Anyone's Elderly Parent become a Cyberbully?

[Anonymous]

My mom never really learned how to regulate her anger so when she's feeling angry her favorite things include: posting an over the top negative review of a doctor who didn't cater to her, sending an angry email to a neighbor, dropping an anger bomb on me via text that often involves name-calling, texting a relative who's husband is dying to say something sarcastic and biting. She's on meds and everyone has set boundaries with her. She seems to get a kick or even buzz out of seeing if the person responds or not. She has a few friends who still tolerate her and they have mean streaks too. As far as I know she doesn't cyberbully them. She still is capable of managing finances so if you take away all tech, she'll buy new stuff.

It seems to ring her a sinister joy more so than getting together with actual friends. She had a bully streak raising us and seemed to argue with dad a lot so i think she gets a dopamine hit from cyberbulling. When you share your disgust with her for bullying others she seems to enjoy the attention and will tell you off. It's so sad. I hope I never become like that.

[Anonymous]

I read about an app someone invented to prevent kids from cybvle bullying each other. It screend the texts they were sending and asked them to reflect on their wording, iirc. It screened for tone and bad words, I think.

I think it was called ReThink

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rethink-stop-cyberbullying/id1035161775

I wonder if it could be used in this instance?

[Anonymous]

Yes, but she took delight in bullying and hurting people before there was an internet. And she continues her analog bullying and meanness now as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read about an app someone invented to prevent kids from cybvle bullying each other. It screend the texts they were sending and asked them to reflect on their wording, iirc. It screened for tone and bad words, I think.

I think it was called ReThink

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rethink-stop-cyberbullying/id1035161775

I wonder if it could be used in this instance?

OP here, I will look into this, but as the other poster sadly she seems to relish it. She also gets a deranged glimmer in her eye when she bullies me in person and then loses her temper as I at the first sign. It is really sad, but I think it brings her a deranged joy. I wish I could say it is a totally personality change, but it's more of a worsening and the internet wasn't around when I was growing up so she just gave people digs and bashed them behind their backs. There may have been a mean letter or 2 she sent snail mail, but I think she was too clever to have evidence back then.

[Anonymous]

Grin and leave if in person.

Pretend like you never received hostile texts.

She wants the drama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read about an app someone invented to prevent kids from cybvle bullying each other. It screend the texts they were sending and asked them to reflect on their wording, iirc. It screened for tone and bad words, I think.

I think it was called ReThink

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rethink-stop-cyberbullying/id1035161775

I wonder if it could be used in this instance?

OP here, I will look into this, but as the other poster sadly she seems to relish it. She also gets a deranged glimmer in her eye when she bullies me in person and then loses her temper as I at the first sign. It is really sad, but I think it brings her a deranged joy. I wish I could say it is a totally personality change, but it's more of a worsening and the internet wasn't around when I was growing up so she just gave people digs and bashed them behind their backs. There may have been a mean letter or 2 she sent snail mail, but I think she was too clever to have evidence back then.

PP with the bully mother here -- mine too. Same thing; she gets a little deranged glimmer in her eye as she fires up. It's pretty awful.

[Anonymous]

My mom once tried to cyberbully a neighbor who is a lawyer. The woman sent a beautifully written email right back with fancy words to say "Don't F with me lady." My mom was actually shaking in her boots. She was so used to people not responding.