How can 1/3 teen girls be suicidal?

[Anonymous]

My 13yr old has had episodes of severe anxiety and depression. She even self harmed twice. She has made huge strides in the last 6 months with a lot of therapy, a diagnosis, and so much support.

From the outside before, during, and after she is/was the happiest most social bubbly person you could meet. No one knew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one said social media is the sole cause of teen girl suicide.

Social media is a major cause - maybe the predominant cause - of teen girl suicide today.

You simply don’t get it.

DP

I think she or he dies get it. There is tons of research going into the relationship between the parallels increase between rates of social media use and suicide rates/ depression. Of course other factors play into the degree of impact of social media use.


Child Mind
Institute
Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?
How heavy Instagram and Facebook use may be affecting kids negatively
Writer: Caroline Miller
Clinical Experts: Jerry Bubrick, PhD , Alexandra Hamlet, PsyD

https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/

Studies show that depression among teenagers and young adults has gotten more common over the past decade. Social media use has also increased during the same time. It’s hard to say for sure that social media causes depression. Still, there are several ways that using social media could harm kids.

Some experts think that connecting with peers online is less emotionally fulfilling than connecting in person. Research shows that teenagers who spend more time on social media also feel more isolated. It could be that kids who already feel isolated use social media more. But it could be that using social media actually makes kids feel isolated.
Another theory is that social media is bad for teenagers’ self-esteem. Seeing lots of perfect pictures online might make kids (especially girls) view themselves negatively. Feeling bad about themselves can lead to depression.

Social media can also cut into the time that kids spend on activities that make them feel good, like exercise and hobbies. Additionally, it can distract from important tasks like homework. Having to juggle those responsibilities can increase kids’ stress. Studies also suggest that using social media at night interferes with restful sleep for many teenagers.

It’s important for parents to check in with kids about their social media use and help them develop healthy habits. You can encourage kids to turn off notifications, spend plenty of time on offline activities that make them feel good, and put phones away before bedtime. You can also set a good example by modeling balance in your own use of social media.

Finally, be sure to keep an eye out for signs of depression and get professional help if you’re worried. It’s especially important to check on kids who are under a lot of stress.



Social media and situational depression

ttps://psychcentral.com/depression/does-social-media-cause-depression#effects-of-social-media

Situational depression can develop following a major life change or traumatic event. It can be completely natural to feel low, have less energy, and feel less enthusiastic about things after experiencing things like:
* a traumatic event
* the death of a loved one
* job loss
* a significant breakup or divorce
But situational depression can cause unhelpful feelings to be more persistent and can last for several months before you start to feel better.
You may find that your screen time increases as you experience situational depression. Some people may find comfort in escaping into highlight reels and trending topics. Others might cling to the euphoric hits from every “likes” or seek out like-minded people online to confirm their point of view.
A 2014 review proposed that social media and depression may be part of a destructive cycle. Those who are already living with situational depression tend to go on social media more, and their extended exposure can be associated with, or at least become a risk factor for, more symptoms of depression.
Social Media and clinical depression
If scrolling social media is keeping you from sleeping, maintaining a job, or taking care of your hygiene and nutrition, your social media use may have become problematic, or you may be dealing with clinical depression or major depressive disorder (MDD).
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), MDD is diagnosed when you’re experiencing at least five of the following symptoms during a 2-week period and at least one of the symptoms is either feeling sad or depressed or a loss of interest or pleasure:
* body aches
* marked change in appetite
* not sleeping or significantly oversleeping
* brain fog
* increase in irritability
* feeling anxious
* thoughts of suicide
What type of depression does social media cause?
Social media isn’t inherently harmful to your mental health, especially if it doesn’t replace other forms of healthy social interaction. However, exposure to harmful behavior and rhetoric through social media can impact your mood and even cause depressive symptoms.
For example, toxic positivity can be harmful.
Belonging to social media communities that demand “good vibes only” can cause you to repress any unwanted distressing feelings, potentially contributing to symptoms of depression. In these circles, you may feel unwelcome if you’re experiencing challenges or you, or think others, believe, you’re “not working hard enough” to overcome them.
Toxic positivity can also influence how you view (and post about) your real life. You may feel pressured to only share joyful posts and pictures of your life, ignoring the entire spectrum of your naturally occurring joyful and difficult experiences.
Bullying online can also have a real-world impact on your mental health

You can always find a study birth that is not real world.

