New film highlights rising mental health crisis among teenagers due to social media

A new psychological thriller inspired by real experiences explores the growing mental health issues faced by teenagers amid online shaming and social media pressures, prompting calls for increased awareness and regulation.

Psychologist Linda Bogaerts says the pressure some young people face online is becoming more intense, and the consequences are showing up in her Tilburg practice. She sees teenagers who become consumed by what is posted, shared and said about them, to the point where social media stops feeling like a tool for connection and starts to look like a threat. In her view, the digital and physical worlds are now so closely linked that a conflict in a group chat can spill straight into everyday life.

Bogaerts told De Gelderlander that the pattern is not new, but it is worsening. She described young people who fear reactions to their photos, messages and appearance, and who become anxious about being judged, mocked or shamed online. That fear can push them away from social platforms altogether, but that retreat can also deepen their isolation because, as she put it, the online and real worlds are now inseparable.

The issue lies at the centre of “Piccas”, a psychological thriller by director Bram van Splunteren, which is due out this autumn. The film is based on experiences involving his 16-year-old son, Jimi van Splunteren, who also plays one of the lead roles. Its title comes from street slang for pictures, and the story focuses on the mental toll of online shaming on a teenage boy.

Van Splunteren said the idea began with a simple question to his son: what is the worst thing that could happen at school? The answer, he said, reflected a fear many teenagers would recognise: sending a vulnerable message to someone they like, only for that message to be shared and turned into a joke. In the film, that kind of humiliation quickly spreads to a wider group and becomes impossible to escape.

Bogaerts says that is exactly why the film feels relevant. She believes it speaks to the daily reality of teenagers rather than lecturing them, and she is working to bring screenings to Tilburg and the surrounding area, including through Tilburg University’s Studium Generale and Cinecitta. She hopes it will open up discussion about the damage online cruelty can do, especially because many young people do not fully grasp the effect their behaviour has on others.

Her concerns echo a wider debate about the effect of smartphones and social media on young people’s mental health. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has argued in his book “Generatie angststoornis” that anxiety, depression and self-harm among teenagers have risen sharply since 2010 alongside the spread of digital technology, and that children should grow up without smartphones. Other films and documentaries, including “The Social Dilemma” and “Screenagers Next Chapter”, have made similar arguments, while advocacy groups and commentators have called for tighter rules around platforms and stronger protection for children online.

“Piccas” is being made as a no-budget production, with the cast and crew working without pay. Alongside Jimi van Splunteren, the film features Indirah Olf, 16, and Nalu Siahaya, 16, while Sylvana Simons plays an unbalanced feminist influencer. Funding for the final stage of production has been launched through Voordekunst.