Tools to fight bullying
According to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health, about 1 in 5 children between the ages of 12 and 18 experience some form of bullying. And that doesn't even account for what happens to adults.
Bullying can take many different forms, from physical violence to online harassment. It can make people feel isolated, anxious, depressed, and even suicidal. If you or someone you know is being bullied, it's important to reach out for help.
There are many organizations and resources that can help victims of bullying or their loved ones to find ways or tools to deal with bullying. Websites are full of resources including hotlines, websites, apps, books, support groups, and more. For examples, you may consult:
In this article, we'll look at how apps can be a useful tool to help combat bullying.
When to seek help for bullying
If you're being bullied, it's important to reach out for help. There are many organizations and resources that can help victims of bullying or their loved ones to find ways or tools to deal with bullying.
If you witness someone else being bullied, it's also important to reach out for help. You can talk to an adult about what you've seen and they can offer support and guidance on how best to handle the situation.
If you believe that your health and safety are at risk, that you are being threatened, physically harmed, having your things taken from you, or you are being repeatedly harassed, seek help immediately and/or call the police. These acts are crimes.
How apps may help people suffering from bullying
There are many different ways that apps can help victims of bullying or their loved ones. Here are just a few examples:
Apps can provide a safe space for victims to share their experiences and connect with others who understand what they're going through.
Apps can offer tips and advice on how to deal with bullies and stand up for yourself.
Apps can help you keep track of incidents of bullying so you can document them and get the evidence you need to take action.
If you or someone you know is being bullied, there are plenty of app options out there to help.
3 of the best apps for bullying
Now, let's take a look at our recommendations.
+Fort: Stronger than Bullying
+Fort: Stronger than Bullying was created to support young victims of bullying by a team of experts led by Dr Isabelle Ouellet-Morin. The app allows youth to discover strategies to reduce bullying, test different strategies to see what works best for them, learn more about bullying through video clips, and better understand their experience through journaling. Preliminary studies show that bullying is reduced by nearly half after 4-6 weeks of using the app.
Dr Ouellet-Morin is a professor at the University of Montreal and researcher at the Research Center of Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal; she is also the co-director of AXEL, a technological intelligence accelerator for better mental health.
Bully Button Parent-Kid
The Bully Button app is designed to help parents and school authorities safeguard kids from bullying. The app allows kids to record bullying actions and send the recordings to parents and school authorities. The app also provides a way for kids to stay in contact with important people in their lives and stay safe.
ReThink - Stop Cyberbullying
The ReThink app helps people by giving them a second chance to pause and review their messages before sending them. It also helps parents by taking the burden off of the victim to report harassment and instead tackling the issue at the source.
Conclusion
There are many different ways that apps can help victims of bullying or their loved ones. Apps can provide a safe space for victims to share their experiences and connect with others who understand what they're going through. Apps can offer tips and advice on how to deal with bullies and stand up for oneself. Other apps can help keep track of incidents of bullying to document them and get the evidence needed to take action.
If you or someone you know is being bullied, first reach out for help. From that moment on, you may choose an app that can help you, or you may recommend the app to the person being bullied.
Your health care professional can help you choose
Feeling confident is important. Get all the essential information about health apps by talking to your healthcare professional.
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