Choking yourself into unconsciousness, skulling alcohol, consuming laundry detergent, hotwiring cars — these are some of the dangerous social media challenges that have made headlines in recent years for trending among teenagers.
Pushing boundaries in adolescence is normal, experts say, but young people are more susceptible to taking part in dare-like challenges that gain traction online. A desire to carve out their identity, combined with a higher likelihood of engaging in risky behaviour and the sense of approval that is tied in with social media attention, can be a potentially dangerous mix.
“I call it the perfect storm,” said Dr Malie Coyne, a clinical psychologist, author and University of Galway lecturer. “Imagine you’re a teenager: you’re already feeling unsure about yourself and don’t know where
