All Posts Tagged: what is the main cause of cyberbullying

girl being bullied

How Does Online Bullying Affect A Child’s Mental Health?

Sadly, bullying is more common than we like to think. Kids belittle and pick on each other for many reasons. In the past, adults often wrote off bullying as “kids being kids”, but we have learned that being subjected to this type of abuse can be devastating for the targeted child. And, now that computers and social media are commonplace, a bully’s harassment doesn’t have to be done in person – kids can be besieged by cyberbullying, too. So, how does online bullying affect a child’s mental health?

Cyberbullying can cause a child to have more physical problems (sleep disturbances, headaches, stomachaches) and issues with self-esteem. A child who is bullied is less able to learn and adjust in school and more likely to have “depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school” as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In extreme cases of online bullying, children have even been so traumatized that they have taken their own lives.

In addition, bullying also affects the child who is carrying out the harassment, resulting in a higher risk of substance abuse, problems in school, and violence in their teen years and in adulthood.

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