Continuing the previous Posts, “social psychological ground[1]” today is an inquiring one, full of information and multiple references. “Teenagers’ psychological ground[2]”, at any cultural time, is unstable, since it is in huge change. However, adults psychological ground today is one of much creativity, many possible horizons, less intimate security and more existential anguishes. That said, risk behaviors in adolescence keep happening as in any other cultural time. They are associated with new eroticized behaviors and the need of independence, as they come closer to choose a direction to their adult lives. The “new needs and desires” at this stage (socially belonging and self-assurance) can turn into the use of alcohol and exposure to risks such as driving drunk or going for chem sex[3] gatherings. Encouraging risk behavior trends cross over generations and reoccur in new versions, such as superficially self-harming, as a way of discharging pervasive anxiety. In virtual relationships among teenagers, according to Bastos and Santos: “(…) the essential purpose is still the same: building and exploring sexuality. On-line life is an extension of off-line life. Despite not “mirroring” one another it is comprehensible that the typical and healthy teenager brings in to their on-line interactions people and issues of their off-line world, unfolding- exploring and shaping their sexualities[4]”. What is worth asking is: what are the boundaries between expected behaviors of a difficult period and risky ones? Unfortunately there is no black or white answer for that. Difficulties concerning teenagers today are more or less the same, added by the context of the sue of internet. Taking it into consideration, new harassment behaviors, like Cybersex/sexting[5] have appeared. However, they can’t be reduced to “bad sexually intended behaviors” within the internet. Teenagers are starting to explore their fantasies and are building their sexual identities. The use of dating sites/ apps, social media, games and technology in a broader sense are present in any kind of interaction today-social, professional or educational. They have become intertwined in such a way that is hard to establish boundaries between any area of interaction. As far as I can see, there are no conclusive studies correlating the excessive use of internet and risk behaviors or suicide attempts. Most of the studies conclude that it is possible to establish some correlation between abusive use of internet, self-harm and suicide attempt[6]. Nevertheless, there is also evidence of positive use of internet for the same reasons, such as search for help, support and clarification on the theme[7]. The worst consensual scenario would lie between cyberbullying and risk behaviors. But, again, it seems equivalent to thinking of typical adolescence susceptibility in insecure people- inhibited or strongly rejected. Inhibition or self-rejection are not inherent to the nature of web[8]. As a matter of fact, what is intrinsic to the internet is the speed and dissemination of (des)information. Moreover, what it is worth mentioning is parents’ difficulties to have access to their kids’ contents, because, among other reasons, they know more than them about the use of this technology and, hence, are smarter at hiding and scaping from parents’ controlling efforts. This context has brought new complexities (and new challenges) to children and teenagers upbringing.
To be continued in the next Post
[1] For more details see Essay 7- Cultural influences on Identity. In: www.ceciliapsicologa.org [2] For more details see Essay 5- Adolescence and anguishes. In: www.ceciliapsicologa.org. [3] Chem sex is a blend of chemical plus sex. [4]Bastos, M.C and Santos, V. Cybersex and sexting, In: Loving relationships in digital era.(2019). Editora dos Editores. Sao Paulo. P.106. Free Translation. [5] Rosemary Sedgwick,a,b Sophie Epstein,a,b Rina Dutta,b,c and Dennis Ougrin. Social media, internet use and suicide attempts in adolescent. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2019 Nov; 32(6): 534–541. [6] Rosemary Sedgwick,a,b Sophie Epstein,a,b Rina Dutta,b,c and Dennis Ougrin. Social media, internet use and suicide attempts in adolescent. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2019 Nov; 32(6): 534–541 [7] Ibid. [8] For more details see also Chapter VIII- Episode 3- Adolescence in digital era. Part 2. In: Talking about psychology with Cecilia Leite. In: YouTube.
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