Dangerous Trends In Social Networks For Teens
Social networks and the (sometimes dangerous) trends that circulate in them have a great impact on the lives of adolescents. For 13 Reasons is a Netflix series that tells the story of a teenager who has decided to kill herself, and explains the 13 reasons why she has done so.
This series describes the power and influence of social media, bullying, and the challenges teens face every day, both at school and at home.
Today, social media can serve a wonderful purpose, but it can also be extremely dangerous. There are several social media trends among teens that parents should educate themselves on to protect their children.
Dangerous trends on social media
Inappropriate photos
Today, there are an overwhelming number of apps and services that teens can use to communicate, and all it takes is a bold photo or statement to change a life forever. Teens may feel an extreme desire to fit in and feel validated, and to sometimes forget the potential virality can have a picture or text.
It is known that parents must leave the doors open for communication. Try tune in to your teenager and let him talk if he seems ready. Creating a sense of openness and a non-judgmental approach will ease teens’ concerns.
Also, when parents show that they are not afraid to broach any topic and are willing to show their own vulnerabilities, teens take notice. We simply need to shut up and listen.
Therefore, if your teenager refuses to open up and you feel that his behavior should not be ignored, talk to a therapist to find out how to proceed, do not be afraid to push and ask difficult questions. School therapists or therapists have a lot to offer and are wonderful resources.
To make matters worse, most people do not understand that many of the school therapists are taught therapeutically to counsel people. Counselors offer academic support, individual and parental counseling. Ideally, start with a one-on-one meeting to understand the counselor-student relationship.
Dangerous challenges on social media
Also, sites like YouTube and Facebook have the potential to broadcast to large audiences, which is great if the information is secure, but that’s not always the case. Weird, scary, and tacky videos seem to attract large audiences. Teens are often tempted not only to watch, but also to recreate.
There are two challenges on YouTube that have proven to be quite dangerous. One is called “The Duct Tape Challenge,” in which a person sticks to a pole or piece of furniture and then has to try to escape.
In one particular case, a teenager fell and hit his eye socket, causing a brain aneurysm. It was in critical condition in 2016. Showing this story to your teenager can give you pause.
On the other hand, another challenge was swallowing a large quantity of cinnamon without water. Doesn’t sound too scary, does it? Think again: A four-year-old thought about trying and ended up drowning and dying in 2015. Cinnamon can cause breathing problems that could be life-threatening.
There is also a challenge on Facebook in which participants use limited strangulation to reduce oxygen until they pass out. This apparently causes a brief high or, if done incorrectly, death. It is too dangerous and teenagers should be aware simply not to play these games and they come up with nothing.
Dangerous Social Media Trends: Would Your Child Do It?
Perhaps, as a mother or father, you think that your child would never do it, but you cannot know for sure. Instead of ignoring these trends, it is better to discuss them with your children and explain the consequences that following them can have. Make them aware of the risks so that when they see fashion trends on social media they don’t follow them.
Social networks can bring many good things, but they can also awaken other things that are not so good. For this reason, the information is necessary so that adolescents can have critical thinking about it.
