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Navigating the Digital Minefield: Cyberbullying, Catfishing, and Vulnerability Among Neurodivergent Populations
Sometimes, I think about the 90s when I was in elementary school, and I’m glad that tablets and smartphones were not yet in the world. I had faced a significant amount of bullying in person, but being bullied online can be a different kind of struggle. Cyberbullying is just as prevalent as...
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What Makes a Bully? Can Hazing Culture Temporarily Warp Someone’s Moral Compass?
I was a sophomore at Smoky Hill High School when the Columbine school shooting happened just 20 miles away. I remember the confusion as our school went into lockdown. None of us could have imagined the horror unfolding nearby. For 25 years, I’ve carried the weight of that day, and I’ve long...
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The Mental Health Impact of Hazing on Bystanders
I recently watched a short series called Fool Me Once, adapted from Harlan Coben’s novel. The theme of hazing plays a significant role in the story, particularly in relation to the main character’s past. Joe, who is initially seen as a victim of a murder, is later revealed to have a troubling...
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The Long-Term Psychological Effects of Hazing and How We Can Prevent Them
Danny Santulli, an 18-year-old college freshman, was a victim of a hazing incident in 2021. During a fraternity hazing ritual at the University of Missouri, he was forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol, resulting in alcohol poisoning and brain damage. Danny was left unable to speak, walk, or...
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A Trauma-Informed Community Approach to Bullying
As the largest mental health clinic provider in the South Bronx, New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center (NYPCC) therapists have witnessed an influx of traumatized children struggling with bullying in city schools. Indeed, New York State Education Department statistics show that bullying is a...
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Suicide and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in LGBTQ Youth
The suicide rates for youth, especially between the ages of 15 and 19, have increased dramatically. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for the ages 10 to 24. It is believed that this reflects a higher level of psychological distress in today’s youth. The suicide rates are even...
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Strengthening Protective Factors to Prevent Bullying and Suicide on Staten Island
In recent years, Staten Island (SI) has taken up the nationwide call to action to address suicidal behaviors among youth. During a May 2018 roundtable discussion on mental health issues facing youth, hosted by local elected officials and attended by a multisectoral group of professionals from...
