Viewing Harmful Material Online and Children's Stress

"When a potentially threatening situation is perceived, it triggers a series of neural and hormonal events allowing us to deal with that perceived threat. This complex response involves multiple neural, behavioural, and physiological systems, ultimately producing the physical and psychological feelings of being stressed."

"As part of gaining control over the stress response, the limbic regions of the brain that are involved in initially triggering the peripheral, hormonal, and behavioural responses, are brought back under the control of the cortical regions. Once this happens, we function in a rational and regulated way."

"As we leave adolescence, it becomes easier for the cortex to control these stress responses. However, cortical control is not so well established for children, and they are not always as emotionally regulated in the face of stressors as older individuals."

"The prefrontal cortex, which helps to regulate the limbic system, develops at a slower rate than the limbic system (including the amygdala)."

Stress responses involve neural, hormonal, and physiological systems that activate when threats are perceived. Social media content, particularly material related to suicide and self-harm, triggers these stress responses, with disproportionate effects on younger individuals. Automatic stress-driven behaviors occur rapidly and feel beyond conscious control, serving as essential protective mechanisms. Normally, cortical brain regions regain control over limbic regions to restore rational functioning. However, children lack fully established cortical control compared to adults. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for regulating the limbic system, develops more slowly than the limbic system itself, including the amygdala. This developmental asynchrony explains why younger people are more susceptible to dysregulation from digital content.

Read at Psychology Today