On this episode of Techwise, Brad Huddleston, talks about a worrying trend among young people called digital self-harm. Traditionally, self-harm relates to physical things like cutting or burning as a way of coping with emotional pain. Digital self-harm is similar, but it happens online. Instead of hurting their bodies, teenagers post mean or hurtful comments on social media. The big difference is that this harm is done publicly online.
“It’s a cry for help,” says Brad. “It’s a way of saying I’m hurting. I’m in pain.”
According to psychologist Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, young people are trying to show that they need support. But even though the harmful actions are online, the emotional pain is just as real as traditional self-harm. Research shows that about 9% of teenagers engage in digital self-harm, and there are worries that this number could increase.
Coping with emotional pain
Brad believes that when we’re facing tough times, it’s important that we look for comfort in the right places. For example, Isaiah 54:10 reminds us of God’s everlasting love, saying that His love for each person will never change. In Jeremiah 33:3, God encourages those who are struggling to reach out to Him, promising to answer and show them amazing things they might not understand right now.
These verses remind young people and their friends that even with the negative online messages, God’s words are the most important and lasting. “If you’re a digital self harmer,” says Brad, “the most important comments you should care about are the ones that God has written about you.”
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