Dominican psychotherapist Cinthia Concepción marked World Suicide Prevention Day by explaining how social media shapes the way young people encounter and process content about anxiety, depression and suicide, and how parents can recognize warning signs and start conversations about mental health early.
Concepción, who runs the account @mentalmenterd, said social media plays a double role for young users. It can become a space for education and support when the people creating content act with ethics and scientific grounding, she said, but the same platforms can also spread information that has no scientific basis because there are no filters on what circulates.
How the algorithm shapes exposure
Concepción said the platform algorithm is central to understanding what teenagers see. If an adolescent repeatedly views posts about depression, anxiety or suicide, that does not necessarily mean the content caused their emotional state, she said. There may already be an underlying vulnerability that draws the teenager's attention to that content, and the algorithm, detecting the interaction, keeps showing similar posts.
She said the content can have a very significant impact, but that does not mean it directly causes a young person's distress. Rather, she said, there has to be a predisposing element already present. Because of this, she said it is worth asking not just how much content a teenager consumes, but why they stay on it, what they find there and which parts of those stories they identify with.
A sense of belonging, but not real support
Social media can also create a sense of belonging, Concepción said. Reading comments from others who have gone through similar experiences can make a teenager feel less alone. Even so, she drew a clear line between that digital community and real emotional support outside the screen, saying that on the level of feeling, young people can feel technically accompanied without truly being accompanied. Digital interaction, she said, does not replace family bonds, close relationships or professional support when it is needed.
Neither banning it nor ignoring it
For parents worried about the content their children see, Concepción said setting limits can be healthy, depending on the teenager's age and level of maturity. But the goal should not be to isolate them completely from difficult subjects, since adolescents can encounter them at school, among friends or online regardless.
She said parents have a duty to help their children understand that such situations exist, because protecting a child from social media does not protect them from a classmate going through something similar. She recommended combining supervision, information and open dialogue, adding that conversations about mental health do not have to wait for a crisis.
When to start the conversation
Concepción said puberty can be an appropriate time to begin these conversations. Between the ages of 13 and 15, she said, changes tied to identity, impulsivity, the need to belong and feelings of isolation can emerge.
The key, she said, is adapting the conversation to what the teenager already knows and needs to know, without alarming or overwhelming them. The message can be simple, she said: if they ever feel bad, they can talk to their parents, to someone they trust, or seek professional help. What matters, she said, is that they know asking for help is possible before reaching a breaking point.
Warning signs parents should not ignore
Rather than a rigid checklist of symptoms, Concepción said parents should pay attention to changes in their children's usual behavior. Disruptions to sleep, eating, social interaction or mood can be signs worth watching, she said.
She also pointed to changes in how a teenager speaks, expressions of hopelessness, farewell-type phrases, sudden withdrawal, unusual declarations of affection, or giving away belongings they especially value. None of these signs on their own necessarily points to suicidal intent, she said, noting that adolescents go through periods of high impulsivity and emotional change. Still, she said any significant shift deserves attention, particularly when it appears alongside other indicators.
Approaching with calm
When parents notice these changes, Concepción said how they approach the situation can matter as much as the concern driving them. She recommended avoiding minimizing, judging or assuming what is happening, and instead asking questions based on what has been observed.
A parent might simply explain that they have noticed a change and ask how their child is feeling or whether there is anything they can help with, she said. She said the important thing is not to minimize, not to judge, not to assume, but to ask from what is seen, what is known, and from a place of calm. If a parent feels unsure how to handle the situation, she said, seeking professional guidance can also be part of the process.
Treating depression as a team effort
When a depressive episode is present, Concepción said it is essential to evaluate the symptoms and determine whether diagnostic criteria are met. In cases involving suicidal ideation or an attempt, she said it becomes important to activate a support network and, when the patient is a minor, to involve parents or legal guardians.
She stressed the value of psychology and psychiatry working together. Psychiatric treatment can address the brain's functioning and help stabilize mood, she said, while psychotherapy works through the triggers, history and surrounding circumstances. She summarized the division by saying the psychiatrist works with the brain while she works with the environment that sustains it. For her, once a depression diagnosis exists, a multidisciplinary approach should not be treated as optional.
Becoming more responsible users
Concepción said adults also bear responsibility for how mental health content spreads online. Sharing unnecessary details of a suicide, for example, can help amplify a post that should be handled with much more care, she said.
She recommended that people develop judgment about what they consume and share: filtering content, not following harmful accounts, and using reporting tools on platforms when necessary. At the same time, she acknowledged the limits of what digital platforms can do, which is why she considers it especially important to educate young people, set appropriate boundaries and keep communication open.
Balancing oversight and preparation
Concepción said the answer is not choosing between controlling young people and teaching them to face risks online, since both can coexist. She said the starting point should be giving information and keeping communication open, while acknowledging that some degree of control is also necessary.
She added that if parents feel they lack the tools to address these topics, seeking guidance does not mean they have failed. Even brief professional advice, she said, can help parents find the right way to start conversations that have stayed silent for generations.
