Cyberbullying threatens adolescents
With the death of 13-year-old Hakan Ekinci in Istanbul, the issue of violence in virtual games has once again come to the agenda. Pointing out that the behavioral problem called "cyberbullying" has been added to concepts such as internet addiction, game addiction and social media addiction, experts warned, "Individuals who have not fully developed self-confidence during adolescence can be very easily affected by these behaviors."
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan pointed out that it is inevitable for the internet to enter our lives with today's technological developments, so the internet and communication over the internet brings some problems.
Noting that a behavioral problem called "cyberbullying" has been added to concepts such as internet addiction, game addiction, social media addiction, which has been increasing in recent years, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said the following:
"The problem of being harmed by peers has been added to the problems such as social isolation, loneliness, communication disorder and depression caused by internet addiction. Cyberbullying is considered as a person or a group of people constantly disturbing, pressuring and harassing another person through online games, social media tools, e-mail and chat rooms.
This behavior is repeated continuously or at certain intervals and continues as an effect aimed at harming the other party. Although it may seem like a joke and fun at the beginning, the continuation of this behavior has negative consequences for the person. These behaviors can be seen in many areas such as name-calling, mocking, taking over passwords, spreading false news, taking over accounts, making changes in the game, excluding from the game, humiliating, forcing to do things they do not want.
Words and conversations that would not normally be said face to face may continue in a way that humiliates the other person through the virtual environment. If there is no continuity, this situation cannot be considered as cyberbullying. Basically, communication is established at a level that will damage the personality structure and emotions of the person. Individuals who have not fully developed self-confidence during adolescence can be very easily affected by these behaviors. Adults, on the other hand, can cope with this behavior much more easily."
Street bullying moved to the virtual world
Stating that bullying, which was previously seen on the streets or in school gardens, has now started to be experienced in the virtual world, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "It is seen that adolescents who are exposed to cyberbullying experience impaired concentration at school, their school success is affected; they experience mood fluctuations such as dissatisfaction with school, anger, sadness, demoralization, restlessness, depression, anxiety disorder, psychotic disorder. In order to prevent and avoid such situations, it is very important for individuals to be aware of cyberbullying against themselves or someone else."
They hesitate to report it to their families
Noting that there is not much data on cyberbullying in our country, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "Because usually adolescents hesitate to report this situation to their families or even if they report it to their families, their families hesitate to make legal notifications. In different studies in our country, it has been reported to reach 50% in different age groups. According to international data, it is stated that 30-45% of adolescents who use computers, smartphones and the internet are exposed to cyberbullying, and 20% of those who are bullied think of harming themselves."
They resort to bullying to be popular
Stating that people who bully generally have a sense of revenge, the desire to be popular and admired, trying to eliminate their failures and disappointments in the virtual environment and some underlying psychological problems may push the person to do this, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "Especially lonely, weak social relations, individuals who want to impose themselves in a virtual environment, individuals with low self-confidence are more prone to cyberbullying."
Families pay attention to these recommendations!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan emphasized that along with the measures to be taken individually, some measures should be taken nationally and gave the following advice to families:
"Measures that start at home should continue at school and internet use should be controlled by state units. Families should first establish healthy communication with their children, make adolescents feel respected within the family, and allow them to share their feelings by allowing them to express their emotions. Adolescents should be modeled in terms of internet and phone use, the internet should not be used to calm children down, and they should not be allowed to play violent movies or games. In addition, the websites accessed should be monitored and the computer should be in an environment where all family members can see it."
Stating that a child who is exposed to cyberbullying should share this situation with his/her family, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "If he/she does not share it with his/her family, the family should get support from an expert to solve the problem here. At the moment of sharing, they should try to understand the situation without blaming or judging, and then think together about how to get rid of this problem by showing empathy. If the child is highly affected, psychosocial support should be sought immediately. In cases where the problem gets bigger and bigger, a legal process should be initiated and an investigation should be carried out."