The Anxious Generation: Book Review

Written by: Bailey Smith, M.Ed.

If you have ever thought…

Kids these days are always on their phones!

My middle schooler never spends time with any friends in person.

Taking my high schooler’s phone as a consequence causes more problems than it’s worth.

Why are so many kids today struggling with depression and anxiety?

…then the book “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt is the perfect book for you.

As a therapist working primarily with adolescents, I have noticed a growing trend of disconnection among my teens. Many of my teens do not spend time with friends outside of school, do not know the names of the other students in their classes at school, and cannot sit through our entire therapy session without feeling the need to check their phones at least once. This generation’s teens report higher levels of depression and anxiety than teens at any other time in history. Haidt’s book provides an in-depth look at the impact technology has had on “Gen Z,” an impact so large Haidt refers to it as “rewiring.”

Haidt explores the research showing the causal relationship between the introduction of smart phones and the increase in mental health issues among children and adolescents. He describes the dramatic differences in childhood for previous generations, including more unsupervised play time and the building of communities of peers where complex social skill learning played out.

Today’s teens, in contrast, experienced childhood largely on a screen, leading to 4 main issues as described by Haidt:

1. Social deprivation
2. Sleep deprivation
3. Attention fragmentation
4. Addiction

Each of these issues is contributing to the adolescent mental health crisis facing teens today. Teens and even younger children are unleashed on the digital world with few guidelines or protections, interacting with others in harmful ways and viewing material inappropriate for their developmental stage. As Haidt states, “we are overprotecting children in the physical world, and underprotecting them online.”

Haidt offers a variety of potential solutions and supports that can be put in place by governments, schools, and parents, including the following 4 big-picture solutions:

1. No smart phones before high school. Children are highly susceptible to the addictive levels of dopamine provided by smart phones and are unable to successfully regulate their own screen time. Encouraging in-person connection with friends and classmates is crucial at these ages.
2. No social media before age 16. Haidt explores the gender differences in technology use and shows that adolescent girls are especially susceptible to the comparison and self-esteem struggles that come with social media like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
3. Phone-free schools. While most schools don’t allow phone use during instructional time, students’ attention is still split when their phones are easily accessible and constantly notifying them of what they’re missing. Using phones during lunch or class breaks encourages students to avoid the potential discomfort of seeking in-person connection in favor of the relative comfort of hiding online.
4. More unsupervised play and childhood independence. Children learn resilience by falling and failing, physically, socially, and academically. By stepping back and allowing even younger children a greater level of independence, we are helping build more resilient children, adolescents, and future adults.

For more information, check out “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt.