Online abuse awareness

This year I learnt the hard way that there is no humanity in this world.We have turned out to be ruthless.A couple of months ago I experienced the worst trauma of cyber abuse.Social media was awash with posts presumably from "me".Fake social media accounts in my name were created using my avatar at times and used to post harassing and threatening public posts and DMs, including assault and death threats, designed to look like they’re coming from “me".Being a socially active person it was very easy for the person impersonating me to make everyone believe I was the one.And it was traumatising,you cannot pick up your phone,you cannot log on to your social media platforms.It made me feel bad about myself. It took me a while to get over it. I went through stages of questioning whether just being sociable is a crime as it seemed to be the enemy of my life.The reason for this being the cyberbullying infiltrated every facet of my life.Cyberbullying can lead to trauma and mental health issues such as body image problems, anxiety, and depression. .I do not wish that kind of pain on anyone.With only getting closure about it recently it still lingers in my head.

If you have experienced any type of online abuse, it is important to get support, take care of yourself and focus on the positive aspects of your life.

Feeling anxious or depressed due to online abuse is a normal response to trauma. Remember you are not alone. Allow time to heal you.It’s not your fault if you have experienced online abuse. Sometimes you might blame yourself and question your own actions. But remember we have no control over how other people treat us.With cyber bulling you become paranoid all the time thinking that some stranger might toy with your life all over again on social media.You it difficult to think positive things and are expecting the worst. A friend recommended I learn meditation, and this really saved my life. I started listening to guided mediations and taking deep breaths every time I had negative thoughts. I learned how to observe my thoughts and reaffirm that these negative feelings were all in my mind. I feel that I have retrained my brain to think differently now. I can feel negative emotions, name them and let them pass.Many people who are suffer from online abuse feel they are to blame. But no one deserves abuse. If you find yourself constantly thinking about the situation, you could try mindfulness activities.A friend encouraged me to share my experience with my friends and family. I got so much support from them. I was really scared that they wouldn’t understand or would judge me for what was happening, but they were amazing.

If you going through cyber abuse try not to engage in it hard as it may be .They say take down all your social media posts and delete your accounts but it doesn't make the bullying go away.Dont give the bully power over your life.Block offensive people, if they are making physical threats, screen shot those comments and report it to law enforcement, the social media platform where the threats came from.Report cyberbullies to your internet service provider (ISP), mobile phone provider (if bullying is via texts or calls) or social media site/app. It may take time to be acted upon but it will be.As it all unfolds never lose yourself to a cyber bully.Fight for you sanity and peace.

Social media has gotten so toxic and filled with people blindly sharing completely false stories and people flexing their keyboard muscles.I hope the world becomes a better place.That we move away from cyber abuse that we learn to be kind and just do as you would want to be treated.And this world would be so much of a better place to live in.