The harmful effects of cyberbullying can be seen all over our country. In South Africa, more and more teens are carrying silent wounds from words, posts, and private messages meant to shame, humiliate, and isolate them.
According to a survey of 200 South African parents, over half (51.5%) reported that their child had been cyberbullied. That means this problem isn’t rare or far-fetched, it’s close to home.
So, let’s talk about it. Let’s talk about the harmful effects of cyberbullying, what it does to our teens, and how we can start paying attention.
What Is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is when digital platforms are used to harass, embarrass, or intimidate someone. This could mean threatening texts, nasty Instagram comments, or even group chats set up just to mock one person. And it’s happening more than most parents think.
One South African university study found that 33.1% of students had something shared about them online, something they didn’t want anyone else to see. That kind of exposure doesn’t go away. Not when it’s floating around the internet.
The effects of cyberbullying are not just “online drama.” They can alter the way your teen sees themselves, the way they trust others, and how safe they feel in the world.
What are the Effects of Cyberbullying on Teens?
The harmful effects of cyberbullying can present themselves in many ways. Some ways are obvious, like a lack of appetite, while others like festering depression can go unnoticed for weeks. It can also manifest as a combination of these effects.
Every child’s reaction to cyberbullying is unique to them. But by knowing possible reactions and signs of cyberbullying, parents can keep an eye out and intervene as early as possible. In this section, we’ll look at the psychological and emotional effects of cyberbullying.
Three Emotional Effects of Cyberbullying to Watch Out For
1. Shame and Isolation – When a teen is targeted online, they often start pulling away from family and friends. They feel like they’re alone, even when they’re not. They carry shame that doesn’t belong to them and this forces them to retreat into themselves, avoiding family, friends, and even activities they once loved.
2. Fear of Going Online – The same university study mentioned earlier also found that nearly a third of students admitted they were afraid to be online. Not because of bad Wi-Fi, but because of what someone might post next.
3. Low Self-Esteem – Teens who are constantly mocked or compared to others online start believing the worst things about themselves. It’s hard to see your worth when every notification passes a hurtful message. This leads to low self-esteem and a lack of self-love, two things teenagers cannot afford to lose. Having a strong sense of self helps them fight against negative influences, resist peer pressure, and stand for what they believe in.
Psychological Effects That Don’t Just “Go Away”
The psychological effects of cyberbullying are often long-lasting. They leave scars that some students struggle with for months, years, and sadly even the rest of their lives. Here are some of the harmful effects of cyberbullying to students’ minds:
- Anxiety — Developing anxiety is a common reaction to bullying in any form. But anxiety from cyberbullying introduces a whole new level of discomfort for young teens. This kind of anxiety doesn’t fade after the screen is off. It follows them, hurtful words that stick with them and weigh them down, leaving them too anxious to even check their phones.
- Depression — This tends to creep in quietly after a student experiences cyberbullying. It often comes part and parcel with anxiety. Cyberbullying makes students lose their self-esteem and view themselves poorly which leads to depression.
- Suicidal thoughts — These are often unspoken, but dangerously present. Suicidal thoughts manifest as a result of cyberbullying because students are faced with harassment on a scale no one can control. This leaves them feeling powerless. All three of these psychological effects might produce suicidal depression, where teens are constantly plagued with thoughts of taking their own lives.
The worst part is that teens rarely talk about their struggles unless you ask the right questions, and even then, there’s no guarantee you’ll get an honest answer. This is why creating a safe space for your kids is so important. This makes them feel more confident in coming to you with their problems.
The Physical and Behavioural Consequences of Cyberbullying
We often associate physical symptoms with illness, but stress from cyberbullying can make the body respond too. The negative effects of cyberbullying can present as physical symptoms.
Physical Effects of Cyberbullying
- Fatigue from lack of sleep — Students who experience cyberbullying might develop sleep disorders. This can be from doom-scrolling. They might spend hours on their phones, consuming the very content that speaks badly of them. This reaction is more common than people think. No one wants to see negative things written or said about them, but knowing that it’s out there creates a desperate need to see what is being said. Fatigue can also come from lying awake in fear, worrying about what the next tweet or Instagram post will say about them.
- Headaches and body aches triggered by prolonged stress — Cyberbullying is such a stressful experience that some teens feel physical aches after this ordeal. The exposure to this harassment can lead to terrible headaches from frustration, stomach aches from not eating, and neck aches from bending to stare at their phones all day.
- Changes in appetite — Some teens eat more to cope when they are cyberbullied. Some eat less, and others stop eating altogether. If you notice any sudden change in your kid’s eating habits, then it might be worth looking into.
And then there’s the classroom.
How Cyberbullying Affects Academic Performance
The effects of cyberbullying on students don’t stop online or at home. They walk into the school gates with them.
- Lack of concentration — Students who have been cyberbullied typically worry if other students have seen what was said or posted about them online. This leads to a lack of concentration as they struggle to pay attention in class.
- Drop in self-confidence — After seeing all the negative things people say about them online, teens lose their confidence and may even start to believe what others say.
- Refusal to participate — These teens also lose interest in extracurricular activities they once loved.
- Slipping Grades — The end result of all the effects of cyberbullying listed above is a child who can’t keep up with schoolwork. This will inevitably lead to a drop in academic performance.
In some cases, students even skip school entirely, because showing up feels too risky.
What Makes Cyberbullying So Damaging in South Africa’s Context?
In South Africa, the mix of high mobile usage, fast-growing internet access, and cultural silence around mental health creates the perfect storm.
Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying follows teens everywhere. From school to bedroom, on weekends, during family meals, it doesn’t stop when the bell rings.
And in communities where mental health support is often limited, many teens are left to cope alone.
The Internet Shouldn’t Be a Battleground
Cyberbullying is not something your teen just “gets over.” It leaves scars: emotional, psychological, and physical.
But here’s the good news: when adults take it seriously, listen with care, and act with intention, the damage can be stopped. And sometimes, even reversed.
So yes, talk to your teen. But also, listen when they’re quiet. Because the harmful effects of cyberbullying are real, and silence only gives it more power.
