The internet is a fabulous invention that has altered how we live today in so many ways. Unfortunately, Cyber bullying has become a terrible phenomenon because of the explosion in internet usage, easy access to photos and the vast growth of social media. We can all take responsibility for tackling this monster of a problem. It can occur as an extension of ’in-person’ bullying in school or at any time, even in office environments. We need to look at ways we can help those affected & educate those who could be mistreated online.
It is not something that is going to go away & will only increase unless we help those close to us & ultimate impact this in a positive way. It is very ease to quickly spread rumours or post embarrassing images, send abusive messages & harass people from all walks of life. I feel extremely grateful my childhood was not documented in this way, everything is so 'exposed'. I used to love getting photos developed & printed, a lost art form only now used by a few!
One massive problem is that there is no escaping it, it happens 24/7 in the home, often the bedroom of the 'target'... it is not something that can be easily 'escaped' & there are so many different levels of issues. One example: someone uploading a photo of a group of people, cutting someone out because it 'did not fit the frame' & no other reason than that, yet the person who is cut out can be extremely offended.
They can mistake it as them being 'removed' due to a dislike or because of their image/look. In extremes, this can add to eating disorders, when they think they 'do not look right' and struggle to fit in. We all have our 'triggers' in life that have the potential to 'push us over the edge'. Negativity, disappoint & confusion cannot be avoided but we can continually learn new ways to tackle these feelings and work to live in the NOW daily.
Prince William recently launched a new Taskforce to tackle this issue & support the families of those affected. He was inspired by a mother’s story of the loss of her 17-year-old son Felix, to suicide, after years of bullying via social media. The Duke of Cambridge has teamed up with tech firms, children’s charities and parents to launch a code of conduct to beat cyberbullying. It has been liked to a Green Cross Code for the internet “Stop, Speak, Support”. As a result, 2 of the biggest companies, Facebook & Snapchat are going to trial offering access to counselling via the platforms. One key message to young people from the Prince was "don't be bystanders - step up speak out, stop this".
We need to increase the education of the dangers & powerful harm cyberbullying is doing to so many NOW. The true level of despair suffered by vast numbers of young people is often not realised until something so extreme happens such as suicide. Fake & anonymous accounts are also on the rise, one American TV program, CatFish, helps people to understand the depth of the problems & also the levels people will go to when lying & deceiving others. One of the presenters was himself a victim of a fake profile & can empathise with the shows participants well & they help many uncover the truth. Experiencing such depths of lying can then affect their overall ability to trust everyone, even their own judgement.
Lucy Alexander, the mother of Felix said “Social media was his life. It was the way everyone communicated, and if you weren't on it, you were isolated. If he was invited to a party, someone would text saying: 'You don't want to invite him. Everyone hates him'. And all he saw was negative. He saw himself as stupid and ugly. It just ate away at him inside, I think, but I had no idea of the depth of his despair at all."
The grandson of my parent's friend was affected first hand recently when a girl he was friends with at school took her own life due to bullying & the Police believe the abuse was in part due to her friendship with him. He must be utterly devastated, distraught & confused & definitely needs to seek alternative ways to cope & move forwards.
One vital way to help with this, is for everyone to talk about & make it more acceptable to be discussed openly & often, whenever things arise. Discussing how a person perceives a situation can have a major impact towards a positive resolution for them. We spend way too much time worrying about what others think about us & how people react is so much more visible online than ever before. Not getting enough ‘likes’ or ‘friends’ or reactions to postings can be very upsetting to some. As Felix’s Mum says, “social media was his life’. People, all too often, don’t meet up & talk, communication is conducted via text, WhatsApp or Voicey’s. It is altering how people learn to converse everywhere but regular mindfulness practices can help!
My plan is to teach as many children as possible new, improved ways of dealing with stress, trauma & the many challenges life throws at us. Meditation, Yoga & Reiki all impact positively on the lives of anyone who tries them. Learning to self-reiki daily improves the health and wellbeing of everyone who does it! When we look closely and trace back when an ache or health issue started, it is clear stress & holding onto emotions is a huge cause. Let's work on this to eradicate dis-eases that are the result of emotional blockages that do not need to be suffered. Going down the traditional, but very incorrect, route of visiting the doctors & hospitals immediately for pills & potions to resolve issues is not the way to go. We need to look at the root cause of the problems otherwise they will manifest as something else later on.
We must now all act, do all we can to help, ourselves first, then others, to understand the devastating effect 'storing' negative, abusive, learned behaviour’s has on our HEALTH. There are many options to try:
YOGA brings balance & calm, flexibility & strength to the mental & physical self. I had the most amazing outdoor yoga session, even managing a guided forearm headstand, something I did not think was possible therefore encouraging me to push the boundaries of my 'limitations' yesterday & achieve new goals. Tina who runs Lotus & Laurel Yoga teaches children & is a talented instructor, based in Hampton but with classes throughout the area of Richmond Upon Thames & Windsor.
MEDITATION is a superb relaxation tool, that is taught in a few schools and there are practitioners who specifically teach children on a one-to-one or group basis & some schools even have mediation assemblies & practices in place as a replacement for detention. Kids play up because of far deeper issues, learning to centre & ground themselves is vital.
REIKI ENERGY HEALING treatments are superb for removing the build-up of emotional, mental & physical blockages & improving overall heath & wellbeing. Sessions work to alleviate depression, anxiety, stress; can aid with learning difficulties, building self-confidence, personal growth & self-love & removing aches & pains associated with stress, such as migraines. I am developing a Reiki Course for Children, now that I have my Enhanced DBS Certificate, allowing me to teach one-to-one or groups of younger people.
CRYSTALS for healing work wonders too! The other day I was house siting for a boiler fitting & conversing with the young plumber & he said (about crystals) "they helped me pass my driving test". Lovely that they are now reaching many people from all walks of life & have an impact on them. Examples of ones to use are those for protection, clearing & confidence building, self-worth & after trauma. There are numerous ones that can help & for anyone local I sell them at local markets.. see the December dates on my EVENTS page.
EXERCISE, a simple walk in nature can completely change your outlook in the now, it can be so calming & relaxing & de-stressing. It lowers blood pressure & lightens one's mood - provided the phone is turned off / not used!!!
All holistic methods help with removing emotional, physical & mental blockages and improving our health, wellbeing and daily happiness levels. More & more of the world's population are 'waking up' to & learning life improving skills that have not previously been taught opening in schools & when growing up. We often become spiritual after trauma, extreme stress Keep an eye on my site for the new course dates and do comment or get in touch with any of your own experiences, questions you may have or services you offer that can help.
Namaste
Emma
+44 (0)7949089265
emma@handserenity.com
