Adolescence is a critical period for mental health, where young individuals face increased emotional distress and vulnerability. Online violent groups exploit the innate need for belonging among minors, driving them towards self-harm and suicidal ideation. The absence of traditional initiation rites, historically present in many cultures, could partly explain the rise in mental health issues. These rites helped youth navigate their transition into adulthood, suggesting a need for modern methods to fulfill this developmental role to safeguard against psychological struggles during adolescence.
"One of the probable consequences of the evolution of an adolescent period is that humans became much more susceptible to psychopathology than other species," writes Gary Clark, author of 1 Jung and the Evolutionary Sciences.
Such rites, then, may be very important in helping young people reach adulthood safely. Young people have an innate need to "throw themselves into the fires of life" to become initiated into adulthood.
Adolescence is a period of increased susceptibility to mental health issues, where emotional distress appears for the first time for many.
Violent online groups are targeting minors online, encouraging them to self-harm or commit suicide, taking advantage of a young person's need for meaning and belonging.
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