Social media profiles of students are often an indicator of their mental state, said psychiatrists and school counsellors.
Many of them said they check a child’s profile if they are apprehensive about his or her behaviour pattern. They also talk to students or adults around them if the child’s social media posts show that they are depressed or likely to commit self-harm, mental health
professionals and teachers said.
Counsellors who work closely with children said posts containing depressing quotations, videos or playlists of sad songs should ring alarm bells.
“It could be that posts or stories that they are putting up are indicative of what they are going through. It is always better to check because there could be high-risk kids who need help,” said Spriha Patronobis, school counsellor at Calcutta International School.
Children or young adults feel comfortable voicing their emotions online because they feel they are not watched or judged in the virtual space, teachers said.
A section of teachers said social media can be a useful tool to know and understand the youth.
“Social media posts can give insights into a student’s mind. Simultaneously, a post can be an indicator of a cry for help that a child is sending out. A child might be in a mental dilemma and is unable to open up to anyone,” said Pratima Nayar, principal, junior school, Calcutta International School.
At times, a student’s lack of communication with friends, fall in grades and tendency to stay away from classes are hints enough for teachers and counsellors to talk to the child and the parents.
Some children, Nayar said, repeatedly post dark images or compositions online.
The school can access the posts if the profile is public. At times, friends of a child approach a teacher after noticing disturbing posts on a student’s profile, principals said.
“Children could feel uncomfortable talking about their weaknesses. They may be more comfortable writing it down. They could be doing it under a fake identity, too,” said Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School.
“While we intervene and reach out to parents to inform them about what their child could be going through, we also try to maintain our boundaries and ensure that we are not overstepping,” said Sapru.
Psychiatrists said parents should make it a point to monitor their child’s social media profiles regularly.
“It might not be possible for schools to keep a tab on social media profiles of all students. Parents can do it for their children,” said psychiatrist Sanjay Garg.
“While communicating with students over messages, we sometimes come across dark, depressing or self-harming thoughts on their profiles, stories or statuses. We then speak to the family members or anyone the child is close to and tell them not to leave the child alone. The child’s activities need to be monitored closely,” said Garg.
Counsellors are asked to speak to such children more frequently, said Garg.
Principals said along with parents, schools, too, need to shoulder the responsibility of steering children in the right direction. The role of the school is no longer restricted to delivering knowledge, the principals this newspaper spoke to said.
“After the Covid pandemic, we have seen an increased access to and dependence on social media and the internet among students. Schools have to be mindful of how the virtual world is operating because children live in that world,” said Nayar.
Teachers now use the internet and YouTube in classrooms to explain lessons to students. “So, a school cannot wash its hands of a student’s life in the virtual world,” said a teacher.
Counsellor Patronobis said children have to be dealt with sensitively.
“Adolescents should not feel they are being called for counselling because the person on the other end has identified their distress. A child should learn to take ownership and seek help on his or her own,” she said.
