Social media and self-harm

Social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives, particularly for young people. There are so many benefits to social media – it can help us to connect with others, help us find information and provide a platform for self-expression. However, many parents have raised concerns about its impact on their children’s mental health, particularly concerning self-harm.

This blog explores the complex relationship between social media and self-harm, exploring the various ways in which online platforms can both positively and negatively affect mental well-being and how parents can help support their children to manage their social media.

How is social media helpful for young people?

Supportive Communities
Social media platforms have the potential to foster supportive communities for individuals dealing with self-harm. Online forums and groups offer a safe space for people to share their experiences, seek advice, and meet with others who understand their struggles.

Coping strategies
Social media platforms can share educational resources about mental health, coping mechanisms, and ways to seek help. Mental health organisations, therapists, and advocates often share tips, articles, and videos on these platforms. They can can host videos or posts from mental health professionals demonstrating coping strategies such as mindfulness exercises, grounding techniques, or stress-relieving activities.

Signposting to services
Social media can be used to promote helplines, crisis intervention services, therapy resources, and self-help materials. Sharing links to reputable websites and resources can guide individuals toward professional help. It’s important to note that while social media can offer valuable support, it should not replace professional mental health care.

Awareness
Social media campaigns and awareness initiatives can reduce stigma surrounding self-harm and mental health, encouraging open conversations and promoting understanding.

How can social media be harmful?

Triggers
Social media can exacerbate self-harm tendencies. Triggering content, such as graphic images or posts glorifying self-harm, can easily be accessed and may reinforce harmful behaviours.

Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying on social media platforms significantly impacts mental well-being, potentially driving individuals to self-harm as a coping mechanism.

Misinformation
Not all content on social media is accurate or helpful. There’s a risk of encountering misleading or harmful advice.

Unrealistic Comparisons
The culture of comparison fostered by social media can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, increasing the risk of self-harm.

How can parents help their child to manage their social media use?

Talk about it
It can be challenging to have an open conversation about social media use with young people. It’s important to try and understand the role social media has in their lives and understand how they use it, what they enjoy about it and what they don’t. Understanding specifically which Apps might be harmful and what activities are harmful, can help them to manage those specific activities while allowing them to keep using social media in a way they enjoy.

Manage it

Parental Controls: Social media platforms often include parental control features that allow parents to monitor and manage their children’s social media usage, including setting time limits and content restrictions. For example, ‘Supervision’ is a set of tools and insights that parents can use to help support their teens (aged 13-17) on Instagram. Supervision is optional, and both the parent and the teen must agree to participate. If this is set up a parent can: set time limits, schedule breaks, see how much time their teen is spending on Instagram, see accounts that they follow and that follow their teen, see accounts their teen has blocked, their teen’s privacy and content settings, and the teen can notify their parent after reporting something on Instagram.

Screen Time Limits: Some platforms provide options to set time limits for daily usage. Parents can help their child set these up. The child can receive notifications or be automatically logged out after reaching a time threshold, encouraging breaks and moderation.

Do not disturb: Parents can help their child customise their notification settings to limit interruptions and prevent constant alerts. This includes options to turn off or limit notifications for likes, comments, and other interactions.

Curating content: Parents can discuss with their children how they can make their social media space safer and more positive by muting, hiding or blocking content from specific accounts or keywords, helping to control the type of content they see and reducing exposure to triggering or unwanted posts. Parents can also speak to their young people about what they choose to post and factors they can consider before doing so.

Seek Professional Help if Needed: If your child is struggling with self-harm or mental health issues, seek professional help from a therapist, or mental health specialist who can provide appropriate support and guidance.

Set boundaries

• Parents can help guide their children’s social media and mobile phone use by setting clear and consistent limits.
• Establish clear guidelines and boundaries regarding screen time, social media use, and appropriate content. This might include limits on the amount of time spent online or specific times when devices are not allowed.
• Establish tech-free zones by designating specific areas in the house, such as bedrooms or mealtime areas, as tech-free zones to encourage family interaction and relaxation without screens.
• Encourage your child to engage in offline activities and hobbies that promote mental well-being, such as sports, arts, reading, or spending time outdoors.
• Model positive behaviour and try putting your phone down when you’re spending time together.

Regulations and the role of social media companies

Social media companies bear a responsibility to create a safe online environment for their users. Implementing stringent content moderation policies, age restrictions, providing resources for mental health support, and promoting positive online interactions are crucial steps towards mitigating the negative impact of social media on self-harm. The Online Safety Bill introduced in the UK in October 2023 is a step towards trying to ensure young people stay safe online and ensures platforms are committed to removing content that promotes self-harm.

Summary

While social media offers valuable opportunities for connection and support for young people, it is important to approach these platforms mindfully. Parents can help their children manage their social media use by helping them to curate their online experiences, avoid triggering content and actively engage with positive and supportive communities. However, this is not always an easy conversation to have with young people and parents can’t control all the content their children are exposed to. Therefore, social media companies must continue to invest in resources that prioritise user safety and mental well-being and ensure parents know about safety features. By being open and understanding about the important role social media plays in young people’s lives, we can try to harness the positive aspects of social media while minimising the negative impacts on self-harm and mental health.

“We’ve worked alongside over 600 families, children, and healthcare professionals to build the digital DBT informed intervention for self-harm recovery.”

Dr. Olivia Collier, Chief Clinical Officer, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PhD)