Cyberbullying Suicidal Deaths: What Parents Should Know
Cyberbullying is a major issue but not taken seriously enough. It can cause victims to feel bad about themselves and can lead to serious problems. Cyberbullying can be scary and hurtful, and it's a big risk for kids who use the internet a lot. It can lead to very big problems, like feeling very sad and alone, and even cause 'cyberbullying suicidal deaths.' This article will talk about cyberbullying suicidal deaths to show how serious this problem is. We'll also give advice on how parents can keep their kids safe from cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying Death Statistics
According to the Journal of Health Economics, cyberbullying tends to increase suicide attempts by 8.7%. It also increases the chances of suicidal thoughts by 14.5%. Similarly, this report shows that a 1% reduction in cyberbullying can reduce suicide deaths by 11% in a population of 100,000 people.
There are stats showing that cyberbullying was the cause of 11.8 deaths among 100,000 teenagers (the age group is 15 to 19 years old). This is an increase from 8 deaths back in the year 2000.
Impact of Cyberbullying on Teenagers
Knowing the cyberbullying death rates is not sufficient. That's because when a death happens, it's already too late. Many children go through mental and physical struggles before committing suicide. In this section, we are sharing some common issues that arise with cyberbullying.
Depression and Anxiety
It's common for cyberbullying victims to struggle with depression and anxiety. That's because they have to cope with cyberbullying daily, which takes away the happiness from their lives. In addition, the kids start isolating themselves and are constantly worried. According to research, the increasing cyberbullying levels have led to higher chances of depression.
Low Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is also hurt when someone struggles with cyberbullying. That's because they don't feel satisfied with who they are, leading to feeling worthless. Since young people and kids have the need to be accepted by their friends, cyberbullying will reduce their self-esteem because they think they won't be accepted.
Academic Issues
Cyberbullying can make a teenager feel so upset that they can't focus on school. This can lead to bad grades and a lack of interest in school activities.
Sleeping and Eating Disorders
The stress from cyberbullying can make it hard for a teenager to sleep or eat properly. They might have trouble sleeping, or they might eat too little or too much. This can lead to other health problems.
Substance Misuse
Sometimes, teenagers try to deal with the feelings caused by cyberbullying by using alcohol or drugs. This can make things even worse and can lead to serious health and legal problems.
Suicidal Ideation
This means thinking about suicide. Cyberbullying can leave a teenager feeling so down and hopeless that they may start thinking about ending their own life. If this happens, it's really important to get help right away.
Warning Signs of Cyberbullying and Suicidal Behavior
After knowing about the cyberbullying-related deaths, many parents get worried, and rightfully so. It's time parents start paying attention to the warning signs, which include:
- A sudden shift in mood from happy and busy to withdrawn, irritable, or secretive about online activities.
- Losing interest in activities they once enjoyed, like hobbies or spending time with friends.
- Disrupted sleeping or eating patterns may be physical signs of emotional distress related to cyberbullying.
- Unexplained headaches, stomachaches, or other physical symptoms might be signs of stress or anxiety caused by cyberbullying.
- Speaking about death or suicide can be a sign of suicidal thoughts. If your child begins to express feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, help must be sought immediately.
How to Support a Child Experiencing Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a devastating experience for kids. If you are a parent whose kid is being targeted and harassed online, there are some steps that you can take. Remember that supporting them in this tough time is important. So, let's see how you can support them!
- Create a safe environment where your child feels comfortable talking about anything, particularly their online experiences.
- When they open up, you should listen actively and without judgment. Validate their feelings and assure them they're not alone.
- If possible, help your child collect evidence of cyberbullying, such as screenshots, messages, or witness statements. This might be helpful later when reporting.
- Depending on the platform where the bullying is happening, guide your child to report the abuse directly to the platform's administrators.
- Encourage your child to block the bully and any other accounts involved in the harassment. This helps limit further exposure.
- Review your child's screen time and establish healthy boundaries around technology use.
- Educate your child about online safety, responsible internet use, and how to identify and avoid cyberbullying tactics.
- Help your child build their self-esteem and resilience through activities they enjoy. Encourage a strong support network of friends and family.
Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Parents
Many parents don't take preventive measures for cyberbullying because they don't understand that it happens. However, using prevention and intervention strategies can help protect the kids from such issues and make sure they are living a healthy and happy life. If you aren't sure how to approach this, we are sharing some ideas.
1Internet Safety Measures
Equipping your child with online safety knowledge is the first line of defense. You should teach them about responsible internet use, caution when sharing information, and how to identify and avoid strangers online. Also, you can use parental controls to restrict inappropriate content and limit screen time.
There are various parental control apps, and AirDroid Parental Control is one of them. This app can help parents set screen time limits for their devices. In addition, parents can see who their kids are talking to, so it becomes easier to determine if kids are being harassed.
- AirDroid Parental Control
- Sync notifications to see if any suspicious text messages are received
- Protect online activity through safe browsing
- Monitor if content is appropriate on social media
2Development of Social Skills
Social skills are important in the online world. You should help your child understand the importance of empathy and kindness in online interactions. Also, encourage them to treat others with respect, just as they would want to be treated.
It is important that you teach them conflict resolution skills so they can handle disagreements respectfully and avoid online fights. Last but not least, guide them towards positive online interactions and help them explore communities focused on their interests. That's because it will help them how to interact and communicate properly.
3Coordination with Schools
You've to maintain open communication with teachers and administrators. You've to discuss your concerns about cyberbullying and talk about the school's policies and resources available to support students facing it. In addition, you should collaborate with other parents and teachers to raise awareness about cyberbullying.
4Counseling
If you suspect cyberbullying, seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor specializing in cyberbullying or adolescent issues is important. Early intervention can build your child's resilience, and they will be able to develop coping mechanisms. Also, counseling will equip them to process emotions effectively. Therapy can also help them learn communication skills to have online interactions more confidently.
The Bottom Line
With the rise in phone and social media use among teenagers, there has been an increase in cases of cyberbullying, which, in extreme situations, has led to a rising number of suicidal deaths. We've shared numbers to show how big the problem is and gave tips on what to do if your child is being bullied online. Parents need to help children and teach them to speak up against bullies. This can help lower the number of cyberbullying suicidal deaths.
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