How can I help a friend going through alleged cyberstalking?
Hello,
I have a friend who believes she is being cyberstalked (e.g., that someone she knows has hacked into her computer and phone). While I believe her (in some aspects, although I think her concern has snowballed) and am trying to listen compassionately, I'm really worried for her emotional wellbeing. She won't talk on the phone (even to a counselor) because she believes that this person listens to her conversations, has access to her email, and can even infiltrate outside sources (e.g., crisis centers, the media, etc.). He hasn't made any physical threat to her (this is more just mental control, although she says he assaulted her years ago), but I feel that her worrying about his ability to watch her cyber activity is ruining her quality of life. How can I best help her?
Thank you!
@helpfulField8879 I am sorry your friend is experiencing anxiety about their electronic communications. There are ways to get better security, but I cannot go into detail for their particular situation.
I hope they get help because it sounds like they are very anxious and might even be over reacting.
@soulsings Thanks so much for your reply (and sorry for my late one)! I agree that's she's probably overreacting a bit (e.g., felt very anxious and felt more threatened than what the actual threat presented), but happy to report she's doing better now!
@helpfulField8879 you are welcome. How are things working out for you?