What a world we live in! Young people can get depressed, too. I worry about the young who consume so much on-screen media, but I am most concerned about pre-teens navigating the shift from childhood to adolescence.
Scholars have associated cyberbullying with suicide, a phenomenon known as cyberbullicide. According to studies, the types of cyberbullying are becoming increasingly harrowing and pernicious, with pre-teens currently transitioning into high school at particularly elevated risk.
While social media offers benefits for young people, it is important to recognise its serious pitfalls, such as online challenges, social comparison, and imitation, which may directly provoke and worsen suicidal thoughts.
The literature has studied cyberbullying and Internet harassment, showing that, sadly, such behaviours are increasingly accepted and expected among adolescents. In the article Cyberbullying Victimisation and Suicide Attempt Among Adolescents: A Cross-National Comparison, the authors analyse data from six countries (Singapore, China, Iran, Indonesia, India, and Lithuania) as part of the Eurasian Child Mental Health Study. It has been identified that some effects on teens’ lives can be internalisation, externalisation, or a substance use problem.
Cyberbullying may take many forms, including embarrassing or hurtful comments or photographs being posted online or sent to the victim; rumours being spread about the victim; gestures being posted; threats of harm being sent to the victim through messages; someone pretending to be the victim online; or offensive videos or web pages being posted about the victim.
The feeling of being laughed at or harassed by others can prevent teens from speaking up about the problem. Pressure on educational performance has also been linked to pre-teens seeking refuge on social media platforms.
In contrast to schoolyard bullying, cyberbullying grants potential anonymity to the aggressor; this anonymity increases the level of danger to a minor. The visual nature of online harassment causes severe anxiety, depression, and hopelessness, often exceeding the impact of traditional bullying. Visual platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, as well as Facebook and Twitter, have gradually incorporated more visual content into their user interfaces and functionality.
The growing popularity of visual media emphasises how important it is for early teens to be digitally literate. Navigating a visually focused online world requires critical thinking, awareness of digital communication nuances, and responsible engagement.
Back to suicide and self-harming thoughts, suicide is frequently taboo in the Arab world, which might result in under reporting or being classified as an unnatural death. In several Arab nations, suicide and attempted suicide are prohibited. The topic is rarely discussed in public, media, or within families because of the extreme shame attached to it, therefore, creating a ‘taboo within a taboo.’ This creates challenges in establishing effective preventative measures and raising awareness.
As a pressing public health issue affecting pre-teens’ mental wellbeing, cyberbullying must be openly addressed within schools, families, and the media. Scholars recommend multi-faceted prevention strategies, including enhancing digital literacy for parents and educators to better protect young people.
Cybercrime prevention laws and Internet usage guidelines have evolved into a more effective framework. However, there are often limitations regarding the effectiveness of these programmes. A lack of understanding about cyberbullying, digital abuse, and content that encourages self-harm may hamper targeted campaigns and legislative solutions.
This is primarily due to a lack of up-to-date statistics and qualitative evaluations of the different forms of harassment. It may also reflect a laissez-faire approach to establishing clear, enforceable standards to combat emotional or physical harassment.
Studies need to examine regional risk variables to develop focused solutions. Other types of physical or mental anxiety should also be covered. Given the speed at which suicidal thoughts and behaviours develop, the analysis should embrace fresh viewpoints.
By prioritising open discussion, we can better support pre-teens through these challenges.
