KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The digital age has come with many positive aspects to it. Users can connect with loved ones from far away, and instantly send messages for all our friends to see. But what happens when instant gratification is mixed with negative feedback?
Cyberbullying has been an issue for years, but the impact it can have on mental health can be extremely significant. Ben Harrington with the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee said bullying may be an underlying issue of school threats.
"The person who might be making threats. Why are they making threats? Is there an accumulation of bullying that's been happening for years? And no one has addressed it at schools? That sort of thing," said Harrington. "Now that doesn't excuse the behavior, but there might be something going on, so, we've got work to do."
Threats made to schools drive up anxiety in students but also for parents. Many parents don't feel comfortable with dropping off their kids at a school that had a threat posed to it, credible or not.
"Parents still have to face the trauma themselves of putting their kids on the bus, or putting the kids in the car and taking them to school in this uncertain time," said Harrington. "We do have people making threats, that's still traumatic for the parents to experience."
It's important for parents to be aware of what their child is doing on social media. It's also important to be aware if your child is struggling with mental health issues.