More Seoul students seek mental health help

In Seoul’s elementary, middle, and high schools, the number of students seeking counseling or treatment for mental health issues such as depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has doubled over the past three years. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the number of students referred for counseling through the school visit program by mental health professionals rose from 227 in 2022 to 458 this year. The program is designed to identify students whose mental health may be at risk at an early stage and connect them with counseling and treatment services. Experts point to a breakdown in relationships, driven by increased use of social media and limited communication with parents, as a major factor worsening students’ mental health.

The link between excessive social media use and adolescent mental health has been confirmed by other studies as well. A research team at Hanyang University surveyed 50,000 adolescents and found that those who used smartphones for four hours or more a day were 16 to 22 percent more likely to experience stress and suicidal thoughts than their peers. In South Korea, smartphone users under age 20 spend an average of 1 hour and 38 minutes a day on YouTube and 49 minutes on Instagram, indicating relatively long periods of social media use. This reflects a reality in which heavy academic pressure leaves little time for play, and limited opportunities to meet friends in person push young people to communicate online.

Another concern is that adolescents’ growing dependence on social media is steadily reducing conversations with their parents. Parents already work long hours, and children move from school to private academies, leaving little time together. Even when families share the same space, conversations often break down as each person focuses on a smartphone. The declining age of those attempting self-harm or suicide is also alarming. Last year, the suicide rate among teenagers reached a record high of eight per 100,000, and about 5,700 teenagers visited emergency rooms for self-harm. Experts say that when young people cannot find a trusted adult, such as a parent or teacher, with whom to share psychological distress, they may turn to self-harm.

As social media increasingly affects adolescents’ emotional well-being, Australia has banned social media use for those under 16. However, regulating social media alone does not automatically increase conversations with parents or face-to-face interactions with friends. Parents need to put down their smartphones and spend more time talking with their children. Society must also reflect on an education environment in which smartphones have become the primary outlet for young people.