By Jenna DeRosa
Bullying is a social crisis.
The impact of social media has catapulted bullying into a 24 hour a day problem for youth. Each teenager has a unique and different experience, but all have one thing in common, psychological pain. Ignoring and postponing treatment can cause long-term and life-altering effects for your teenager. Those who have been the victim of bullying can develop depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and more. Every day a young person feels victimized damages their sense of self.
How to recognize if your child is being bullied:
- Injuries that your child cannot explain
- The child becoming ill and wanting to skip school
- Headaches, stomach aches
- Difficulty sleeping or having frequent nightmares
- Declining grades, loss of interest in school
- Isolating from friends and family
- Harming themselves
- Helplessness or decreased self-esteem
- Suicidal thoughts
- Changes in eating habits
- Sudden changes in friend groups
What can parents do?
- Be aware of the signs listed above
- Provide a place for your child to feel safe
- Do not judge your child’s experience
- Allow for your child to feel heard and cared for
- Validate their feelings
- Help them problem solve
- Contact teachers, school counselor, principal, or superintendent to notify and bring awareness to the issue
- Provide access to counseling
What can kids do?
- Surrounding yourself with positive friendships
- Avoid isolation
- Seek assistance from teachers and counselors
- Be an advocate for yourself
- Be assertive
- Talk with parents
- Remind yourself of your positive qualities
- Limit yourself from social media
What can counselors do?
- Provide an outlet to talk about insecurities and struggles
- Provide a place for the individual to feel safe, heard and valued
- Work on confidence and building self-worth
- Address symptoms of depression or anxiety
- Monitor suicidal thoughts and develop safety plans
- Teach assertiveness skills
- Increase healthy coping skills
- Work with the school to support the victim
Websites:
National anti-bullying website: www.stopbullying.gov
Colorado specific bullying prevention site: www.cde.state.co.us/mtss/bullying
