Ep: 140 Self Harm Panel Talk

In this second panel of Higher Conversations Ireland, we focus on one of the most urgent and heartbreaking trends of the last decade: Why are rates of self-harm among teenage girls rising so sharply? Since around 2010, there has been a significant increase in self-harm among young girls in Ireland — a trend that closely tracks the rise of image-based social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. According to the National Suicide Research Foundation (2010–2022): • Self-harm increased significantly among girls aged 10–17 • Girls aged 15–19 had a self-harm rate more than three times higher than boys of the same age This panel explores the cultural, social, and digital pressures shaping the lives of young women today — and what can realistically be done to support them. Topics Discussed: 🔹 Why are so many teenage girls self-harming — and what would actually help reduce it? 🔹 The impact of online harassment, image-based abuse, and reputational attacks 🔹 The findings of the “Behind the Screens” report (2021) 🔹 Body image pressure, disordered eating, and social comparison culture 🔹 How parents can recognise warning signs — and avoid unintentionally making things worse 🔹 What message we would give to a young girl struggling right now This is a serious, honest conversation about social media, youth culture, parental responsibility, and the mental health of the next generation. If you are a parent, educator, policymaker — or a young woman navigating this world — this discussion matters. 🔔 Subscribe to Higher Conversations Ireland for more in-depth panel discussions, interviews, and real conversations about the issues shaping Ireland today. 📢 Join the conversation in the comments and share your thoughts.