Negative Effects of Cyberbullying

Thanks to the advent of increasingly widespread and sophisticated technology such as cell phones and social media websites, bullying in the 21st century is hardly limited to the playground. Cyberbullying involves the use of technology to threaten or humiliate others, and can consist of everything from posting offensive items on an individual's Facebook profile to constantly sending a person threatening text messages. Like any form of bullying, cyberbullying can have serious consequences for its victims.

  1. Negative Emotions

    • Much like playground bullying, cyberbullying causes victims to feel a range of negative emotions. Some individuals become quite frustrated and angry at how they are treated, and they may lash out physically or verbally. Others are embarrassed by such bullying, especially if the cyberbullying takes the form of online photographs or other public displays meant to humiliate the victim. Others are simply left feeling sad by cyberbullying.

    Long-Term Negative Thoughts

    • The negative emotions caused by cyberbullying can turn to thoughts of suicide or periods of depression in the long-term. This is particularly likely if the cyberbullying goes on for a long time or is manipulative, since such ordeals are more difficult to overcome. Cyberbullying can lead to mental instability if the victim is targeted for being different, too. Research into the effects of cyberbullying on students with non-heterosexual orientations by Iowa State University identified that 54 percent of the 350 non-heterosexual school kids asked felt they had been cyberbullied within 30 days prior to the study. Of these, 45 percent suffered depression following their ordeal and 26 percent thought of suicide, as the Science Daily website reports.

    Fear of Reporting

    • One effect of cyberbullying is that some victims may feel unable to tell adults, not only because they are afraid of repercussions or embarrassed by the bullying, but because adults may prohibit their use of technology. Despite their ordeals, many kids will want to continue to use the Internet or cell phones.

    Preoccupation with Avoidance

    • After becoming the victim of cyberbullying, kids may change their habits. Some kids may quit social networking websites they previously enjoyed, or they may stop using their cell phones even to communicate with friends. This desire to avoid repeat incidents can create a preoccupation with avoiding cyberbullying, according to "Offline Consequences of Online Victimization: School Violence and Delinquency" by Sameer Hinduja et al.

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