Self esteem can be a fragile thing, with low levels of the stuff making everything, including emetophobia, worse. It’s also fragile enough to be shattered by complete strangers in that often-nasty place called cyberspace.
If you have never been attacked by Internet trolls or judged by complete strangers on social media and community sites, you are probably a rare breed indeed! Unfortunately, the Internet’s anonymity can make people cruel, callous and a heck of a lot meaner and bolder than they would or ever could be to your face.
Kicking, crying and throwing your computer at the wall are all options when you’re the victim of such an attack. Or you can take some tips from people who have been there, done that, and have learned to let the attacks roll off them instead of stab through their heart.
Don’t get into it, the “it” being any type of exchange with the person. It’s never worth it and it never works out. No matter how “right” you may be or how much evidence you provide to backup your point, the attacker is not going to listen. Nor is he or she going to change his or her mind. They are out for blood and they won’t stop until every inch of it is sucked dry from your very soul. Yes, they can be that nasty.
Don’t stoop to their level. Even if you have the perfect comeback, or know of a person’s specific Achilles heel, don’t grab it and twist. It just makes you as shallow and mean as they are.
Don’t dwell on it. The rule of negative thinking may easily creep into your brain. Switch it to the positive. The rule of negative thinking says that a million wonderful things can be quashed by a single negative thing. Sound familiar? Rather than focusing on the attack or nastiness, look at any positive comments and supporters.
Get outta Dodge. Not dwelling on it also means leaving the particular site or online environment in which the abuse is occurring. Take a cue from Carrie Goldman, who penned a Pyschology Today article about being hurt when she was attacked for an article she wrote about airplane travel with her baby.
“GET OFFLINE, Goldman writes. “I took a break from my computer, my texting, my Facebook and my Twitter for the next couple of days. I spent time with my family and some dear friends. I lived in the real world, not the virtual world.”
In the most severe cases:
Report the abuse to proper authorities, whether it’s your Internet provider, your cell phone company, or administrators for the blog or website on which the attack appeared. Many sites have moderators whose job it is to remove the offense junk; don’t hesitate to contact them with your concern.
For your own amusement:
Look at the source – and embellish it as you wish. Since the nastiest attacks are usually anonymous, you may not know the source of the attack. But your mind gets free reign creating a scenario.
When people are so angry and nasty, they are usually extremely miserable. They are also likely to live in a dark, dank cave wearing dirty underwear and having nothing better to do than attack others under an anonymous guise. They also have no clue what they’re talking about, and what they say shouldn’t matter one iota.
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