Section 3. Mental health support for Victims of Online Harm

Section 3. Mental health support for Victims of Online Harm Psychological impact of online abuse or harassment

It is important to consider how a person might feel or think after experiencing online abuse or harassment. According to an online poll by Amnesty International, around 2/3 of women who experienced abuse or harassment on social media platforms started feeling a sense of powerlessness after those incidents. Other psychological impacts include having a reduced ability to focus on everyday tasks, experiencing panic attacks, anxiety or stress, and feeling apprehension when thinking about using the internet or social media, or when receiving emails or social media notifications. In more severe cases, online abuse or harassment can lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

How we can support someone who might have experienced online harms 1. Recognize the signs that someone might be experiencing trauma and mental health distress

There are simple ways to recognize the presence of mental health distress and ascertain if someone needs support. The following outlines brief questions you can ask your friends or a loved one, as well as symptoms to look out for. Questions to ask:

· Over the past 2 weeks, have you felt down, depressed or hopeless? · Over the past 2 weeks, have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?

2. Common signs of mental illnesses:

· Mood symptoms: excessive worrying or fear, feeling excessively sad or low, lack of interest, · Physical functioning: low energy, changes in sleeping habits, inability to carry out daily activities, physical ailments without obvious causes (e.g. headaches, stomach ache, pains and aches) · Unhealthy coping: overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs, avoiding friends and social activities, changes in eating habits · Symptoms of more significant mental health issue: hearing voices (hallucinations), not being able to do daily activities (impaired social/personal functioning), negative thoughts (illogical thinking/cognitive distortions)

3. Referring on for professional help

If someone you know has answered yes to the two questions above or exhibit any of the above signs, they may require professional help and support such as basic emotional support, psychotherapy, and medical intervention. Encourage them to seek help from a mental health professional. Some services that you can refer them to include the following: · Social Service Agencies with mental health support programs · Primary care services (GPs and polyclinics) · School counsellor

There is also a resource list that you can share which includes helplines and more detail on the services available.

4. Being there to provide support

As a friend or family member, you can be there to provide support alongside professional help. These are some strategies you can keep in mind: · Just be there and hold the space for them · Listen to understand from their point of view · Acknowledge their experience, do not judge · Check in with them regularly, encourage them to seek professional help, if symptoms persist · Recognize if they are at risk of harm or have thoughts of ending their life, and if so, to get immediate help If you are a parent of a child who is undergoing mental distress, this can also be a challenging time for you. These are some tips to support your child’s mental health: · Talk about the traumatic event: Listen to your child and take their concerns and feelings seriously. · Ensure a positive, safe home environment: Feeling safe is critical to a child’s mental health, especially in overcoming trauma. Provide a safe space for your child to share his or her experiences and emotions with you, without having any judgment. · Accept that you won’t always have the right answers: As part of our human experience, as part of our parenting experience, there will be times when we’re tired, when we don't have all the right answers, and when we don't behave the way we thought we should in the moment for our children. And that's okay. How we recover from those moments - and show our children how they can recover - is what’s important.