With cyberbullies targeting younger victims, parents must intervene early

Start the conversation as early as the preschool years to lay the foundation for healthy and safe digital communication.

- Yvette Lau

The recent National Youth Mental Health study by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) revealed a shocking reality: one in three people aged 15-35 experiences severe mental health issues. This rise is fuelled by social media, body image concerns and cyberbullying.

As a parent myself, this is a stark reminder of the challenges our children face in this digital age, and the invisible struggles they may be hiding behind their smiles.

In my professional capacity as a mental health counsellor working with young people and their families, my heart sinks when I witness first-hand the toll that the digital world takes on young minds. Cyberbullying, in particular, is very worrying.

It is a pervasive issue affecting millions of children worldwide, often in the supposed safety of their own homes.

The anonymity and accessibility of the internet embolden bullies, who are often our children's peers. These encounters can occur on various platforms,

including social media apps like Instagram or X, instant messaging servers like Discord or WhatsApp and online games with chat functions.

In my experience as a counsellor, I have been seeing victims of online bullying as young as nine.

However, while the online struggles they face inevitably lead to conversations about their own screen time and creating healthier boundaries, initially they resist reducing screen time or detoxing from social media.

One of the causes of this is "dopamine culture", a term coined by cultural critic Ted Gioia. In his article, "The State of the Culture, 2024", Gioia describes dopamine culture as a desire for short-burst stimulation and positive reinforcement where users crave gratification and experiences that deliver a quick emotional payoff through technology, consumerism, social media and entertainment.