The Sensis report states 23 per cent of regional citizens have witnessed online harassment and bullying, compared to just 15 per cent in metro areas. Nine per cent have experienced online bullying – more than double their city counterparts at four per cent.

Sensis Digital spokesman Rob Tolliday said “more than eight in ten people in regional areas are now using social media, driven by people’s obsessions with their smartphones”.

However, Tamworth Centacare Principal psychologist Josefina Hofman said it’s a double edged sword for regional people, particularly those in remote areas.

“On one hand social media can open up networks, resources and so much information, but at the same time it also puts people at risk and vulnerability at having accessibility to many thousands, or millions of people that they previously didn’t have access to,” Mrs Hofman said.

“It can be a great tool to connect people, but it can also be really isolating.” 

Cyber bullying and the proliferation of social media use is an issue that previous generations have not had to deal with, and the local psychologist said the fall-out has been hard to miss.

“Physical abuse is still extremely harmful and I would never want to dismiss that at all, but psychological abuse is the most damaging because those words, comments, messages and thoughts constantly rotate in a victim’s mind,” Mrs Hofman said.

“Since [the rise in] social media we would have seen, at minimum, a 20 per cent increase in referrals for depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation and neglect, poor self esteem and worst of all, suicidal ideation.” 

“Social media is now part of people’s identities, so it is a genuine attack on who they are, especially for younger people who have grown up with it.” 

Professor of Psychological Medicine at Sydney Medical School said “excessive social media use is re-wiring people’s brains, with every like or retweet acting as a reward and releasing small doses of dopamine that leave us happy, but we feel craving like symptoms and anxiety when we don’t get it”. 

“A recent study in the US found that narcissism is on the rise in young people, as is anxiety and stress. No doubt social media is having a significant impact,” he said.

Mrs Hofman believes that it is up to parents to monitor their children, while she also believes people need to use filters, block and unfriend people, and report inappropriate behavior.

“We need to take the stigma away from cyber bullying, educate people about social media and have the conversation and set-up boundaries. Take notice of depressive anxious symptoms and encourage help seeking behavior – there are many local services that can help,” Mrs Hofman said.

Cyber-bullying can be hurtful and in some situations can also turn criminal.

It can be delivered in many forms including abusive texts, on-line posts and emails, spreading rumours or telling lies online, or even imitating others online using fake profiles and other methods.

NSW Police said there are several actions victims can take including blocking the person bully, keeping a record of threatening or intimidating messages or reporting the person to the social media platform.

Victims can also contact police if they have received threatening or intimidating messages.

Experts recommend parents tell the perpetrators to stop, ensure children know that it’s not their fault and don’t respond or retaliate.

Experts also recommend saving the evidence, including screen-shotting the messages.