It is likely that you’ve heard the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words could never hurt me.” While this has been a frequently used and widely popular quote for many years, it just simply isn’t the truth.

In a competitive and often ruthless world, many people attempt to portray a tough personae in hopes of saving themselves from extra heartache. After experiencing the wound from another, people often build up emotional walls to keep themselves from caring in large doses. Contrary to popular belief, strong words have the power to demolish these walls and leave the person behind their self inflicted structure defenseless.

While verbal words do tend to leave a lasting effect and an emotional scar on people, they can be somewhat temporary. However, when posted online and circulated through the internet, victims of bullying can experience their pain multiple times. This type of bullying, cyberbullying, can involve harmful texts, posts, or pictures of or about a person. Through technology, it easily is reiterated, causing it to spread to more people.

Many people experience cyberbullying at some point in their life. The majority of cyberbullies and their victims are teenagers. Teenagers, still in the process of finding themselves, often enjoy the downfall of others to make themselves feel better. This is why mocking, physical contact, and other forms of bullying are so common in school systems. When these factors are orchestrated through the internet, it is more likely to cause permanent damage.