“Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke.”
Bridgewater, N.J. (September 18, 2013) –Sexting is the act of sending suggestive photos and/or videos via text message.
The Pew Internet & American Life Project is nonprofit research group, who surveyed 800-teens, and reported that 15% of cell-owning teens (ages 12 to 17) had “received nude or nearly nude photos by phone. 4% of the teens said they had sent out sexually explicit photos or videos of themselves.”
13 % of sexting teens reported a suicide attempt in the last year, compared to only 3% of non-sexting kids. The issue with sexting is not actually sending the picture or video; rather than what happens afterwards once the picture is sent. A simple photo sent to your significant other can, in turn be sent to many other unwanted people. That is when the taunting, harassing, and bullying start to occur. There have been many cases within the last 5 years of teens completing suicide due to a “sexting gone wrong” incident.
Suicide is never the answer, speak to someone first! GenPsych, PC, provider of top quality outpatient psychiatric and substance abuse services, stresses the importance of a healthy lifestyle. GenPsych offers a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Program which isa structured therapeutic treatment that emphasizes balance between acceptance and change.DBT helps reduce impulsive behaviors, such as suicidality, self-harm, substance abuse, eating disordered behavior, aggression, isolation, rumination, dissociation, anxiety, depression and panic attacks.
If you or someone you know are being bullied, please report the incident to your school officials or parents. For more information on bullying in schools visit: http://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/at-school/index.html
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