When the authors looked at research on self-reported self-harm, they found a 2.5 per cent yearly increase across both girls and boys. She says the increasing trend of self-harm that her research found, is what she sees playing out at the hospital. Research also finds that adolescents who self-harm are at a greater risk of developing anxiety, depression or a substance use disorder as young adults. While this latest research doesn’t explore what’s behind the increase, the study's authors suggest that social media is partly to blame. While social media didn’t encourage her, Pauli says she remembers when self-harm content was more easily available and shared online.

Source: CBC News March 18, 2026 15:30 UTC