September is National Suicide Prevention Month. It’s a difficult topic, but an important one for parents and teachers. In the U.S., suicide is the third leading cause of death for middle and high school age kids affecting, thousands of school-age children.
At Learning.com, the issue is personal. Our CEO, Lisa O’Masta, has openly shared her own family’s harrowing experience when her son attempted suicide after a series of problematic but commonplace online interactions.
There is no one single cause. Most individuals who contemplate suicide are experiencing a complicated set of factors that may include mental health issues, limited social support networks, and access to lethal means. But because young people spend so much time in digital spaces, it’s important to consider how online interactions and habits may contribute to unhealthy situations, and how adults can help kids stay safe and healthy online.
Digital dangers
It’s important to understand how screen time can harm students’ mental health, and consider how parents, teachers and caregivers can help mitigate the harms to keep kids safe and healthy. Here are a few of the common ways screen time can negatively impact mental health for children and teens:
Social media
Nearly half of teens say social media has had a negative impact on their peers – although far fewer think it’s having a negative effect on them personally. And one in five teens say that social media is the biggest threat to their mental health, according to Pew Research.
More anxiety and depression
The amount of time spent online has been found to increase depression and anxiety for teens. In a 2023 survey, teens who spent more than four hours a day online were twice as likely to feel depressed and four times as likely to feel anxious, compared to their peers.
Less sleep
Online platforms are designed to keep your attention. So, it’s no surprise many teens have a hard time logging off at nighttime. They may stay up late gaming, exchanging text messages, or scrolling social media endlessly. In fact, 45% of teens said social media platforms cut into their sleep time. But research has consistently shown that sleep at night is incredibly important for teens’ mental and physical health. Getting at least 8 hours a night leads to better mental health for teens, and is directly tied to a lower risk of suicidal thoughts.
Cyberbullying
Adolescents who experienced cyberbullying were more than four times as likely to report thoughts of suicide and attempts as those who didn’t, according to research funded by the National Institutes of Health. Cyberbullying has consistently been on the rise among kids ages 13 to 17. This year, one-third of teens reported being cyberbullied in the previous 30 days. Because of its prevalence, kids need to be encouraged to be good cyber citizens from a young age — and taught what to do if they see or experience cyberbullying.
How you can keep kids safe online
With all of this, it might seem appealing to throw all your kids’ devices out the window. But technology is here to stay, and provides young people opportunities for creativity, self expression, communication, and learning. Plus, every imaginable job of the future will require technology skills for success.
What’s important is helping your child learn to balance their technology use and create a healthy and safe relationship with devices.
“The digital world, while offering incredible opportunities for learning and connecting, also amplifies challenges like cyberbullying. This calls for comprehensive strategies to protect our young people’s mental and emotional well-being. It’s crucial for governments, schools, and families to collaborate on addressing online risks, ensuring adolescents have safe and supportive environments in which to thrive.”
— Dr. Joanna Inchley
International Coordinator for the World Health Organization’s Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study from 2015-2024
Here are some tips and resources to help you keep kids safe online:
Establish boundaries
Talk to your kids about their technology use, your family’s expectations and values, and how to create healthy boundaries. Our back to school online safety checklist for parents can help you get started.
Know how to handle cyberbullying
Make sure children know what to do when they see or experience cyberbullying. Find out what kids should know, how parents can help, and what teachers can do to combat cyberbullying here: Teaching Children How to Handle Cyberbullying Effectively.
Learn from experts
Learning.com hosted a webinar featuring teachers, authors, and experts on “Helping Kids Create a Healthy Relationship with Technology,” during Mental Health Awareness Month in 2024. It was chock-full of insights, and you can watch the webinar on demand now.
Teach digital literacy
Being a good digital citizen, knowing how to handle cyberbullying, understanding online privacy, managing your digital footprint are all foundational digital literacy skills. Not only do they keep kids safe and health online, but they are the basis for more advanced technology skills that lead to success in school, careers, and life. For more than 20 years, Learning.com has been a leader in providing digital skills to students. Our EasyTech Digital Literacy & Citizenship program is an easy and engaging way to give students essential skills. Try EasyTech.