The effects of slander on your mental health
Slander has effects on your mental health when you frame someone and damage their reputation. Especially when putting out false rumours about them. Slander can happen anywhere at any time and can come in many different forms. An example of slander could be spreading false information about someone in the workplace. Purposely framing someone just for the fun of it can take a toll on their mental health for the worst.
Slanderers do not care about the result of what happens to the individual. Even if the statement they made wasn’t true. The victim on the other hand can sue for baseless accusations made against them by slanderers. When someone does something without thinking about the consequences they are committing an offence.
Slander can affect your mental health significantly as it can lead you to depression or anxiety. It may ruin the victim’s lifestyle and cause them immeasurable pain that they may not recover from.
Defamation is another name for slander and is used to acknowledge how badly it can affect others. The word ‘defamation’ is often used to portray how serious it is and the consequences it can lead to. When the victim sues the slanderer they can take them to court and receive compensation.
Slandering others can cause them to become suicidal or a victim of cyber attacks due to pointless accusations.
It is best for the victim to address the issue privately and inform someone about what is happening to them. So that they remain safe and away from rumours. I feel slandering others is very disrespectful and those who slander should be punished according to the law. Currently, slandering is not a criminal offence but can cause pain to the victim. Therefore it should become a crime.
What to do if you are a victim of slander?
There are ways in which you can free yourself from verbal abuse and defamation such as dealing with the slanderer. Also sorting out the matter at hand or suing for defamation and compensation.
If the situation has gotten worse then you must act quickly and consider all aspects when dealing with slander. This is so that the rumours can stop spreading and can give the victim peace of mind.
It is best for victims to come forward about their verbal abuse and let others know. It is important that the situation is dealt with accordingly and completely erased.
Deleting social media is a wise decision and allows the victim to free themselves of any unnecessary abuse online. This is a safety precaution and is recommended to those that have been victims of slander to stay safe. Staying away from people who are toxic is a great way to prevent yourself from being subjected to slander.
Connecting with like-minded individuals helps you to stay away from vile abuse of any form and helps keep you make friends that will protect you instead of going against you.
Protecting your privacy and staying anonymous is the best way to prevent any attacks or abuse from occurring and helps you keep safe. It allows you to become a better person and makes you stronger so that you know what to do next time if any sort of slander occurs.
Victims should call their lawyer as soon as possible so that they can deal with the situation quickly and effectively. Having someone who witnessed the event would help you sue the slanderer and gain compensation.
Examples of slander and its mental health
When an individual fabricates information about you they are a slanderer unless proven otherwise. Many examples of slander may include:
- Fraud
- Saying that someone has a disease
- Exposing someone’s sexual identity even though it isn’t true
- Or ruining someone’s marriage even though they have been faithful
These are some of the examples of slander that can ruin lives and end people’s reputations. If you do end up falling a victim to this it is best to gather evidence such as a recording or a witness so that others do not think you are lying.
Maintaining composure and ignoring the slander can help as not paying attention to it will automatically make everyone forget in a few months unless the situation is constantly being talked about.
Once the slander has occurred and it has died down, we must validate our feelings which means the victim has the right to act and let out their emotions. Anger is a normal reaction and sadness. When the victim is showing anger this means that boundaries have been crossed and terms have been violated.
Ignoring your emotions makes you act out on them which doesn’t always end well. Accepting responsibility for your emotions and learning how to control them through breathing techniques, helps victims think with a cool and calm mind allowing them to consider what their next steps are and how they should act towards slander.
Handling Slander
Although it is a bitter pill to swallow we must forgive those that have defamed us or slandered us. Forgiving the slanderer may prevent them from creating false accusations toward others. It is best to forgive someone for their crimes as not only does it make you feel better but it may end all issues you have with the slanderer.
Handling slander is sometimes easier to cope with or can be difficult depending on the severity of the situation. Slander can have damaging effects on your mental health which can become difficult to handle at times.
You could approach slander in a positive way so that it benefits you instead of resorting to anger and violence which is not the safe way to handle slander as it could backfire on you or your family.
Conclusion
Overall I feel slander is a very serious act and can ruin or damage someone’s life. It can be difficult for the victim to get their life back together due to the trauma they have been through.
If you are a victim of slander or defamation then it’s essential that you seek help immediately whether it’s through family or friends. Seeking out a lawyer would be highly beneficial so that the victim can claim compensation.