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Clinician: online bullying and compulsive screen behaviors are common triggers in youth crisis cases
Summary
A Bayshore Medical Center crisis-unit clinician and local educators told a Holmdel panel that it is not only the amount of screen time but the content—bullying, harassment and compulsive coping—that is linked to suicidal thoughts, self-harm and clinical crisis presentations.
A licensed clinical social worker serving in a hospital crisis unit told a Holmdel community panel that clinicians frequently see young patients whose distress is related to online bullying and compulsive screen use, and that the content—not just total hours—often drives crisis symptoms.
Samantha Safiotti, who leads crisis clinicians at Bayshore Medical Center, said: "we do see that a lot, in the hospital... feelings of suicidal thoughts, wanting to hurt themselves, whether that be cutting or burning on purpose." She emphasized that compulsive or coping-driven screen use, mood swings tied to device access, and neglect of daily responsibilities can be markers of serious problems requiring professional help.
Panelists linked poor sleep and content arousal to downstream mental-health impacts. Katie McEvoy explained how evening screen exposure and fast-paced or stressful content can delay sleep onset by suppressing melatonin and arousing the central nervous system; educators described students arriving at school tired and emotionally affected by online interactions.
Panelists urged families to monitor not only how much time students spend on devices but what they are viewing and how screen use affects daily functioning; they recommended early intervention when compulsive behaviors or functional decline appear.
