How do Australian social media users experience self-harm and suicide-related content? A national cross-sectional survey comparing young people and adults

BackgroundRates of self-harm and suicide appear to be increasing in young people and many attribute this to social media use. However, high quality studies examining young people’s experiences of self-harm and suicide-related content on social media, and the impact on wellbeing, are lacking. MethodsAn online national cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and March 2024. Quota sampling was used. Participants from across Australia were recruited from the Roy Morgan Single Source Panel, a panel managed by Pureprofile and via snowball sampling. Descriptive statistics were used to examine respondents’ experiences; logistic regressions examined differences between young people and adults. Findings3,663 individuals (972 young people; 2,691 adults) completed the survey. Just over half had been exposed to self-harm or suicide-related content on social media. Young people were more likely to be exposed than adults (OR 3.97; 95%CI: 3.32-4.76). For most people exposure worsened their mood and a minority reported engaging in self-harm as a result; again this was more common in young people (OR 4.46, 95%CI: 2.72-7.52). However, many people, in particular young people, reported using social media to seek support.InterpretationThere is concern about the impact of social media on self-harm and suicide and our findings support the need for improvements to online safety. However, the fact that people use social media to access help suggests that a nuanced and evidence-based approach is required that includes the perspectives of young people and those with lived experience.