In recent years, there has been a worrying increase in dysfunctional behaviors among adolescents, ranging from self-harm to serious eating disorders, to suicide attempts and participation in extremely dangerous online challenges. The testimonies of professionals in the sector, such as psychotherapist Maria Pontillo of the Neuropsychiatry Unit of the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome, provide an alarming picture of the phenomenon.

The increase in psychiatric consultations in the emergency rooms of the Bambino Gesù Hospital is significant: from 239 in 2012, it went to 1.415 in 2023, with a peak of 1.824 during the second lockdown in 2021. The average age of patients is between 13 and 18, mostly Roman teenagers. These are not isolated episodes, but a growing trend that also involves around five thousand annual outpatient visits for mental health issues, with a 140% increase in cases of anxiety and depression.

A particularly worrying aspect is the influence of new addictions to social networks and video games, which expose the youngest to virtual challenges with serious risks. Among the new dangerous trends, “French scars” and “sex roulette” stand out. The first consists of scratching one’s face and posting the photos on social media; this self-harming practice, which spread from France, has already seen some cases treated at Bambino Gesù. The second, “sex roulette”, instead sees underage girls involved in high-risk sexual challenges: a sexual encounter is organised without protection, where the “victory” is represented by not getting pregnant.

The dynamics of these challenges are complex, but their appeal lies in the desire to experience new emotions, the so-called “sensation seeking”, through activities that represent an immediate danger to the health and well-being of young people. Psychotherapist Pontillo emphasizes how the combination of emotional fragility and the search for approval on social media makes the youngest vulnerable to these competitions. With more and more teenagers involved, the phenomenon requires urgent intervention to protect the new generations.

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