Negative Impacts of Social Media Use and Academic Pressure on Youth
A 15-year-old child who developed self-harm behavior due to excessive academic pressure, family communication issues, and negative content exposed on social media has been hospitalized for treatment.
A 15-year-old girl was admitted to the Bach Mai Institute of Mental Health Hospital after cuts on her arms were discovered. It was determined that the child developed self-harm behavior due to academic pressure, a breakdown in family communication, bullying on a school confession page, and negative algorithmic content on social media that she was exposed to late into the night.
Hospital Admission Process
The 15-year-old girl, whose parents discovered numerous cuts on her forearms, was brought to the Bach Mai Institute of Mental Health Hospital for detailed examination and treatment. As a result of medical evaluations, the psychological difficulties experienced by the patient and her habits in the online environment were addressed in detail.
Academic Pressure and Loneliness
It was learned that the patient faced extreme academic pressure in the 10th grade and communication with her family had broken down. The feeling that excessive expectations were placed on her without being understood led the child to withdraw from real-life interactions and take complete refuge in the online environment.
The Role of the Algorithm
Doctors stated that the patient initially browsed social media for general entertainment content and later gravitated toward videos containing sadness. It was determined that the platform's recommendation algorithm detected this signal and filled the feed with negative content, and that usage extending late into the night increased the risk.
Bullying and the Emergence of Behavior
Having been subjected to bullying on the school's confession page and experiencing an argument with her family, the child carried out this act by recalling images of self-harm she had seen on social media. Experts emphasized that difficulties in emotional regulation among children can trigger such behaviors.
Expert Opinions and Statistics
Experts pointed out that social media increases risks through algorithmic recommendations and social contagion. Research indicated that a significant portion of students spend very long periods of time on the internet and social media platforms in their daily lives.