In 2022, at 58 years old, she entered the digital space as the founder of Nava’s Zen. What began as a personal expression of freedom quickly became a public extension of her identity. She shared videos of herself dancing and practicing yoga in traditional two-piece activewear, moving with a sense of confidence rooted in self-acceptance. Her intention was simple: to create a space where individuality and self-love could exist without hesitation.
What unfolded was something very different. Her presence online began drawing a steady wave of hostile responses (FASHION HAIRSTYLES: NATURE LOOK). In a short span of time, her social media platforms shifted from a space of expression to one marked by confrontation and scrutiny. At first, she chose not to engage with the comments, still holding on to the belief that the digital world allowed room for kindness. But as the volume of online harassment and cyberbullying grew, that belief began to erode, leaving her shaken, disoriented, and emotionally overwhelmed.
What followed was not just an episode of
online harassment, but the beginning of a longer confrontation with
cyberbullying and the mental health impact of social media abuse, one that
would eventually push her to face the noise directly and rebuild her sense of
identity on her own terms.
Mental Health
& Cyberbullying
The relentless
flood of hard to digest and hostile comments triggered severe cyberbullying
anxiety for Ms. Nava, pulling her into cycles of overthinking and sleepless
nights. Her mind struggled to find rest. It reached a point where she began
questioning whether she should step away from her digital marketing efforts for
her business brand, Nava’s Zen, as well as her personal brand.
Turning to her
familiar circle for support only deepened her sense of isolation. Unable to
comprehend the intensity of the online harassment and cyberbullying, some felt
she was overreacting. Instead of empathy, she encountered judgment, with
suggestions that she should simply face the comments and implications that she
was weak in handling criticism. Others quietly reduced her experience to
ridicule.
Faced with a
lack of understanding in dealing with the emotional impact of online harassment
and cyberbullying, Ms. Nava made a critical decision. She chose to prioritise
her well-being (WELLNESS TIPS) and took a one-month break from her online presence. This became
a turning point in her cyberbullying survival story, helping her regain her
sense of identity and stay true to herself.
Cyberbullying
Recovery Through a Digital Detox
Taking a step
back from social media platforms, Ms. Nava continued her yoga classes with her
existing clients, without disruption. There was no sharing of videos in the
digital space, and her online presence came to a complete pause. This break
helped clear her mind, as yoga itself became a source of calmness and stability
away from the noise of social media (YOGA FOR INNER CALM).
During this period, she also spent time on her passions for gardening and cooking, which further supported her emotional recovery. She chose not to speak about the cyberbullying experience, as revisiting it brought back difficult memories. She also reduced communication and intentionally created space for silence, focusing on her recovery from the emotional impact of cyberbullying and online harassment.
Who Are
Cyberbullies? Understanding Online Harassment
Once she
regained her composure, Ms. Nava quietly returned to her social media platforms
to reflect on a difficult question: who are cyberbullies? What she observed
challenged her assumptions. The individuals behind the comments came from a
wide range of backgrounds, cutting across different ages, professions, and
social groups. Online harassment did not belong to any single category but
appeared across many layers of society.
A clear pattern
of age and gender-based criticism emerged. Some older women left harsh
comments, often shaped by judgment and expectations of how a woman her age
should present herself. Older men also contributed criticism, sometimes framed
through traditional views of women and behaviour in public spaces. In a few
cases, the language used escalated into demeaning remarks.
She also noted
that some profiles appeared to belong to working professionals, including
individuals from corporate and established career backgrounds. This added
another level of complexity to her understanding of online harassment and
cyberbullying.
Younger users
showed mixed behavior. Some younger men left inappropriate comments, while
younger women were more likely to respond with support and encouragement in the
comments section.
From these
patterns, Ms. Nava reflected that cyberbullying is not confined to one group or
identity. Instead, it reflects broader social attitudes such as judgment, bias,
and age related expectations, amplified through digital anonymity.
Cyberbullying
Survival Guide for Women
Today, Ms. Nava
creates awareness around cyberbullying and online harassment across social
media platforms, including YouTube. She shares her personal experience,
including the causes and impact of cyberbullying. In interviews and talks, this
is often one of the first topics she is asked about, and she speaks openly
about it, sharing her experience without filtering the reality of what she went
through.
Reporting
Cyberbullying and Online Harassment
While there are
channels available for reporting cyberbullying cases, they are not always the
fastest route for immediate relief. In many situations, only the most severe
cases gain attention, and not all incidents lead to meaningful action. The
process itself can also be emotionally draining for the person experiencing it.
Still, Ms. Nava believes in standing firm and using available reporting
mechanisms when necessary.
Coping
Strategies: Blocking, Breaks, and Counseling
Blocking is one
of the most immediate and effective responses to cyberbullying. It helps
prevent further escalation and reduces the risk of additional users joining in
through a ripple effect. She has often described it as a necessary step in
protecting one’s mental space in the digital environment.
Taking a break
from social media is another important coping strategy. During one of her
speaking sessions, she shared how stepping away from online platforms can act
as a cooling period, allowing space to regain emotional clarity and reassess
the situation.
Counseling or coaching can also provide structured emotional support. Speaking to trained professionals offers a safe environment to process the impact of online harassment and cyberbullying rather than internalizing it. As a qualified coach and counselor herself, Ms. Nava also reflects on how professional understanding supported her during her recovery phase.
The reality of contemporary society is that although digital kindness is widely promoted, it is not always practiced. Through her experience, Ms. Nava realized that completely eliminating online harassment and cyberbullying is far more complex than it appears. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, the issue continues across platforms.
The mental health impact of digital hostility has become a defining concern of the social media era. Users still find validation in negative engagement, and this behavior spans across public figures and ordinary individuals alike. While the modern world promotes individuality through phrases like “Be You” and “My Life, My Rules,” real-world digital behavior fails to reflect these ideals.
Ms. Nava
recognizes that addressing this issue requires a broader societal shift. Social
media users operate across cultures, age groups, and professions, making it a
global challenge rather than an isolated one. From her perspective, the focus
should not only be on changing behavior but also on building resilience and
strategies for surviving cyberbullying.
Having experienced a sustained wave of online harassment, she understands the importance of protecting mental well-being in digital spaces.
