Self-injury videos on YouTube are disturbing, but don’t panic just yet

Maybe it’s time to take a deep breath. The recent study about an increase in the number of YouTube videos of teens and young adults who cut or injure themselves has given rise to many headlines and, thus, much worry. But the study didn’t say children who watch these videos will engage in such self-destructive acts.

Dr. Keith Ablow writes in “The Truth About YouTube Videos and Self-Injury”:

“As a psychiatrist who has treated a few hundred patients who cut themselves or burned themselves repeatedly, however, I don’t think the YouTube videos are likely to spark any epidemic of self-injury. If anything, I think the videos are more likely to encourage the many, many people who believe their self-mutilating behavior is too shameful to admit to finally talk about it and to, hopefully, get help.”

Another doctor in this All Headline News story says parents who find their children viewing such videos should use this as an opportunity to discuss the issue of cutting and burning.
And as for YouTube, the story says, many of the self-injury videos have been flagged or removed for being too graphic.