Cyberbullying: The Psychological Effects Of Social Media

Superior Essays
As society has progressed over the years, social media and smartphones have become a major part of everyday life. Karen Sternheimer in her book titled Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture states, “Love or hate social networking, it is here to stay. Online platforms have become central in many people’s lives, not replacing offline contact by any means, but they are integral communication for work and socializing” (63). The internet, specifically social media has become a part of society and everyday usage. It has helped with advancement and progression in general. Essentially, the use of social media will only gain more usage instead of people losing interest. The advancement of technology and access to the internet has lead to a prevalence …show more content…
Symptoms can include an increased feeling of loneliness, change in eating or sleep patterns, loss of interest in everyday activities, and a decrease in academic achievement. Sheri Bauman, in Youth Suicide and Bullying: Challenges and Strategies for Prevention and Intervention, suggests, “The nature of technology is such an act of cyber-bullying that can be seen by an extremely large audience, meaning that victims may believe that their social world has been destroyed” (78). Meaning, many young people use technology as a way to maintain relationships, but when cyberbullying occurs, it may seem that those relationships and their online personas have been forever damaged. Therefore, these occurrences may lead victims to believe they no longer have a sense of belonging, which develops into a psychological effect of cyberbullying. When someone feels alone and that they have no one, this can lead to depression and anxiety. This occurs when relationships seem to be damaged and not able to be maintained any longer. Cyberbullying has negative effects on one’s mental health and it could potentially lead to a detrimental consequence. These psychological effects can become detrimental and lead one to commit …show more content…
Since it is hard to monitor texts and posts, it is important for one to report cyberbullying even if it is not occurring to oneself. Other solutions could mean telling a trusted adult, deleting social media, or staying online and refusing to acknowledge the bullying. Sheri Bauman’s book Youth Suicide and Bullying: Challenges and Strategies for Prevention and Intervention describe the factors that need to be taken care of in order to find a solution to suicide. A quote from the book says, “Social-ecological theory views the factors that are involved in bullying behaviors as a series of overlapping layers of influence from the individual such as family, peers, school, community, and culture” (84). To find a solution, one needs to look at these influences. One of the best preventative solutions is to notice what is happening online in our schools and communities and what to do when seeing signs of cyberbullying. The article Why We Are Still Searching for Solutions to Cyberbullying: An Analysis of the North American Responses to Cyberbullying Under the Theory of Systemic Desensitization says, “While policies on cyberbullying are definitely a step towards the right direction, they do not guarantee that such incidents will not happen. What they guarantee instead, are the means to control the fear of

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