The parents are as hooked on it as the kids. No one will give it up no matter what research says.

So, what about the same issues prior to internet?

Kids feel watched everywhere they go. Like there is someone everywhere waiting to record their every failure or mistake to their whole world (hardly, but the teenage mind thinks in absolutes.) Moving schools will mot save you. It's enough to make me paranoid and I'm not a teen.

Social media is just one small part of it but it’s far deeper than that. Parents need to step up and be parents.

What would that look like?

It could start with not allowing smartphone or social media access until AFTER middle school. Even longer would be better but I don't think that's realistic.

So, how's that for starters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what are parents supposed to do if there are literally no signs? The kids aren’t even a little depressed first?

There are some signs. But you have to spend a lot of time with the person to know. BTDT. I had suicidal thoughts and masked it well in public, but my parents saw I was depressed and helped me.

I struggled with this in high school and masked it mostly. When I did ask for help, my parents were clueless. I’m glad to see the topic is talked about.

I personally know of 2 girls (maybe 4) who had suicidal thoughts. The third had an eating disorder and not sure if that counts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one said social media is the sole cause of teen girl suicide.

Social media is a major cause - maybe the predominant cause - of teen girl suicide today.

You simply don’t get it.

You are in denial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Instagram.

Insta and are social media are literally causing this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/technology/meta-instagram-investigation-teens.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/teen-suicide-social-media-bullying-mental-health-contributing-to-rise-in-deaths/

The evidence is overwhelming.

True. My friend’s daughter was suicidal after bullying via Instagram.

[Anonymous]

Kids aren’t really on IG anymore. It’s Snap and Send It that you have to worry about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one said social media is the sole cause of teen girl suicide.

Social media is a major cause - maybe the predominant cause - of teen girl suicide today.

You simply don’t get it.

DP

I think she or he dies get it. There is tons of research going into the relationship between the parallels increase between rates of social media use and suicide rates/ depression. Of course other factors play into the degree of impact of social media use.


Child Mind
Institute
Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?
How heavy Instagram and Facebook use may be affecting kids negatively
Writer: Caroline Miller
Clinical Experts: Jerry Bubrick, PhD , Alexandra Hamlet, PsyD

https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/

Studies show that depression among teenagers and young adults has gotten more common over the past decade. Social media use has also increased during the same time. It’s hard to say for sure that social media causes depression. Still, there are several ways that using social media could harm kids.

Some experts think that connecting with peers online is less emotionally fulfilling than connecting in person. Research shows that teenagers who spend more time on social media also feel more isolated. It could be that kids who already feel isolated use social media more. But it could be that using social media actually makes kids feel isolated.
Another theory is that social media is bad for teenagers’ self-esteem. Seeing lots of perfect pictures online might make kids (especially girls) view themselves negatively. Feeling bad about themselves can lead to depression.

Social media can also cut into the time that kids spend on activities that make them feel good, like exercise and hobbies. Additionally, it can distract from important tasks like homework. Having to juggle those responsibilities can increase kids’ stress. Studies also suggest that using social media at night interferes with restful sleep for many teenagers.

It’s important for parents to check in with kids about their social media use and help them develop healthy habits. You can encourage kids to turn off notifications, spend plenty of time on offline activities that make them feel good, and put phones away before bedtime. You can also set a good example by modeling balance in your own use of social media.

Finally, be sure to keep an eye out for signs of depression and get professional help if you’re worried. It’s especially important to check on kids who are under a lot of stress.



