friend, or a mental health professional. Support for your mental health can come in a variety of forms, such as:
Once you realize what could be behind your behavior and you start taking steps to change it, making amends with those you’ve hurt can help you own your behavior and move past it. It is helpful to apologize without an agenda and with the understanding that the person may not forgive you or respond how you’d like. Making amends is as much for yourself as it is for someone else, because it often brings relief, helps you feel better, and lays the groundwork for creating a life you feel really good about.
Kindness is kindness, online and off. If you find yourself having a hard time being kind behind a screen, try practicing it in real life—whether it’s through helping a friend who is going through a hard time, volunteering, or simply giving someone a compliment. Being kind offline builds an important foundation and key habits that carry over into the virtual world, making it more natural to be kind online. Best of all, no matter what happened before now, you can make the decision to be kinder today and it will make a positive difference for you and others.
If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone right now, text, call, or chat 988 for a free confidential conversation with a trained counselor 24/7.
You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.
If this is a medical emergency or if there is immediate danger of harm, call 911 and explain that you need support for a mental health crisis.