By Melissa Wagoner
As internet and social media use has continued to increase over the past 26 years, so too have the reported instances of cyberbullying – a type of intimidation or harassment that takes place via an electronic platform. The question is, why?
“Basically, for the same reasons social media is so prevalent,” psychiatrist Audry Van Houweling, owner of She Soars Psychiatry in Silverton, ventured, “We crave belonging and in our quest for belonging, we compare and too often, criticize. Social media in particular preys on our deep desire to belong and delivers powerful algorithms speaking to our insecurities, world views, likes, and dislikes.”
Which is why cyberbullying can be so harmful.
“The psychological impacts can be immense especially when so much is absorbed in isolation,” Van Houweling said, listing depression, anxiety, hypervigilance, suicidal ideation, self-harm, powerlessness and decreased self-esteem as the potential mental health effects many victims suffer in silence because “there is often shame and difficulty knowing how to speak up and advocate for one’s self – especially on online platforms since doing so could incite more ridicule.”
So, what then – if anything – can be done to prevent such an omnipresent and potentially harmful problem?
“This is a big ask,” Van Houweling admitted. “Cyberbullying is, unfortunately, all too common and even with the best of parental controls and boundaries, it can still happen.”
Instead of relying on third-party protection, Van Houweling suggests having direct conversations with children about digital boundaries, creating a safe space for them to share and talk about their emotions, and verbally acknowledging how isolating negative internet-based interactions can be.
Even if a child is not exhibiting any outward symptoms of cyberbullying – such as a sudden change in the use of social media accounts, anxiety, withdrawal, truancy, moodiness or dipping grades – they may still be dealing with its effects.
“Cyberbullying can happen anonymously, around the clock, and can avoid detection from bystanders or eyewitnesses…” Van Houweling confirmed. “Escape or avoidance is also much more possible with face-face scenarios versus the potential permanence of cyberbullying. Finding places of safety when cyberbullying can invade the home or other places of respite via a cell phone or computer can be challenging. Cyberbullying also has much greater reach – this can create a dangerous virtual mob mentality or the worst kind of crowdsourcing.”
Which is why it is important to take cyberbullying seriously and to seek help when appropriate.
“If there are any direct threats to somebody’s physical safety, pornographic material, sharing of photos or video in places where privacy is expected, stalking, or hate crimes, this should be reported directly to law enforcement,” Van Houweling said.
And, if the involved parties are students, such acts should also be reported to the school district as well.
“We take these acts seriously and work to investigate or find resolution when we know of an issue,” Todd Miller, Superintendent of the Santiam Canyon School District (SCSD), said.
But Miller admits that doing so can be tricky, largely because cyberbullying can involve a varying timeline, multiple locations and evaporating evidence.
“There can be a whole continuum of cyberbullying and circumstances that make each incident different, meaning that response and/or consequences can look different,” Miller said.
He recommends that parents keep a close eye on their child’s social media platforms and usage and let the school know immediately if there are any red flags.
“The sooner school staff know what is going on, the better our investigation and response can be to an incident,” he pointed out.
He also recommends that parents demonstrate good online behavior themselves.
“Online and social media has become a platform for some people to impersonally make very hurtful personal comments of others,” he began.
“The issue is real for kids, but it is also larger than our kids. We need to continue to support students to make better decisions online, but adults also need to model better behavior as well.”
