CYBERBULLYING
SN (social networks) sites have
many advantages, but that doesn’t mean that they are short of downsides. One of
these drawbacks is a colossal problem: cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending
messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. Some people seem believe
that cyberbullying isn’t as serious and harmful as typical face-to-face
bullying. It is, if not more. Cyberbullying doesn’t stop after you leave
school, it follows you home, so you have to deal with it 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. Moreover, there’s no way out of it, no escape or safe place to hide
from your bully (or bullies) who may not even be identified, attacking people
anonymously, sitting comfortably behind a screen.
But one thing cyberbullying and bullying have in common: it can cause severe
mental damage, such as:
·
Anxiety
·
Depression
·
Anorexia
·
Withdrawal
from friends and activity
·
Change in
mood and behavior
·
Insomnia
and stress
·
Low self
esteem
These damages can often lead to a crucial consequence: suicide. Some
targets will stop valuing their lives and seek death to put an end to the
suffering and misery.
Cyberbullying is a major issue that
needs to be addressed: Do not cyberbully, directly or indirectly. Do not turn a
blind eye on cyberbullying. Report it:
And if you are ever a victim of cyberbullying, talk about it with a
responsible adult you have trust in, don’t bottle up your feelings and push
everyone away. Don’t be embarrassed about it and most importantly, don’t worry
about what people will say. They may call you petty and claim that you can’t
take a joke (by the way, cyberbullies will try to brush off their harassing you
as a joke, don’t let them),
And never forget: the reason you’re being bullied has nothing to do with
you, the one with problems is the bully.
Maya Chami and Aya Kassem,
3ème2
