A young Griffith man made a gutsy decision recently, putting his mental well being on the line.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Joel Harrison was subjected to bullying while at school, but despite the fear coming with a return to the lion’s den, he’s determined to overcome it for the benefit of others.
Joel created the Helping People Going Through Cyber Bullying and out of School Facebook page hoping to deliver information and support for those being bullied through online mediums.
He reflects on his own bullying experience when posting information and reminds victims to seek help and talk to someone rather than react to the bully.
"I thought about what happened to me and what I have been through with bullying and I wanted to help others," Joel said.
"I am hoping to help other people going through cyber bullying and let them know they are not alone.”
Cyber bullying is a mutant or modern type of bullying where the victim’s reaction is more difficult to gauge, where bullies often don’t know when to stop.
More importantly, its nasty words or photos remain on permanent display online, for everyone to see whenever they want, and as a life-long reminder for the poor victim.
It’s a mutant type of bullying schools and governments aren’t keeping up with, and it’s something potentially impacting kids and adults well after the taunts have been fired.
Twenty-year-old Joel was also bullied by a previous employer, and wants more people to understand the dangers of cyber bullying by taking action against these keyboard warriors.
Starting a page on social media seems like a simple enough solution, but returning to where it all happened is something every victim of bullying struggles to handle.
That place for Joel is social media, where being on the receiving end of bullying had a massive impact on his life.
It’s why Joel’s plight is so impressive – he’s making people aware of the issue using the medium causing him so much grief during his childhood and recent past.
He’s turning a place filling him with dread into a outlet to better his cause, for the benefit of many without a voice.
The life-long consequences often involve impacts on mental health, often leading to massive confidence issues.
Luckily, from the outside looking in at least, it seems to have had the opposite effect on Joel.