Social Media & Suicide
Several studies have documented the connection between social media and suicide in teenagers and young adults. If your family has been affected by a loved one’s suicide because of social media use and exposure to harmful online content, our California personal injury attorneys at Cutter Law, P.C. can help. We believe it’s time to hold social media companies responsible. If you’re considering filing a lawsuit, give us a call today.
According to numerous studies, there has been a related rise in mental health concerns, including suicide, since the advent of social media. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Tumblr, YouTube, and other social media platforms allow users to create and share content with others online. However, recent revelations shed light on social media’s dangerous effects on teenagers and young adults nationwide.
Our personal injury lawyers in Sacramento, Oakland, and Santa Rosa want to hold social media companies accountable for exposing Americans to online harm. If your family has lost a loved one in California to suicide stemming from social media’s harmful impacts, our attorneys at Cutter Law, P.C. can help you seek justice.
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The Connection Between Social Media and Suicide Risk
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates among males ages 15 to 19 increased by 31 percent between 2007 and 2015. Female suicides in the same age range doubled, setting a 40-year high in 2015. Suicide is currently the second-leading cause of death for 10- to 24-year-olds in the United States.
The fact that suicide rates have risen in the United States as social media has gained popularity has some researchers asking if there is a connection between the two.
Studies Linking Social Media and Suicide
Multiple studies have linked frequent social media use to poor mental health outcomes, including self-harm, suicidal ideations, and suicide attempts. Among those findings:Â
- Teenagers who spent more than three hours per day on social media platforms were at increased risk for developing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- When teen social media use causes disruptions to sleeping habits or involves bullying behavior, it affects mental health.
- Both perpetrators and victims of cyberbullying are at increased risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.
- Increased time on social media sites led to higher rates of psychological distress, the need for mental health interventions, poor self-reported mental health, and increased thoughts of suicide.
Groups Most at Risk for Social Media-Related Suicide
Often, people already struggling with mental health challenges seek support in online chatrooms, forums, or social media groups. While some may find positive encouragement from an online community, many more become immersed in a culture promoting self-harm or suicide.
- Teens with preexisting mental health conditions are particularly susceptible to adopting self-harming behaviors.
- Victims of cyberbullying are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and attempts, particularly young adolescents.
- Women and girls may be especially vulnerable to the effects of social media. A decade-long study by Brigham Young University found that girls who spent two to three hours a day on social media were at higher risk for suicide than those who spent less time on the platforms.
Additionally, the Pew Research Center found that the types of content accessed by young users matter, especially when considering the pressure young people can feel to post content portraying themselves and their lives in a certain light. Teens who use social media for selfies, journaling, and stories are at higher risk for suicidal ideations than peers who use social media for entertainment. Moreover, 26 percent of teenagers surveyed said they felt worse about their lives after spending time on social media.
Tips for Healthy Social Media Use
You can set healthy parameters for yourself or your child regarding social media use. Some suggestions include:
- Setting a limit for hours a user can access social media platforms each day
- Removing electronic devices from bedrooms at night to prevent the temptation to check social media accounts
- Monitoring your child’s social media accounts for signs of cyberbullying, sexual predators, and other harmful content
- Talking to your child about what they see on social media and how it often doesn’t mirror real life or real people
- Blocking people or content that is harmful to the user’s mental health
- Knowing when to involve law enforcement or when to seek additional assistance
Suicide Warning Signs
Excessive social media use may heighten feelings of loneliness, hopelessness, and isolation, especially for at-risk groups. Monitor your child or teenager’s social media accounts. Watch for signs that someone might be a bullying victim or is internalizing feelings that may lead to thoughts of self-harm or suicide. These signs include:
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Quitting or avoiding activities they once enjoyed
- Refusing to attend school or avoiding work
- Self-injuring, such as cutting or burning the skin
- Using drugs or alcohol
- Changing sleep habits or appetite
- Struggling with eating disorders
- Changing personality or mood swings
- Complaining of stomach or headaches that don’t have a physical cause
- Neglecting personal hygiene
Resources
If you believe someone you care about may be considering suicide, talk to them, remove all weapons or other means of self-harm, and seek professional assistance immediately. Don’t leave them alone. Reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for help and resources.
If you’ve already lost a family member to suicide and believe that social media played a role, Cutter Law, P.C. can help. Our experienced, compassionate California personal injury lawyers can help you take the next legal steps to hold social media companies accountable.
Legal Options
Social media companies could choose to make their products safer for consumers, but they haven’t. Leaked documents show that Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, Meta, knew its apps were harmful but refused to act.
Families of people who have died by suicide following social media use are suing the makers of Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media apps for failing to provide safeguards against harmful and exploitative content. Here are some notable social media lawsuits:
- The parents of 17-year-old Christopher Dawley, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2015, have sued Meta Platforms, Inc. and Snap, Inc. They allege their son developed a harmful addiction to Instagram that led to his suicide.
- Jennifer Mitchell, whose son Ian died while recording himself playing Russian roulette on Snapchat, is suing Meta Platforms, Inc. She alleges the social media platform directed her son to harmful content that led to his death.
- The mother of 11-year-old Selena Rodriguez, who committed suicide in 2021, has sued Snapchat and Instagram.  She says a “lack of sufficient parental controls” prevented her from protecting her daughter from the social media addiction and cyberbullying that caused her death.
How can Cutter Law, P.C. help?
If you’ve experienced a tragedy involving social media use and suicide, you may be entitled to compensation for your loss. Contact Cutter Law, P.C. today for a free consultation. There’s no fee unless we win your case.
FAQ
Is there a correlation between social media and suicide?
Yes. Social media can negatively affect mental health in susceptible populations by exposing users to harmful content and increasing feelings of loneliness and isolation.
What is the suicide rate because of social media?
While researchers are hesitant to say that social media is the direct cause, suicide rates increased by 35 percent between 1999 and 2018.
Why does social media worsen mental health?
Several factors associated with the increased use of social media contribute to poor mental health, including the need to compete with the lives of others as portrayed online, the loss of sleep, cyberbullying, and images portraying unrealistic body images.
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