Psychologist, about the viral challenges for young people: “they have mystical, irrational faith, that nothing will happen to them”

Psychologist Keren Rosner warns that some of the online challenges make adolescents seek validation and acceptance in the eyes of others, but at the same time expose them to great risks, sometimes without realizing the consequences.

As popular as possible, some online challenges may prove extremely risky. Photo: freepik.com

Many teenagers and even children have put their lives and health in danger by participating in the challenges launched on social media platforms. The latest mediated case is a 12-year-old student in the UK, who has lost his life after trying a dangerous challenge that has become viral on social networks.

According to the Daily Mail, Sebastian was found unconscious in his home, after trying a dangerous online challenge that involved using a scarf. Although the investigation is ongoing, the authorities said that the child's death is not treated as suspicious. The teenager's family sent a message showing that Sebastian had a happy and loving childhood, but a single moment spent online.

“The virtual world can be as dangerous as the real one, sometimes even more. Please talk to your children about what they do online. May the passage be an alarm signal, to be more present, to speak more, to protect the ones we love. That other children will not happen anymore.” was the message published by the victim's parents.

Sebastian's death comes after, in February, the parents of four British teenagers sued the Tiktok platform, claiming that they died in 2022 following a risky challenge, called Kiki Challenge.

On the online platform, in recent years, several challenges attended by countless young people, looking for popularity or fun, have proven risky for their health and safety.

Some have involved the consumption of foods and substances that can have harmful effects or create side effects. They were filmed swallowing cinnamon, pepper or even detergent. Other challenges targeted stunts or the use of sharp, harmful objects.

Consumption of pills, mushrooms, non -recommended plants, dangerous farces, “floating” on cars, getting out of cars, challenges related to vandalism and others have also aroused controversy.

Challenges give the illusion of appreciation

Dr. Keren Rosner, a psychologist and psychotherapist, explained for the truth why children and young people get in danger situations, responding to “challenges” on social networks and how such parents can be prevented.

According to the doctor, the so-called challenges are regarded by some teenagers as things that can give them social appreciation, such as likes, comments, distributions.

“They give them a feeling of importance, popularity and valorization, in the eyes of others, because the others, that is, the groups of which he is a part of which he wants to be a part, are very important for teenagers.”shows Dr. Keren Rosner.

Often, the psychologist shows, adolescents get to accept the risky challenges under the influence of the group to whom they want to belong and then they feel pressured to have the same behavior or show courage, impulsivity, to test their limits, so as to receive the admiration of the group and their acceptance.

“Being very young at this age stage, they also have mystical, irrational faith, that they will not happen. Because they have an immature critical thinking. A child, a teenager is not fully developed, especially in the area responsible for risk assessment. The social pressure and the fear of exclusion and a form of confirmation that it is capable and deserves to be part of a group ”, shows Dr. Keren Rosner.

The algorithms of some social platforms sometimes favor this kind of videos, making some unusual challenges or actions attract attention and be promoted.

“And then they can believe that it is normality, that if others do the same and nothing happened to them and, on the contrary, they only receive validation and appreciation of others, and they will receive the same. This would be the psychological basis on which this risky behavior is based. Accepting, the need to participate in the group and the need to leave,” shows Dr. Keren Rosner.

She adds that many young people do not have activities to concern and arouse their curiosity, do not have hobbies and then, out of boredom or lack of activity, inspiration, such videos come very easy to cause them.

How children can be protected from “online challenges”

Parents can protect their children in the face of the risks that the online networks present with open and sincere communication with adolescents, says the psychotherapist.

“The parent must explain them, come up with examples, cause the teenager to think, so that he will make the decision. Not to be a decision imposed, because at the age of adolescence he will always tend to respond by the opposite of what is required, if he is asked in an imperious way or in a way that does not seem to him. He arouses his curiosity and confidence that other activities are interesting and will bring him the success and interest of others ”says Dr. Keren Rosner.

She recommends parents to talk to young people about online risks and try to develop their critical thinking.

“The parent should be in advance to approach the child, to capture his confidence, to develop his way to think critically and to be valued by other things, not only by this relationship with the Internet and the challenges that are, after all, passing and which only bring a easy benefit, is true, but which is very quickly consumed.”says Dr. Keren Rosner.

Children imitate their parents' behavior, and if parents stay on the phone all day, spending time online, children will do the same. If the parents have interesting activities, the child will be inspired to do something else than to waste time on social networks and will be less tempted by risky challenges, because he will understand that it is that the risk does not cover his need to be admired and to be accepted, adds the psychotherapist.

The risky challenges exist a lot in groups of teenagers, not just online. Those who initiate them want to be leaders and seem brave, and sometimes determine or even press others to participate, to be accepted and visible in the group.

“We notice that if a child who is performing in a sport or another activity, if he has a hobby and he is good in what he does and is concerned and does these things with joy, he will never be tempted by such challenges.”says Dr. Keren Rosner.