In an age where everybody has a smartphone or a tablet starting at a young age, it’s important to talk about something that comes with technology that needs to be stopped. I’m talking about cyber-bullying/cyber-harassment. We live in a time where social media takes up a big presence in our lives. Now, social media isn’t all bad, but the behaviors that come with it can be. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for someone to post something just to have someone else virtually attack them for their thoughts. This happens all the time, both for the world to see, and privately between the individuals, and it needs to be stopped. Everyone deserves not to judged, and everyone deserves to be respected. If you’ve been the victim of cyber-bullying, keep these following points in mind.
1. Don’t respond
Be the bigger person here. If you respond and engage in the conflict, the situation will only get worse and you will only feel worse about yourself.
2. You’re more than what the other person is saying
People act as cyber bullies because they think they can get away with it. They attack you virtually because they wouldn’t want people to see them do it in reality. In the end, this only makes them look bad.
3. Take pictures and report it
Almost every device these days lets you take a screenshot. If you find yourself to be the victim, take a screenshot of the situation. This way, you can delete the post or the message, block the person, and still be able to report it—especially if this happens on Facebook. Facebook wants to help you through this, but if you don’t have proof of the situation, there’s not much they can do.
4. Think about who this person is that’s bullying you
Is this person someone you don’t know? Is this person someone from your past? Is this person someone that you’ve never gotten along with? If any of these questions are the case, the person attacking you doesn’t know you. They don’t know how you’ve changed or grown. They’re making judgments about someone they don’t know. Normally, when people do this, they end up being wrong about the person they’re judging. So if this person bullying you is someone that barely knows you, take comfort in the fact that they’re in the wrong.
5. Reach out to a real friend
It’s not good to bottle this all in and they to deal with it yourself—not if hurtful things are being said. So, reach out to a friend. Tell them what’s going on. Cry to them. They’re your real friends. These are the people that know you best and can tell you that the things the cyber bully is telling you aren’t true. These are the people that can point out all your strengths.
6. Don't dwell on it
Focusing on this act of cyber-bullying for an extended period of time is only going to be bad for your mental health. Cyber-bullying already takes a toll on your mental health, so try not to make it worse by dwelling on it. Report it, delete it, block the person, and move on. Don’t let them steal your happiness when they hardly know you.
7. Finally, use it as motivation
We’re all guaranteed the right of free speech thanks to the First Amendment. Now, that doesn’t give people the right to tear someone else down, but it does give us the right to channel negative situations into motivational speaking, to help others get through what you’ve been through—just like this article is doing.
So, if you find yourself to be a victim of cyber-bullying, keep these point in mind. And also, know that God will get you through it. This will only make you stronger.
