The Impact of Technology on Teenage Suicide

The Impact of Technology on Teenage Suicide
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The Impact of Technology on Teenage Suicide Carroll, J.A. & Kirkpatrick, R. L. (2011). The Impact Of Social Media On Adolescent Behavioral Health. California Adolescent Health Collaborative, (510), 6. Carroll and Kirkpatrick (2011) conducted research that addressed how the behavior of adolescents is affected by social media in the state of California. The mixed method study revealed that there is increased use of social media sites among the youth, with more than 50% using text messaging, social networking sites, video sites, online gaming, or blog spots. The authors identify that despite the benefits presented by social media, there are recurrent challenges associated with these new technologies. According to the authors, the increased ability of the youth to connect with each other is a distinctive characteristic of social media that presents a new opportunity to engage in social environments. Additionally, the use of social media is coupled with the fact that the adolescents are developing their personality, developing sexuality, physical growth and development, and moral awareness. Subsequently, the social interactions have an impact on their behavior changes. Among the many risks associated with social media, Carroll and Kirkpatrick (2011) highlights the impact of cyber bullying among the teenagers. The emotional distress created by social media such as threats, harassments and humiliating messages affects 23% of the teens in California. The study adds that cyber bullying has higher levels of depression and anxiety that can lead to suicide. The study offers credible information that can be used to assess the impact of the increased use of the internet and smartphone technologies on the rate of teenage suicide. Weerasendera, R. (2014). The Impact Of Social Media In Sri Lanka: Issues And Challenges In Mental Health. Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry, 5(June), 10–11. The study by Weerasendera (2014) provides substantial evidence that teenage suicides reported in Sri Lanka in the recent past are closely linked to the increased use of new technologies, especially social media. Weerasendera (2014) identifies that the issue of suicide and mental health problems that precipitate from social media are not confined to Sri Lanka, but they are a global challenge. The qualitative study that takes into account a large number of previous studies shows that restricting social media is not an option to prevent suicide or related mental problems. Despite the fact that Sri Lanka has the second highest literacy rates in the South Asia, the youth in the country are still vulnerable to the risks presented by new technologies, including the internet, internet enabled devices, and social media. Weerasendera (2014) reviews that policing social media has not managed to limit the impact it has on the youth. The credibility of the research lies in the variety of sources discussed and the comprehensive analysis conducted in the study. The research is fundamental in offering insights on the challenges faced in mitigating the risks of new technologies that affect the youth even among the elite popul...