Social media and situational depression

ttps://psychcentral.com/depression/does-social-media-cause-depression#effects-of-social-media

Situational depression can develop following a major life change or traumatic event. It can be completely natural to feel low, have less energy, and feel less enthusiastic about things after experiencing things like:
* a traumatic event
* the death of a loved one
* job loss
* a significant breakup or divorce
But situational depression can cause unhelpful feelings to be more persistent and can last for several months before you start to feel better.
You may find that your screen time increases as you experience situational depression. Some people may find comfort in escaping into highlight reels and trending topics. Others might cling to the euphoric hits from every “likes” or seek out like-minded people online to confirm their point of view.
A 2014 review proposed that social media and depression may be part of a destructive cycle. Those who are already living with situational depression tend to go on social media more, and their extended exposure can be associated with, or at least become a risk factor for, more symptoms of depression.
Social Media and clinical depression
If scrolling social media is keeping you from sleeping, maintaining a job, or taking care of your hygiene and nutrition, your social media use may have become problematic, or you may be dealing with clinical depression or major depressive disorder (MDD).
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), MDD is diagnosed when you’re experiencing at least five of the following symptoms during a 2-week period and at least one of the symptoms is either feeling sad or depressed or a loss of interest or pleasure:
* body aches
* marked change in appetite
* not sleeping or significantly oversleeping
* brain fog
* increase in irritability
* feeling anxious
* thoughts of suicide
What type of depression does social media cause?
Social media isn’t inherently harmful to your mental health, especially if it doesn’t replace other forms of healthy social interaction. However, exposure to harmful behavior and rhetoric through social media can impact your mood and even cause depressive symptoms.
For example, toxic positivity can be harmful.
Belonging to social media communities that demand “good vibes only” can cause you to repress any unwanted distressing feelings, potentially contributing to symptoms of depression. In these circles, you may feel unwelcome if you’re experiencing challenges or you, or think others, believe, you’re “not working hard enough” to overcome them.
Toxic positivity can also influence how you view (and post about) your real life. You may feel pressured to only share joyful posts and pictures of your life, ignoring the entire spectrum of your naturally occurring joyful and difficult experiences.
Bullying online can also have a real-world impact on your mental health

You can always find a study birth that is not real world.

The parents are as hooked on it as the kids. No one will give it up no matter what research says.

So, what about the same issues prior to internet?

Kids feel watched everywhere they go. Like there is someone everywhere waiting to record their every failure or mistake to their whole world (hardly, but the teenage mind thinks in absolutes.) Moving schools will mot save you. It's enough to make me paranoid and I'm not a teen.

Social media is just one small part of it but it’s far deeper than that. Parents need to step up and be parents.

What would that look like?

It could start with not allowing smartphone or social media access until AFTER middle school. Even longer would be better but I don't think that's realistic.

So, how's that for starters?

Because social media is a problem

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instagram.

Insta and are social media are literally causing this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/technology/meta-instagram-investigation-teens.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/teen-suicide-social-media-bullying-mental-health-contributing-to-rise-in-deaths/

The evidence is overwhelming.

True. My friend’s daughter was suicidal after bullying via Instagram.

No, she was suicidal because she was bullied and the bullying escalated to the social media. Even without social media she was being bullied. She needed to be removed from that school and get mental health treatment. Social media is a form of bullying but bullying was the issues. This is a parenting issue and instead of parents complaining about it they need to monitor their kids behavior, including on social media. Checked out parents are a huge issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instagram.

Insta and are social media are literally causing this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/technology/meta-instagram-investigation-teens.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/teen-suicide-social-media-bullying-mental-health-contributing-to-rise-in-deaths/

The evidence is overwhelming.

True. My friend’s daughter was suicidal after bullying via Instagram.

No, she was suicidal because she was bullied and the bullying escalated to the social media. Even without social media she was being bullied. She needed to be removed from that school and get mental health treatment. Social media is a form of bullying but bullying was the issues. This is a parenting issue and instead of parents complaining about it they need to monitor their kids behavior, including on social media. Checked out parents are a huge issue.

