Social Media and Suicide
Researchers have linked several aspects of social media use to depression and higher suicide risk. And according to the CDC, the suicide rate for male teens increased 31 percent between 2007 and 2015 and female teen suicides hit a 40-year high in 2015.
Over the past decade, the rate of teen suicide has risen dramatically. At the same time, social media use has also risen among teens. The first factor that has caused an increase in suicide prevalence rates among teens on social media is overuse. A 10-year longitudinal study at BYU discovered that teenage girls who spent two to three hours daily on social media at age 13 were at a higher risk for suicide as young adults. Researchers concluded that girls and women are more relationally attuned and more sensitive to posts not being well-received comparisons, and lack of online connections.