With International Youth Day on August 12th, it’s good to bring light to an important topic that pertains to youth: bullying and peer pressure. Bullying can come in many forms and can be displayed in various ways. Read more about the forms of bullying, effects, and prevention here.
In the age of technology, there has been a rise in cyberbullying, which is most common for youth as they are heavily influenced by social media. This spike can increase negative psychological effects such as anxiety and depression in youth, which can be worse than that of traditional bullying. Cyberbullying may create negative psychological effects on the victim and its psychological severity tends to be higher than that of traditional bullying. You can find more detailed information on cyberbullying and how to tell if your child may be being cyberbullied here.
Another influential aspect of youth mental health is peer pressure. During this period of social and identity insecurity, youth and teens may become heavily influenced by peer pressure to navigate their social world in order to fit in. While not all peer pressure is bad, such as the kind one may get from friends through bonding, that line can be crossed when a peer nudges someone to do something they may not be comfortable with. But don’t worry, there are signs to indicate your child’s susceptibility to peer pressure and there are many ways a parent can help their child become more resilient towards peer pressure, which you can read about HERE.
