They benefit when you forget your worth.
Why self-worth is under quiet attack—and how to protect it.
Hi friends,
A recent study in JAMA Pediatrics caught my attention—and it may be one of the most important warnings of our time.
Researchers followed thousands of kids for years and found that the ones showing signs of addictive screen behavior—feeling like they couldn’t stop using apps even when it was making them feel worse—were more than twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts by the age of 14.
Let that sink in: it wasn’t screen time alone causing the damage. It was the emotional pull—the way certain apps are designed to keep users stuck, even when they’re hurting.
And this isn’t just data. It’s real lives.
One young woman, Caroline Koziol, was a straight-A student and competitive swimmer. But after engaging with just a few “fitness” videos, her feed became saturated with content promoting unhealthy eating and body obsession. She developed a severe eating disorder. Now, she—and more than 1,800 others—are suing the platforms whose algorithms helped push them over the edge.
This isn’t about blaming individuals.
It’s about understanding a system that profits when we forget our value.
🎯 When You Feel Less, They Gain More
Here’s the hard truth: many industries benefit when people feel inadequate.
If you believe you’re not attractive enough, someone can sell you a solution.
If you feel like you don’t measure up, you’re more likely to keep scrolling, clicking, comparing.
If you doubt your worth, you’re more likely to seek it from the outside—rather than knowing it from within.
That’s how certain platforms and brands make money: not by making you feel whole, but by keeping you feeling like you're always missing something.
But you’re not.
You are already enough.
🧠 This Isn’t Your Fault
The pressures we’re facing today are engineered to be subtle, persuasive, and persistent. No one is immune—not kids, not adults, not even those of us who know better.
That’s why awareness is powerful.
Because when you see the pattern, you can begin to step out of it.
🛡️ How to Protect Your Worth
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and those you care about:
🔹 Pause and notice. If a message—online or in real life—makes you feel small, ask: Who gains from me feeling this way?
🔹 Talk about it. With kids, friends, even strangers. Share stories. These conversations make a difference.
🔹 Support limits that protect minds. Algorithms designed to manipulate attention should be held to real standards.
🔹 Remember your value is not up for debate. It doesn’t depend on a feed, a filter, or someone else’s approval.
You don’t need to be “more” to be worthy of peace, joy, or love.
You just need to remember what the world is too busy—or too noisy—to tell you:
You matter. You’re not broken. And your worth can’t be taken—only forgotten.
Let’s help each other remember.
With care,
Kay
P.S. Watch my full video on YouTube on this here:
