Ten Ways to Deal With a Cyberbully

By Rich DeMuro

Ten Ways to Deal With a CyberbullyBullying is nothing new – it’s just that new online tools are giving bullies more ways to work, and many of them are anonymous.

Here are Catherine Teitelbaum’s tips, former Direct of Global Safety for Yahoo, for dealing with the situation.

1. Take a breather – Seeing negative comments and posts can be very emotional. Take a minute to cool off, regroup and gather your thoughts before doing anything.

2. Keep it 100 – You’re an awesome person! Stay true to yourself, no matter what any one else thinks. Remember that when someone is trying to knock you down.

3. Don’t drink the haterade – Sometimes bullies are just looking for a reaction. Definitely stand up for yourself, but don’t feel obligated to respond. Your lack of a response shows bullies that you’re not letting their negative comments affect you.

4. Talk it out – Show your parents, teacher or another trusted adult what posts are bothering you and discuss it with them. They can offer you the help and support needed if bullying occurs.

5. Screenshot it – Keep track of the bullying comments and posts just in case the situation escalates and you need help addressing the issue. Take screen shots or snap a pic to help you keep track.

6. Report it – Most social media networks offer reporting tools to combat bullying and other inappropriate behavior. Use those tools to report bullies – and don’t worry, reporting is almost always anonymous so the bully won’t know who reported them.

7. Block them – If you’re repeatedly being harassed by a specific person, block them from your account. Social media networks are equipped with ways to prevent bullying users from seeing, posting or commenting to your account.

8. Find your squad – Surround yourself with people who care about you. Friends, family members, even pets can play a big role in reminding you what a great person you are. Lean on them for that additional nudge of support when you’re faced with a bully (whether online or offline).

9. Kill them with kindness – Bullies are just like the rest of us, but may be missing the loving and nurturing environment that many of us enjoy. Give them a compliment or respond with a positive comment to show them they matter too.

10. Pay it forward – If you’ve ever been bullied, you know how isolating it can be. So when you see others being bullied, show them some support and stand up to the bully on their behalf.

Source: http://ktla.com/2016/01/11/what-you-need-to-know-about-cyberbullying/

Related Continuing Education Courses

Bullies have moved from the playground and workplace to the online world, where anonymity can facilitate bullying behavior. Cyberbullying is intentional, repeated harm to another person using communication technology. It is not accidental or random. It is targeted to a person with less perceived power. This may be someone younger, weaker, or less knowledgeable about technology. Any communication device may be used to harass or intimidate a victim, such as a cell phone, tablet, or computer. Any communication platform may host cyberbullying: social media sites (Facebook, Twitter), applications (Snapchat, AIM), websites (forums or blogs), and any place where one person can communicate with – or at – another person electronically. The short and long-term effects of bullying are considered as significant as neglect or maltreatment as a type of child abuse. This course reviews evidenced-based research for identification, management and prevention of cyberbullying in children, adolescents and adults. It will describe specific cyberbullying behaviors, review theories that attempt to explain why bullying happens, list the damaging effects that befall its victims, and discuss strategies professionals can use to prevent or manage identified cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a fast-growing area of concern and all healthcare professionals should be equipped to spot the signs and provide support for our patients and clients, as well as keep up with the technology that drives cyberbullying.

 

Children with difficult temperaments and those with developmental delays may have learned to express their dissatisfaction with challenging and defiant behavior like whining, anger, temper tantrums or bad language. They sometimes engage in negative behavior or “misbehave” because they do not have the necessary skills – communicative or otherwise – to make their needs known. The purpose of this course is to teach clinicians effective and practical strategies to manage challenging and defiant behavior in their young clients. The course will also focus on how clinicians can educate parents on how to manage difficult behavior and avoid power struggles at home. The dynamics and techniques described in this course are intended for use with typically functioning children and those with developmental or language delays. They are not generally adequate or even appropriate for children with serious behavior conditions like oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorders.

 

This video course starts with a thoughtful definition of “bullying” and goes on to illustrate the functional roles of the three participant groups: the targeted individuals, the bullies, and the bystanders. The speaker discusses the concepts of resiliency, empathy, and growth/fixed mindsets, and considers the pros and cons of alternative responses to harmful behavior. Included also are an examination of the utility of zero tolerance policies and a variety of adult responses when becoming aware of bullying behavior. The speaker utilizes multiple examples and scenarios to propose strategies and techniques intended to offer connection, support and reframing to targeted individuals, motivation to change in the form of progressive, escalating consequences to bullies, and multiple intervention options to bystanders. Further segments discuss ways in which schools can create safe, pro-social climates. The course video is split into 2 parts for your convenience: part 1 is 1 hour and 34 minutes and part 2 is 1 hour and 9 minutes.

 

This course, which includes two CDC bulletins, discusses the findings of the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV), the most comprehensive nationwide survey of the incidence and prevalence of children’s exposure to violence to date, sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey confirms the alarming statistic that most of our society’s children are exposed to violence in their daily lives. More than 60% of the children surveyed were exposed to violence within the past year, either directly or indirectly. The reports further reveal the adverse effects suffered by children who witness violence, identify risk and protective factors, and describe the key elements of designing an effective response. This course satisfies the domestic violence requirement for biennial relicensure of Florida mental health professionals.

Professional Development Resources is approved to offer online continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; and by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners.