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The role of social media in preventing suicide and self-harm has been examined in the first major review of the evidence in nearly a decade, with a new study led by Orygen bringing together 11 years of research into the topic.
The review, published in Computers in Human Behavior Reports, examined 75 studies published from 2014-2025 to better understand both the formal and informal ways social media is used in the prevention of self-harm and suicide. It found that alongside potential harms, these platforms were playing a major role in prevention activities.
Lead author and PhD candidate at Orygen and Monash University, Charlie Cooper, said that with Australia’s under-16s social media restrictions now in place – and similar moves to restrict access emerging in the UK, US and Europe – it was important and timely to understand the everyday role social media was playing.
“We found that alongside documented harms, social media functions as a place for support for many people experiencing self-harm and suicidal distress,” Cooper said.
“Across multiple studies, social media platforms emerged as the only, or primary, place where people felt safe disclosing self-harm or suicidal distress – particularly where offline support was inaccessible due to stigma, waitlists, or service gaps.
“For young people, social media can provide a sense of safety and anonymity and offer opportunities for social connection with peers who share similar experiences, and they’re also places where young people spend a lot of time, so it’s a chance to reach them where they are.”
Cooper said the review found two broad approaches: structured interventions led by researchers, organisations or online platforms, and informal, community-led practices initiated by users themselves.
“Social media is already being used to prevent suicide and self-harm at a scale many might find surprising, with large, coordinated programs run by suicide prevention organisations, alongside grassroots communities of volunteers and everyday users working together to reach people at risk,” Cooper said.
“Social media platforms are also used for ‘postvention’, which means using social media to provide support in the immediate aftermath of a suicide, a critical window when those affected may be in need of urgent support.
“While popular social media platforms were not designed for these purposes, the fact they are being used in this way raises important questions about the responsibility of tech companies to mitigate risks and protect the wellbeing of their users.”
The review found that those engaging with or delivering suicide prevention activities online were themselves often exposed to harmful content and interactions, with harms far more common on mainstream platforms than in purpose-designed, professionally moderated settings.
“This isn’t about whether social media is good or bad, but about how platforms are designed and governed, to harness the positive potential while minimising negative experiences and consequences,” Cooper said.
“For example, we found engagement with self-harm and suicide-related content was often described as a tool for regulating distress – though for some users, benefits faded over time and engagement became hard to step away from.
“This is concerning - particularly given emerging evidence that algorithms can serve up increasingly harmful content the more users engage with suicide-related material.
“We’re seeing an increase in self-harm and suicide among younger people, particularly in pre-teen and adolescent girls, so while making social media safer, we also need to ensure clear avenues to support, education and intervention in the offline world for those now restricted from accessing this support online.”