HARASSED TO DEATH
IMPACTS OF CYBERBULLYING ON
TEEN SUICIDE

I’m tired of trying, sick of crying
I know I’ve been smiling, but inside I’m dying

CYBER BULLYING & SUICIDE
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year
• For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 suicide attempts.
• Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it.
• Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University
• A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying
• 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying

CYBER BULLYNG
Research suggests greater, longer standing psychological impact than traditional bullying….
 More pervasive, 24/7 nature of bullying
 Wider audience
 Anonymity of the bully
 More invasive means
 Difficulty escaping
 Less awareness from adults due to rapid increases in technology and social mediums

HOW CYBER BULLYING IMPACTS
MENTAL HEALTH
• Cyber bullying victims show increased levels of depression, anxiety and somaticized symptoms than traditionally bullied victims
• Children tend to internalize problems
• Withdrawal behaviors
• Lowered self-esteem
• Isolation
• Greater impact on the self

Case Examples???

Suicides