Families, schools must beat youths’ ‘reel’ kick: Experts

LUCKNOW: Families, communities and schools must work together to provide the love, recognition and validation that young people seek on social media, even putting their lives in danger, say experts. This suggestion has come after 19-year-old Shivansh Agarwal died after falling into a water tank in Aashiana while trying to make a reel on Thursday.
Clinical psychologist and former head of psychology department at Lucknow University, Prof Pallavi Bhatnagar said young people want to be noticed, even if it means losing relationships.She explained that in a fast-changing world, relationships often suffer. Youngsters seek recognition, security and belonging, so they turn to the internet for support. They think doing unique things will get them attention and make them feel good, like a drug. This makes them constantly crave more attention and try to outdo others.
Prof Adarsh Tripathi from KGMU’s psychiatry department says five to six young patients struggling with social media addiction and having suicidal feeling visit him daily. They make risky or explicit content. When people see it, they want more to be seen, which keeps them hooked. Social media gives a dopamine rush in the brain, like an addiction.
To counter this trend, Prof Bhatnagar suggested parents should pay attention and tell them not to take the internet too seriously. Group discussions should be arranged at school, keeping in mind the risky stuff they might do.
Prof Tripathi suggested holding off on giving adolescents smartphones with social media until later. If they have one, make sure they know the risks and that it’s not just theirs. At home, show them love and recognition, and encourage them to hang out with real people instead of just being online. “Playing outdoor sports can also help in controlling the urge to make reels or view it,” he added.