New Phenomenon of digital self-harm
To hurt one's own body. This is what we called 'self-harm'. However, it is said that the phenomenon of 'digital self-harm' had been observed among teenagers in the United States over the past few years. Photograph: ArishaRay/Getty Images/iStockphoto
This phenomenon, also known as 'Self-cyberbullying,' means creating a fake SNS account to make malicious comments on your original account or post insulting about yourself. It's about harming yourself, not the body, but the mind.
Dr. Ryan Meldrum who is an associate professor of criminology at the international university of Florida, and his colleague analyzed data from the tens of 10,000 people living in Florida based on a youth substance abuse survey conducted in 2019. As a result, it turns out that 10 percent of them have been digitally harmed over the past year. This may be due to a psychology that is thirsty for attention. When you've posted negatively about yourself, you might want your friends to refute it or make sure they comfort you.
The researchers, however, point out that more serious reasons may exist. This is a way for adolescents to respond to mental distress, arguing that there has been a very high correlation, especially between victims of school violence and digital self-harm. Teenagers who are familiar with online today bring it to the internet space instead of mitigating mental pain with physical self-harm. Research on digital is still in its infancy, but researchers are concerned that these behaviors are likely to develop mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression.
Digital self-harm is referred to as self-harm without the intention of suicide. Self-harm can be a means of avoiding mental pain, an expression of anger toward others, or being used as a kind of painkiller by equalizing psychological pain with physical pain. The important thing is that these actions explode when you feel negative emotions that are hard to handle. After that, you can feel a momentary sense of liberation, but negative emotions such as shame and self-blame came back, and you will find stronger stimulation to shake it off, and eventually, your self-harm will become a habit.
Whether it's self-bullying's self-help or the self-harm of the depressive world, it seems clear that the mental health of some adolescents is in crisis. Adolescent concerns vary widely, including academic, friendship, and lice problems, and an unsettling home environment. It may be impossible for adults to understand their concerns and understand them in a short time. Instead, their signal SOS signal should be noticed. Their act of suffering to themselves may be a desperate cry for help.
Another important finding in Dr. Meldrum's is that the younger people who are in a warm and communicated relationship with their parents, the lower the likelihood of digital self-harm. That's how much the support and interest round you can feel a great comfort for teenagers. It's the same for you when the proper help of the family is backed up, children can get out of the bridle of self-harm.
The most important thing is the help of a professional. However, teenagers who are sensitive to peer -to-face people may feel reluctance to be treated. We encourage you to try counseling or medication to help your child not be afraid. No good solution can be utilized if you don't know the existence of the problem itself. In order not to miss the rescue requests of unconfined children, you need to know in advance what signal are and what the right way to do. I want you to remember that children's sway hearts can hurt even if they are wrong in the moment.
Photograph: ArishaRay/Getty Images/iStockphoto