HONG KONG — The University of Hong Kong has raised fresh concerns over the mental health of children and teenagers, warning that suicide trends among young people — particularly those under 15 — require urgent attention as social media and the digital environment increasingly shape how vulnerable youths cope with distress.
The warning comes as Hong Kong marks World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, with researchers from HKU’s Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention calling for stronger action to address what experts describe as a growing problem of digital isolation, emotional distress and weakening real-world connections among young people.
Youth Suicide Cases Hit a 10-Year High
Hong Kong recorded a worrying increase in youth suicides despite an overall decline in suicide cases across the wider population.
According to the latest Coroner’s Court data reported by the South China Morning Post, 46 adolescents aged 10 to 19 died by suicide in 2025, up from 34 cases a year earlier and marking a 10-year high for the age group.
The data also included one child below the age of 10.
The figures have intensified concerns among researchers and educators about the pressures facing Hong Kong’s younger generation.
While suicide is a complex issue with no single cause, experts increasingly point to a combination of family problems, school pressures, social isolation and challenges in the digital environment.
HKU Warns of ‘Virtual Alienation’
Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, founding director of HKU’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, has warned about a growing trend of young people becoming increasingly disconnected from real-world support networks.
The concern is not simply that children are spending more time online.
The deeper issue is whether digital interaction is replacing meaningful human connection.
Yip has previously described a troubling pattern of “virtual alienation,” in which young people turn to screens and digital platforms instead of family members, friends or other trusted people when dealing with serious problems.
For vulnerable young people, being constantly connected online does not necessarily mean they feel connected in real life.
Social Media May Amplify Existing Distress
HKU experts have stressed that social media should not automatically be treated as the sole cause of youth suicide.
However, the digital environment can amplify distress.
Online platforms may expose vulnerable children to:
- Cyberbullying
- Harmful comparisons
- Social pressure
- Disturbing content
- Isolation
- Sleep disruption
- Constant pressure for validation
Research published this year on youth suicidality in Hong Kong found associations between spending more than two hours daily on social media and higher levels of suicidal thoughts and attempts. The study reported particularly strong associations among primary school pupils, while also emphasizing the importance of protective factors such as self-compassion, adaptive coping and family involvement.
But the broader scientific picture remains complex. Other recent research has found limited evidence that simple measures such as frequency or total time spent on social media alone can fully explain later mental health problems, suggesting that how young people use digital platforms may be just as important as how long they spend on them.
Under-15 Suicide Trends Are Especially Sensitive
HKU’s earlier figures showed that suicide cases among children under 15 had fallen significantly in 2024, but researchers cautioned against complacency because the numbers involved are small and each case represents an enormous tragedy.
HKU’s 2025 World Suicide Prevention Day report estimated a 46.7% decrease in under-15 suicide cases in 2024, with the number of cases falling from six to three among boys and from nine to five among girls.
However, subsequent Coroner’s Court data showing rising deaths among the broader 10-to-19 age group have renewed concerns about whether young people’s mental health challenges are worsening again.
Hong Kong Recorded 91 Suspected Student Suicides in Three Years
Separate figures from Hong Kong’s Education Bureau show the scale of the wider crisis.
Authorities recorded 91 suspected student suicides between 2023 and 2025, including:
- 32 cases in 2023
- 28 cases in 2024
- 31 cases in 2025
About 90% involved secondary school students, while boys accounted for roughly 59% of the cases.
Officials have stressed that suicide and attempted suicide are influenced by multiple and often interconnected factors, meaning prevention cannot focus on only schools, families or technology.
The Real Problem May Be What Happens Offline
The debate over social media risks creating an overly simple narrative.
Experts warn that removing a phone or limiting screen time alone cannot solve deeper problems such as family conflict, loneliness, academic pressure or emotional distress.
Yip’s latest commentary argues that home and school problems remain major contributors to youth distress, while the digital environment can act as a significant amplifier.
That means prevention may require a far broader response involving parents, schools, social platforms, healthcare professionals and communities.
The challenge is not simply getting young people offline — it is making sure there is someone meaningful for them to connect with when they do look up from the screen.
Social Media Could Also Become Part of the Solution
There is another side to the debate.
HKU researchers have long argued that digital platforms can also help identify and reach vulnerable young people who may struggle to seek face-to-face support.
Social media can provide spaces for people to express distress, find information and connect with support services.
The key question is whether platforms are designed to protect vulnerable users rather than simply maximize engagement.
HKU’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention has emphasized a public-health approach that combines research, community interventions, training and collaboration with different sectors to improve prevention.
The Bottom Line
HKU’s latest warning highlights a troubling reality: Hong Kong’s youth suicide challenge cannot be separated from the rapidly changing digital world in which children and teenagers now grow up.
Recent data showed youth suicides among those aged 10 to 19 reached a 10-year high in 2025, while researchers are warning about digital isolation and the potential for social media to amplify distress among already vulnerable young people.
But experts caution that social media is only one part of a far more complicated crisis involving family relationships, school pressures, economic uncertainty, loneliness and mental health.
The biggest danger may not simply be how much time young people spend online. It may be what happens when a generation surrounded by digital connections has fewer people it feels safe enough to turn to in real life.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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