Some kids are only bullied through social media. There is no in-person component to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Instagram.

Insta and are social media are literally causing this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/technology/meta-instagram-investigation-teens.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/teen-suicide-social-media-bullying-mental-health-contributing-to-rise-in-deaths/

The evidence is overwhelming.

True. My friend’s daughter was suicidal after bullying via Instagram.

No, she was suicidal because she was bullied and the bullying escalated to the social media. Even without social media she was being bullied. She needed to be removed from that school and get mental health treatment. Social media is a form of bullying but bullying was the issues. This is a parenting issue and instead of parents complaining about it they need to monitor their kids behavior, including on social media. Checked out parents are a huge issue.

Some kids are only bullied through social media. There is no in-person component to it.

Of course there is. And, as a parent you need to monitor your child’s behavior to make sure they aren’t bullied or being the bully. If they post pictures, they are bullied both in person and online as those pictures were taken in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Social media + lack of religion + general degradation of human morality and basic decency towards others.

Sad state of the world we live in.

My religion teaches suicide is a sin. And teaches hope, and bringing your problems to God.

How does religion teaching its a sin help? Most people commit sin's without thinking twice, usually the most religious.

Sounds like you aren't very religious either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one said social media is the sole cause of teen girl suicide.

Social media is a major cause - maybe the predominant cause - of teen girl suicide today.

You simply don’t get it.

DP

I think she or he dies get it. There is tons of research going into the relationship between the parallels increase between rates of social media use and suicide rates/ depression. Of course other factors play into the degree of impact of social media use.


Child Mind
Institute
Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?
How heavy Instagram and Facebook use may be affecting kids negatively
Writer: Caroline Miller
Clinical Experts: Jerry Bubrick, PhD , Alexandra Hamlet, PsyD

https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/

Studies show that depression among teenagers and young adults has gotten more common over the past decade. Social media use has also increased during the same time. It’s hard to say for sure that social media causes depression. Still, there are several ways that using social media could harm kids.

Some experts think that connecting with peers online is less emotionally fulfilling than connecting in person. Research shows that teenagers who spend more time on social media also feel more isolated. It could be that kids who already feel isolated use social media more. But it could be that using social media actually makes kids feel isolated.
Another theory is that social media is bad for teenagers’ self-esteem. Seeing lots of perfect pictures online might make kids (especially girls) view themselves negatively. Feeling bad about themselves can lead to depression.

Social media can also cut into the time that kids spend on activities that make them feel good, like exercise and hobbies. Additionally, it can distract from important tasks like homework. Having to juggle those responsibilities can increase kids’ stress. Studies also suggest that using social media at night interferes with restful sleep for many teenagers.

It’s important for parents to check in with kids about their social media use and help them develop healthy habits. You can encourage kids to turn off notifications, spend plenty of time on offline activities that make them feel good, and put phones away before bedtime. You can also set a good example by modeling balance in your own use of social media.

Finally, be sure to keep an eye out for signs of depression and get professional help if you’re worried. It’s especially important to check on kids who are under a lot of stress.



Social media and situational depression

ttps://psychcentral.com/depression/does-social-media-cause-depression#effects-of-social-media

