Editing Cyberbullying (section)

=== On youth and teenagers ===
The effects of cyberbullying vary, but research illustrates that cyberbullying adversely affects youth to a higher degree than adolescents and adults. Youth are more likely to suffer since they are still growing mentally and physically.<ref name="Effects of Bullying">{{cite web|title=Effects of Bullying|url=http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/effects/|website=StopBullying.gov|publisher=U.S. Department of Health & Human Services|access-date=November 18, 2015|date=February 29, 2012 }}</ref> Jennifer N. Caudle, a certified family physician, says, "Kids that are bullied are likely to experience anxiety, depression, loneliness, unhappiness and poor sleep".<ref>{{cite web|title=Cyber-Bullying and its Effect on our Youth|url=http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-your-health/health-conditions-library/general-health/Pages/cyber-bullying.aspx|website=American Osteopathic Association|publisher=American Osteopathic Association|access-date=November 21, 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Against Cyberbullying.png|thumb|This image shows different aspects of cyberbullying that can take place on the internet which puts more emotional strain on the younger children and teenage who experience cyberbullying.]]

Most of the time cyberbullying goes unnoticed; the younger generation hides their bullying from anyone that can help to prevent the bullying from occurring and from getting worse. Between 20% and 40% of adolescents are victims of cyberbullying worldwide.<ref name="Effects of Bullying" /><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite journal|last1=Deniz|first1=Metin|title=A Study on Primary School Students' Being Cyber Bullies and Victims According to Gender, Grade, and Socioeconomic Status|journal=Croatian Journal of Education|date=July 7, 2015|volume=17|issue=3|pages=659–680|doi=10.15516/cje.v17i3.835}}</ref> The youth slowly change their behaviors and actions so they become more withdrawn and quiet, but this may go unnoticed since the change is subtle.<ref name="Effects of Bullying" /><ref name="ReferenceA" /> Metin Deniz believes cyberbullying will "become a serious problem in the future with an increase in the Internet and mobile phone usage among young people".<ref name="ReferenceA" />

If preventive actions are not taken against cyberbullying, younger children in addition to teenagers will feel more lonely and depressed along with having significant changes in their eating and sleeping patterns as well as loss of interest in their normal activities.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nixon |first1=Charisse |title=Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health |journal=Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics |date=August 2014 |volume=5 |pages=143–58 |doi=10.2147/AHMT.S36456 |pmid=25177157 |pmc=4126576 }}</ref> These changes will affect their growth and development into adulthood.<ref name="Effects of Bullying" /><ref name="ReferenceA" /> Younger children and teenagers are 76.2% less likely to display suicidal behaviors and thoughts, but are still at risk depending on other factors such as mental health status, home care, and relationships with others.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> The risk of suicide increases by 35% to 45% when victims do not have any support from anyone in their life, and cyberbullying amplifies the situation.<ref name="Effects of Bullying" />

Young people seem particularly vulnerable to the effects of cyberbullying through [[anonymous social media]], perhaps because adolescents are attracted to these platforms as a means of seeking validation from their peers.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Odd Girl Out|last=Simmons|first=Rachel|publisher=Mariner Books|year=2011}}</ref> Abuse on these platforms, such as [[ASKfm]], [[Yik Yak]] and [[Sarahah]], can be particularly keenly felt by young people, leading to issues of loss of confidence.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Binns|first=Amy|date=2013|title=Facebook's Ugly Sisters: Anonymity and abuse on Formspring and Ask.fm|url=http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/8378/|journal=Media Education Research Journal|volume=4 | issue = 1 |page=27}}</ref> There have been a number of suicides related to bullying on these platforms in the US<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/family-friends-shocked-at-cyberposts-after-teen-s-death-1.1827393|title=Family and Friends shocked at cyberposts after teen's death|last=Polsky|first=Carol|date=March 23, 2010|website=Newsday}}</ref> and Britain.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/social-media/8653867/Teenager-in-rail-suicide-was-sent-abusive-message-on-social-networking-site.html|title=Teenager in rail suicide was sent abusive message on social networking site|date=July 22, 2011|work=The Telegraph}}</ref>