Teen Depression Caused by Cyberbullying

Teen depression caused by cyberbullying has resulted in several tragic deaths in the United States. This new type of bully can attack his victim any time of the day or night, often without revealing his true identity. Cyberbullies can create slam book web pages, send harassing emails or post negative comments on the victim's social networking pages, all with the click of a mouse.

Facts

• According to the National Crime Prevention Council, 43 percent of teenagers who use the Internet have been bullied in the past year. Of those who reported being bullied, only 10 percent told their parents about it.

  Students who are repeatedly harassed and threatened may succumb to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Some cases of cyberbullying have even resulted in suicide. One notable incident was that of Abraham K. Biggs from Broward County, Florida, who committed suicide live on Justin.tv in 2008. While he had a live streaming video of his suicide, people continued to taunt him, even after he lay dead on his bed.

Types

• There are many types of cyberbullying, and it doesn't just happen on the Internet. The following are the most common ways that teens are bullied in cyberspace:

  Cell phones
  Social networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook
  Chat rooms
  YouTube and other video streaming websites
  Instant messaging
  Email

  Teens can send threatening messages, photos and videos all with the intent of harming, humiliating and intimidating their victim. Many bullies who commit this type of crime do so because they believe they won't get caught.

Prevention/Solution

• One of the key ways to preventing cyberbullying is to talk about it. Talk to friends, parents and school administrators or, when warranted, law enforcement. Teens want to tell someone, but they also want to be assured that they won't be forced to become friends with the bully or lose Internet privileges because of it.

  Teens who are being bullied don't have to just take it. They can block bullies from contacting them on the Internet through their Internet service provider. They may also report abusive behavior directly to website administrators, make copies of harassing or threatening emails, and save voice mails in the event they want to report it to authorities.

Legislation

• While states are struggling to decide how to handle cyberbullying cases, schools and parents are having an equally difficult time. Where the crime is committed has a lot to do with how it can be prosecuted. Authorities may dismiss it if it occurs outside of school because it is considered a First Amendment right. Cyberbullying that occurs inside of school may be punished with detention or expulsion. However, if a school district does nothing when cyber bullying is reported, the victim's family may hit it with a failure to act lawsuit.

Warning

• Teens often experience depression when they are being bullied. Signs of depression include:

  Loss of interest in school or favorite activities
  Withdrawal from friends and family
  Frequent illness
  Changes in eating behavior or weight loss
  Changes in sleep
  Frequent mood swings
  Fatigue

  If a teen is experiencing these symptoms for longer than a week, seeking professional assistance is advisable.