Cyberbullying's toll on teens: A growing public health crisis

Cyberbullying isn't less harmful just because it happens online.

This, at a time when teens spend up to 9 hours daily on screens, seriously messing with their mental health.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) comes with a warning: there's a huge connection between online bullying and mental health meltdowns in kids.

For the first time, the inclusion of social media frequency in YRBS used weighted data from ~18,000 students across 214 schools in the US. 

Key findings: Teens hit with electronic bullying are 2–4 times more likely to deal with constant sadness, feeling hopeless, thinking about suicide, or even trying it— compared to kids who aren't targeted.

A 2024 Norwegian study led by Sara Abrahamsson showed a notable effect of gadgets on children, following a smartphone ban in over 400 schools:

The study cited overuse of tech by children and adolescents, which has led to: knock-on effects on their cognitive, physical, and socioe-motional development.

At the minimum, experts point to a ban on smartphones in schools.

"We should keep smartphones out of schools," said Dr Jay Van Bavel, of the New York University.

"This technology is a collective trap--Users are compelled to use it, even if they hate it. Most people would prefer a world without TikTok or Instagram: Nearly 60% of Instagram users wish the platform wasn’t invented."

The study revealed that 77% of high school students report "frequent" social media use — at least several times daily.

This was bolstered by a 2025 analysis, which shows users pick up their phones an average of 58 times daily, with some checking their phones up to 150 times a day.

At the minimum, this equates to roughly every 15–20 minutes while awake, based on global data adjusted for habits like quick glances under 2 minutes (69% of sessions).

​Reviews.org's survey of Americans found 144 checks per day — or once every 10 minutes including sleep gaps — totaling 2,617 taps, swipes, or clicks.

This highlights intense usage, with 57% spending 5+ hours daily on non-work activities. ​

These digital interactions amplify vulnerabilities, according to the CDC.​

The survey of high schoolers highlights alarming trends:

Sexual minority and female students bear disproportionate burdens, with frequent social media users in these groups exhibiting higher electronic victimisation rates — predecessors to depression and self-harm.

Racial disparities, too, persist including 33% of students facing school racism, further compounding mental strain.

Cyberbullying — harassment via digital platforms like social media, texts, or online games — inflicts profound psychological harm on adolescents, who are particularly vulnerable due to their developing brains, social needs, and heavy online presence.

Teens aged 12–18 spend an average of 7–9 hours daily on screens, amplifying exposure.

The consequences extend beyond immediate distress, eroding self-esteem, isolating victims, and triggering a cascade of mental health issues. Key impacts include chronic anxiety, academic decline, and disrupted sleep, but the most alarming are the links to depression and suicidality.

Worse, because of the nature of always-on world, digital aggression often persists 24/7, lacking the escape of traditional bullying, and can escalate to "cyberbullicide" — suicide directly tied to online abuse.

Experts urge multisectoral action: safer digital platforms, media literacy programmes, and enhanced mental health supports. As social media evolves, addressing cyberbullying pathways could mitigate these crises, aligning with Healthy People 2030 goals.

Policymakers must prioritise evidence-based protections to safeguard youth well-being.​

Prevention demands multifaceted action: school policies, parental monitoring, digital literacy programmes, and accessible mental health support.

Earlier studies link cyberbullying to doubled suicide attempt risks, like a 2018 meta-analysis showing victims 2.3 times more likely. But peer-reviewed research confirms a tripled (3x) risk for both depression and suicide outcomes in teens.

Kessel Schneider et al. (2018) reviewed 13 studies on 48,000+ youth (ages 11–21) in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Cyberbullying victimization tripled odds of suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms, even after controlling for offline bullying and prior mental health—due to digital permanence.​

Hinduja & Patchin (2010), in a U.S. cohort of 1,500+ middle/high schoolers (ages 12–17), found victims faced 3x the risk of suicide attempts and severe depression (Archives of Suicide Research). Adjustments for demographics and traditional bullying held firm, noting repeated online exposure fuels hopelessness.

These align with CDC's YRBS data: cyberbullied teens 2–4x more prone to crises. Early interventions like reporting apps and resilience therapy can break the cycle

To establish reliable data on cyberbullying, researchers follow standardised survey methodologies like those in the CDC's YRBS, which provides nationally representative insights. ​

In terms of survey design, researchers develop anonymous, self-reported questionnaires targeting youth in schools.

Key questions define cyberbullying clearly — e.g., "During the past 12 months, have you ever been electronically bullied (through email, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites, or texting)?"

They then categorise responses into no bullying, school-only, cyber-only, or both, using yes/no formats for precision.

CDC-calculated weights are applied for national representativeness, adjusting for demographics like age, sex, race/ethnicity, and sexual identity.