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Effects of cyberbullying
Cyberbullying affects people from any age or walk of life, including children, teens and adults who all feel very distressed and alone when being bullied online.
On this page
Understanding the impact of cyberbullying
For many, cyberbullying affects their everyday lives and is a constant source of distress and worry. With technology being so freely available it is an ongoing issue and one that is relentless. Not only does it go on after school, college or work has finished, but it then carries through into the next day and the cycle continues. It has been well documented that cyber bullying has resulted in tragic events including suicide, and self-harm and clearly, more needs to be done in order to protect vulnerable children and adults from online bullying.
If you are worried that your child or a loved one might be the victim of cyber bullying here are some signs to look out for:
- Low self-esteem
- Increase in anxiety and feelings of dread
- Withdrawal from family and spending a lot of time alone
- Reluctance to let parents or other family members anywhere near their mobiles, laptops etc
- Finding excuses to stay away from school or work including school refusal
- Friends disappearing or being excluded from social events
- Losing weight or changing appearance to try and fit in
- Self-harm or a compulsion to do this
- A change in personality such as increased anger, depression, crying, feeling withdrawn
Supporting someone who is being bullied online
- Reinforce that no one deserves to be treated in this way and that they have done nothing wrong
- Ensure that they know that there is help available to them
- Encourage them to talk to someone they trust
- Encourage them to talk to their parents/carers
- Take screen shots of the cyberbullying so that they have proof this is happening
- Report all abuse to the relevant social media networks by clicking on the “report abuse” button
- Keep a diary so they have somewhere safe and private to write down their innermost thoughts and feelings which will help to avoid feelings bottling up
- Give praise for being so brave and talking things through which will hopefully empower them to take responsibility and get help
- Sending abuse by email or posting it into a web board can be harassment, report this to the police for them to investigate
- Seek support from the school as they may be able to provide help and support too
Advice for parents
We know that cyberbullying can have a devastating impact on anyone who is experiencing this, especially when they feel there is no let up from the abuse.
Keep the school involved and put things in writing so you have a formal record of what has been going on. Ask the school if there is any pastoral support your child can access. If you are worried that your child is having feeling anxious seek some medical advice from your GP.
A child who is experiencing this may feel traumatised from the bullying they have endured, read our advice on helping your child deal with traumatic events for further support. Help them build resilience with our advice and guidance so they can feel more empowered in the long term. We also have some helpful wellbeing strategies for children and teens that you can use to help them heal from the bullying they have endured.
Remember that you are important too so it’s crucial that you are taking good care of yourself. The more relaxed you are feeling the better able you will be to support your child.
Advice for adults experiencing cyberbullying
We know that this can also have a devastating impact on adults and can make you feel extremely isolated. It is very easy to post malicious and hurtful posts on social media sites as there is very little moderation and posts can go “live” before they can be reported. This can leave people feeling very vulnerable and at a loss as to what they can do.
- Report the abuse to the relevant social media site
- Take screen shots of the abuse so you have a record even if the posts are removed
- Use the blocking tools once you have save the evidence through screenshots, etc.
- Involve the police if you feel nothing is being done to stop this bullying
- If this is within work, involve your HR Department so they are aware of what is going on, and give them copies of the screenshots
Leaving the scars behind
As hard as it may be, it is important to start the process of dealing with the trauma of the bullying with support and guidance. It is important to look after yourself and engage in offline activities that can help boost your wellbeing and minimise the anxiety you may be feeling.
Everyone reacts differently to traumatic events, both during and after the event. Some may react immediately, whereas others may react weeks or even months later. Ensure you spend time with the people who make you feel safe. Lean on family and friends and talk about what you have been through as this helps the process of healing from this trauma.
Further resources
If you would like further support and advice, call our helpline on 0808 800 2222 or email us at askus@familylives.org.uk. You can talk to us online via our live chat service or message us via WhatsApp on 07441 444125 to connect with experienced professional family support workers and highly-trained volunteers. You may find it helps to find out how other parents and carers have coped with this on our online forums. We also have a range of free self-guided online parenting courses that can help through the ages and stages of parenting.
Our online parenting information is written by experienced parenting professionals. Find out more about our content authors, how it is produced, reviewed and edited.