Bullying and The Act of Suicide

I am subscribing to a YouTube series called Teens React. The show is incredible and the concept is really great. Basically, they film a bunch of teens’ reactions to certain events or person like YouTube artists (NigaHiga, Pewdiepie, etc.), Gangnam Style, Newton school shootings, U.S. president’s election, and the one I’m about to share, Amanda Todd’s Suicide Video Note.

See more of their videos, here:Teens React Videos

Amanda Todd was a 15 year old student who committed suicide because of a cyber-bullying back in 2012. She posted the video a month before her suicide, it’s a black and white video with her standing and flipping papers containing her story.

Please watch her story.

See Teens React on Amanda Todd's story here: Teens React on Amanda Todd

Bullying has been an international issue for as long as I can remember. Typical school bullying involves physical and/or verbal abuse which then causes the victims to withdraw socially. Victims of bullying usually keep to themselves mostly because they feel embarrassed to tell anybody that they’re being bullied. I once saw an episode of Oprah which features parents of bullied children who ended up committing suicide. One of the parents didn't even notice that their child was being bullied. They thought that it was a usual teenager’s prank. It’s so sad to hear that.

A bully or a prank?

Teenager or even some adults have a tendency to pull pranks. To me, the idea of a prank is a simple joke played among friends to trigger some laughter. You pull a prank by putting a fart cushion on a chair, patch a “Call me stupid.” sticker on the back, or hide each other’s phones. It’s funny but it doesn't damage any of the participants in any way.

Bully on the other hand, brings laughter only to the bully. The victims feel helpless, tortured, which then lead to depression. A teenager with a depression is the perfect suicide recipe. Many people or parents don’t realize the importance of standing up against bullying. People always think that bullying is a part of growing up. Well, pranks are part of growing up. You can't have friends without having to prank each other. Bullying IS NOT a part of growing up. It's an issue that has to be dealt with before it's too late.

The danger of cyber-bullying

Being a victim of school bullying is bad, but being a victim of cyber-bullying is thousand times worse. When you're being bullied at school, you can probably find other friends outside your campus. Also, not all students on your campus will be participating in the act of your bullying. Some students probably don't know you, or they just don't care.

In this era, almost all of the students join in at least one social media. That's when cyber-bullying really affect your social life. People who don't know you personally, may be your facebook friend or twitter follower. The previously school-limited bullying become a social phenomena. Everyone in your social circle knows.

Victims of cyber-bullying feel depressed and under pressure because they think that they have nobody to turn to. Practically everyone in their social life become their bullies, one way or another. They feel cornered and alone, which is why lots of them can only think that death is the perfect way out. No more pain, no more embarrassment, no more pressure.

Be the survivors

I'm not agreeing that suicide is the right answer. I'm merely stating the fact that these victims do believe so. If one of your friend is being bullied, please be there for them. At the very least acknowledge them. These victims are feeling helpless and alone every minute of every day. Being acknowledged can reduce the pain they're feeling.

If you're a victim of bullying, talk to your parents or your best friends. Go somewhere crowded, take a vacation out of town, or enjoy a walk in the park. Minimize the time when you're alone. If all else fails, contact suicide support groups or suicide hotlines.

Read this link to find out more: Suicide Is Not Chosen

Watch this video to find out that you're not alone: