Bullying
Bullying is most usually portrayed in the media as visible terrorization. It is a group of tough kids who shove people into lockers, start fights, and tease relentlessly. Bystanders watch paralyzed with fear, afraid to speak up for their own sake. Physical aggression, however, is not the only form of bullying. Emotional bullying, or emotional abuse, causes insidious damage. Social media in particular has created a new avenue for bullying, causing a devastating, widespread decline in mental health—the impact of which often flying under the radar of professional intervention.
According to the Pew Research Center, 46% of teens have experienced a form of cyberbullying. Of that 46%, the top most common forms of cyberbullying noted were offensive name calling (32%), spreading false rumors (22%), and receiving explicit images without consent (17%). According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, people under 25 experiencing cyberbullying were twice as likely to demonstrate suicidal behaviors.
These statistics indicate a serious need for change. The PACER Center, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children with disabilities and their families, identified this issue, and established October as National Bullying Prevention Month. If your child’s school missed the interventional media efforts, the lessons learned can still be incorporated into an open dialogue with your children about all aspects of bullying to protect their physical and mental well-being. For example:
Remind your children of their resilience: There are so many challenges that kids face both academically, socially, and personally every day that can go unnoticed—finishing a paper, giving a presentation, making a new friend. Consider celebrating the little wins as much as you would the big wins.
Encourage your children to foster social connections: Friendships are some of the most important relationships that children (and adults) have. Being able to confide in and share experiences with friends can be very validating and provides social peer support when confronting potentially challenging social encounters. Encourage your kids to attend social events and engage with people in person, free of phones and outside of social media.
Regard change as a positive thing: Adolescence is a time of great personal reckoning: identity issues, self esteem concerns, friendship groups, and plans for the future. It is undoubtedly hard, but inevitable and necessary for growth. Always check in with your child about how they are feeling so you can better understand how to support them as they navigate life changes.
Be honest about the dangers of social media: Perhaps the most important aspect of preventing cyberbullying is reiterating over and over the reality of the dangers of social media. Emphasize the fact that there are many unsafe communicators, never to share personal information they would regret being gossiped about, and not to say something online that they wouldn’t say to a friend, classmate, family member, or teacher.
All year long, please take extra care to think about the realities of bullying and cyberbullying, as well as the life-long implications they can have. If your child needs extra support, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Geary by clicking here.
