Bullying has been around for ages. But this hurtful action started to evolve as time changes. Nowadays, the act of bullying is no longer confined to the schoolyard. It can now transcend to your work or home through social media.
According to a joint study from the University of Nottingham and the University of Sheffield released in 2012, eight out of 10 adults became victims of cyberbullying during the past six months. About 25% of them admitted that they felt ignored, humiliated, or became subjects of online gossip.
Getting rude comments online or any other type of bullying can hurt a person’s feelings. It can lead to anxiety, depression and affect their self-esteem. Like regular bullying, the effects of cyberbullying can be permanent. It may even make a lasting effect on your personality.
If you have been a victim of cyberbullying on social media, here are several ways to help you deal with it and move forward from your negative experience.
Trick #1: Opt Not To Retaliate
Most of the time, cyberbullies or trolls attack people online to get a response. They may be bored or craving attention. So choose to take the high road and avoid “feeding the troll” by not responding. Some social media platforms can let you mute the cyberbully and screen their comments. This option will allow you to avoid getting hurt.
Trick #2: Use The Block Button
You may take advantage of the block or unfollow button offered by social media networks to avoid any interaction with the people hurting you. If you are part of an online group, it would be hard to avoid those people, but you may find an option to mute their comments. You may also try to talk to them and ask them to remove their hurtful comments. Sometimes, people do not realize that they cause embarrassment or hurt due to their comments.
Trick #3: Boost Your Privacy Setting
It is crucial to ensure that only the people who earn your trust will have access to your online presence. Ensure that you have the highest privacy settings possible. By doing this, you will ensure that only those with who you want to share your content can see your social media updates. They will most likely respect your opinion and avoid saying nasty things if their views do not align with yours.
Trick #4: Follow The 30-Second Rule
If you want to post about something but not sure if it will affect others, you must stop and reflect for 30 seconds before posting. After that time frame, try to look back at your message and ask yourself how you will feel if you are the reader of the post. It will help you avoid hurting others online as well.
Trick #5: Take A Social Media Break
If you want to avoid stress due to social media cyberbullying, you should disable your social media accounts for a while and take a break from the troublesome world. Pausing from social media can be beneficial for your mental health.
To deal with social media bullies, you need to ensure that you will first take care of yourself. You do not have to suffer from the effects of cyberbullying by allowing it to get into your head. By following these tricks, you can assure that cyberbullies will not leave permanent damages to your life.
