Here's a statistic that may or may not surprise you: 1 in 5 American kids faces bullying each year. I know what you're thinking, "I had a bully growing up," yeah, but not one who had access to your life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Not a bully whose torture could live on after school and be liked by the masses. Cyberbullying has become a serious issue, especially for Michigan teens.

RELATED: Banning Smartphones in Michigan's K-12 Schools: Pros and Cons

It's not just nasty comments--in some cases, it can ruin your child's sleep patterns and self-esteem and, in some extreme circumstances, result in suicide and be used as a motive in mass shootings. Thanks to research conducted by MattressNextDay, we now know which cities in Michigan are most heavily impacted by cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying: Michigan's New Nightmare for Teens

A young girl sits down, surrounding by Michigan teens who are looking at her and laughing while holding their phones. She sits, with her arms folded, staring straight ahead.
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What's really mind-blowing is how many Michigan cities are hotbeds for cyberbullies. Where you thought our state's most significant problems were potholes and brutal winters--our state ranks 13th in the country for instances of cyberbullying. It's not exactly the kind of ranking we want.

Psychological experts have gone as far as to call cyberbullying a public "health crisis," and it's not hard to see why. On top of losing sleep, which teens desperately need, it also can lead to heightened anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.

These 9 Michigan Cities Are Cyberbullying Hotbeds

A young Michigan girl looks at her phone, appearing to be on the edge of tears, as a group of girls look in her direction, laughing and whispering.
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As a parent, I can tell you firsthand that the effects of cyberbullying are far-reaching and last well beyond high school. If you live in one of Michigan's hotbeds for cyberbullying, be sure to check in with your child, see how they're feeling, and make SURE they aren't the ones doing the bullying.

RELATED: A 4-Day School Week: Are Michigan Families Ready for 3 Days Off?

To learn more about spotting the signs of cyberbullying or to report it, visit StopBullying.gov or click here

Michigan's Cyberbullying Hotbeds: 9 Cities With a Troubled Teens

Like everything, technology has even allowed bullies to escape the confines of schools and infiltrate their victim's home life. In what is now called Cyberbullying, kids are able to troll one another 24/7 thanks to the internet and social media. Michigan ranks 13th in the nation according to MattressNextDay's in-depth analysis, which looked at words associated with bullying (NSFW, see link in the #1 entry for full methodology), to determine which cities in Michigan were the state's worst for cyberbullying.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Revealing Michigan's Best Party School: Top 20, Whose #1?

Graduation rates, career placement, and faculty-to-student ratios are great, but how's the party scene? Niche.com, the folks who help find the right school for you, has researched and ranked Michigan colleges and universities on what may matter most: the Party Scene. Let's count down to the #1 party school in Michigan and see where each school stands nationally for nightlife. See the link in Michigan's #1 Party School for complete methodology and additional insights.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Michigan's 2023 Car / Deer Accidents By County

Michigan is one of the nation's worst states for car/deer collisions, with a herd estimated to be over 2 million strong. Here's an alphabetical, county-by-county look at how many deer were involved in accidents compared to the total number of car accidents in Michigan in 2023, according to data found at MichiganTrafficCrashFacts.org through the Michigan Office of Highway Saftey Planning (OHSP)

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow