Healing from Digital Abuse & Tips

Digital abuse is domestic violence and can become uncomfortable, scary, and hurtful. Often when digital abuse occurs it can become repetitive, threatening, and difficult to discuss. However, when it is done constantly, it can make it worse because one does not realize how harmful it is to one’s emotional health. There are signs that can make you suspect that you are being abused through emails, messenger, or other online communication. One sign that shows digital abuse is when your partner or someone that you know installs spyware to your electronic devices. 

As well as persistent harassment, stalking, and intimidation on social media. Also, controlling one’s social networks by connecting to the same contacts that you have on social media. Another sign is when your partner or someone that you know does an impersonation of your friends, or an online friend, or pretends to be someone new in your network of friends on social media. Yet the more you use the internet, social media, and communication applications, it can become nerve-racking for you to use your electronic devices. Lastly, your partner or someone that you know can send you unwanted pictures of themselves and make you feel uncomfortable with the sexual content. 

Other times digital abuse occurs with financial abuse. It is necessary to recognize the signs of digital abuse. To heal from digital abuse is possible but it takes a lot of counseling to recover from it. As well as taking time to have unwanted pictures from the internet. Be cautious and do notify the authorities when someone you know is impersonating another person. 

Recovering from digital abuse is challenging but it can make you change your internet usage and think about being more cautious with social media. Additionally, it can make you selective in choosing online friendships or online romantic relationships. Healing from digital abuse, financial abuse, or other forms of abuse can be possible with self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-worth. It is recommended to practice forgiveness and to share less personal information about yourself online. Do review your online settings, camera settings, and other electronic settings from all devices that you use. 

Furthermore, digital abuse is harmful for your emotional and mental health. Be careful telling someone your secrets, experiences, and sharing information about yourself. Set online boundaries and be cautious when you share pictures online and personal information. Wear something purple as a reminder of surviving digital abuse or other domestic violence and abuse. Finally, digital abuse can occur to anyone.

Join a supportive group counseling. Limit your information online especially if the person that you know continues tracking you. Report it to authorities if you know and have evidence that the person is doing digital abuse towards you. Block the digital abuser from social media, email accounts, messenger, and other forms of communication. Here are websites that can give you more information about digital abuse.

 

Strategies for Coping with and Recovering from Online Abuse:

Strategies for Coping with and Recovering from Online Abuse

How to Emotionally Recover After Digital Harassment:

How to Emotionally Recover After Digital Harassment

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