Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, November 3, 2022. The rise in new technologies has put the spotlight on a surge in cyberbullying, especially among younger people. All this can lead to suicidal ideation, which occurs when a person continuously thinks or wishes to commit suicide. The psychologist at Hospiten Roca, Silvia Morales, states that cases of cyberbullying have increased considerably in recent years.
The coronavirus pandemic led to concern about mental health, but also about young children. In addition, the incidence of mental illness increased in what has been called 'the parallel pandemic'. According to the National Health Survey database, in 2017, 19% of parents understood that their children had many worries, now that percentage has reached 30%, according to a Save the Children survey.
According to a study by Noemi Pereda, doctor in Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Barcelona, children and adolescents who are perpetrators of cyberbullying are at a higher risk of manifesting suicidal ideation and behaviors, although to a lesser extent than the cyber victim.
There are different indications that can help detect whether a teenager is being attacked on the social media networks. The main signs are sadness, isolation, apathy, changes in their usual behavior, sudden mood swings or changes in appetite and sleep patterns. And another indicator can be somatic pain like headaches, stomach pain or skin reactions. The psychology department at Hospiten Roca explains that proper use of social networks is crucial to having very good mental health. In addition to rest, healthy eating habits, etc.
It is very important to know the guidelines for action against cyberbullying to be able to act quickly. Hospiten specialist, Silvia Morales points out that if there is any suspicion of bullying, the child can be asked directly about the subject. Likewise, we must let the child tell us everything that is happening for us to fully understand the situation and know exactly what is upsetting them and causing them to suffer. Once we know what is happening to the child, the need for psychological treatment must be assessed.
About the Hospiten Group
The Hospiten Group is an international healthcare network with over 50 years of experience, committed to providing the highest quality service, and which has 20 private medical-hospital centers in Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica and Panama. Chaired by Dr. Pedro Luis Cobiella, the group attends more than 1,900,000 patients from all over the world every year with a workforce of more than 5,000 people.