Situational depression can develop following a major life change or traumatic event. It can be completely natural to feel low, have less energy, and feel less enthusiastic about things after experiencing things like:
* a traumatic event
* the death of a loved one
* job loss
* a significant breakup or divorce
But situational depression can cause unhelpful feelings to be more persistent and can last for several months before you start to feel better.
You may find that your screen time increases as you experience situational depression. Some people may find comfort in escaping into highlight reels and trending topics. Others might cling to the euphoric hits from every “likes” or seek out like-minded people online to confirm their point of view.
A 2014 review proposed that social media and depression may be part of a destructive cycle. Those who are already living with situational depression tend to go on social media more, and their extended exposure can be associated with, or at least become a risk factor for, more symptoms of depression.
Social Media and clinical depression
If scrolling social media is keeping you from sleeping, maintaining a job, or taking care of your hygiene and nutrition, your social media use may have become problematic, or you may be dealing with clinical depression or major depressive disorder (MDD).
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), MDD is diagnosed when you’re experiencing at least five of the following symptoms during a 2-week period and at least one of the symptoms is either feeling sad or depressed or a loss of interest or pleasure:
* body aches
* marked change in appetite
* not sleeping or significantly oversleeping
* brain fog
* increase in irritability
* feeling anxious
* thoughts of suicide
What type of depression does social media cause?
Social media isn’t inherently harmful to your mental health, especially if it doesn’t replace other forms of healthy social interaction. However, exposure to harmful behavior and rhetoric through social media can impact your mood and even cause depressive symptoms.
For example, toxic positivity can be harmful.
Belonging to social media communities that demand “good vibes only” can cause you to repress any unwanted distressing feelings, potentially contributing to symptoms of depression. In these circles, you may feel unwelcome if you’re experiencing challenges or you, or think others, believe, you’re “not working hard enough” to overcome them.
Toxic positivity can also influence how you view (and post about) your real life. You may feel pressured to only share joyful posts and pictures of your life, ignoring the entire spectrum of your naturally occurring joyful and difficult experiences.
Bullying online can also have a real-world impact on your mental health

You can always find a study birth that is not real world.

The parents are as hooked on it as the kids. No one will give it up no matter what research says.

So, what about the same issues prior to internet?

Kids feel watched everywhere they go. Like there is someone everywhere waiting to record their every failure or mistake to their whole world (hardly, but the teenage mind thinks in absolutes.) Moving schools will mot save you. It's enough to make me paranoid and I'm not a teen.

Social media is just one small part of it but it’s far deeper than that. Parents need to step up and be parents.

What would that look like?

It could start with not allowing smartphone or social media access until AFTER middle school. Even longer would be better but I don't think that's realistic.

So, how's that for starters?

Because social media is a problem

I refer to it as a toxic cancer, but yeah...

Children's brains are just not developed enough to handle or safely navigate/process it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NJ HS student was beaten to a pulp at her public school. When she saw it posted on SOCIAL MEDIA — she killed herself.

She was beaten at school for years. School administrators LET it happen. They have f’in BLOOD on THEIR hands.

Deploy the National Guard to keep the kids safe from deadly beatings if you have to!!

It was not the social media, it was the constant abuse. The parents and school failed her. As a parent no way would I leave my kid in a school that allowed that and could not keep my child safe. She probably accepted it and social media put her over the top but social media was a minor part of it.

Why debate this when you don't know them personally. Let's just let the story alone. Poor girl. So sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Social media. It’s a different beast and it created a different dangerous trajectory heightened by pandemic during lockdown.

We never had a lock down. We were asked to stay home a few weeks and business were closed. You could still go out and do what you want. The pandemic has been over two years. Find something new to blame. Either you are part of the problem or solution.

Oh please.

Stop being so patronizing to other parents. Maybe your teen went to a private that stayed open but I know so many parents who were able to control social media usage prior to the pandemic but that all went out the window. Many of our children were in online school for up to two years and were no longer able to control it. It was the main form of social connection for so many youth that many of us allowed it. Plus many sports, School music and other activities were cancelled. Our church youth group did not meet for two years in person.

Even friends with children who were in college said it deeply affected them as well as so many normal social college activities were sharply restricted.

Plus many youth lost parents and grandparents to COVID.

It was an extremely traumatic time for many people and especially hard for youth.

The record mental health crisis stats speak for themselves .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many have survived sexual assault!

I think this is something too many people overlook when talking about teen girls. The statistics are shocking. I only had a second to look up numbers, but RAINN says 1 in 9 girls has been sexually assaulted or sexually abused by an adult before age 18. And that’s just by *adults* — the number of assaults by other teens is much higher.