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Taken to extremes, the emo fad would definitely lead to self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts. Being emo, defined by many, is having little confidence in oneself. According to an experienced 'emo' teen, they are like 'tortured souls unable to face the world'. The 'emo' fad has affected teenagers' thinking and actions to the extent of self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts.

Being emo is not a disease, neither is it an illness. It is a mood that makes the victim develop a strong detest to himself or the world. A typical 'emo' person could be clad in black, an obvious display of their depressed mood. Also seen from the long-fringed hair which covers half of their face, they want to hide away from others and live in a world of their own. With such a mindset, they start to lose confidence in themselves, they start to detest themselves for who they really are. Recent reports on the increasing number of teenagers that slit their wrists would prove this right. They think that it is a joy to be able to harm their enemy, which is themselves. After such fulfilling acts, they feel better because they have finally released the tension and hatred they have always bottled in their hearts. The enemy of these emo teens are themselves. They have to fight and win themselves before they can gain back their confidence.

In a busy society, parents no longer have time for their own children. In such a lifestyle, parents and children are unable to foster good relationships. As these children grow up to become teenagers, it is inevitable that they drift much further apart from their parents. Some of them may develop an inferior complex as to why their parents no longer care for them. They are slowly trapped in this emo mood, wondering why they are like dirt treated badly by others. Therefore thinking that their parents will only care for them once they are hurt, these 'emo' teenagers perform self-mutilation acts and pen poems about death. All they hope was to gain more attention from their family. Their parents' ignorance to them makes them question about their own existence; they longed to be adored and taken care of like they were babies. A report on the Straits Times reports a teenager who has been cutting her wrists just so that her parents could shower more attention.

'That's what everyone else is doing'. The emo fad is also a herd instinct. Research shows that out of twelve teens, eight blindly follow the emo fashion. Since emo has already become a trend, these teenagers find a need to keep up with fashion and to do what everyone else is doing. Emo, now being the norm, is now the criteria for teenagers to be accepted in social groups. Therefore some plainly finds it cool to have a scar on their wrists, some just doesn't want to be left out.

From this, we can see the links between self harm and emo. With support from family and friends, it is possible to save teenagers from the trap of this emo trend before it leads to unnecessary mutilation.

Learn more about this author, Celestine Lim.
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