Jonathan Haidt’s new book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness is making waves with its bold thesis: that social media and excessive screen time have caused significant, lasting damage to the overall health and wellbeing of young people.  

Haidt is a social psychologist and the co-founder of Let Grow, an organization that advocates for childhood independence. In The Anxious Generation, he cites numerous studies that suggest a connection between the rise of social media and the nationwide youth mental health crisis.  

The Anxious Generation shares startling statistics, like that the rates of depression among teens more than doubled from 2010 to 2021. This mental health crisis grew in tandem with the rise of “phone-based childhoods” beginning in the late 2000s, when the iPhone debuted. Haidt argues the only solution is to limit children’s screen time and encourage them to live active, independent childhoods.  

Here are three key facts about screen time and youth health that every youth advocate should know:  

1.  Virginia youth are spending a lot of time online.  

The 2023 Virginia Youth Survey found that more than 77% of high school students spent three or more hours a day on screen time (and that’s not including time spent on schoolwork).  

2. Virginia youth are struggling with their mental health. 

On the 2023 survey, nearly 27% of high schoolers and more than 18% of middle schoolers also reported that their mental health not good always or most of the time, reporting issues including stress, anxiety, and depression.  

3. Poor mental health drives youth substance use. 

A study published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that most teenagers who use substances do so to feel calm and relieve anxiety, depression, and insomnia. This indicates that many youth may be using substances to cope with poor mental health.  

The authors of the study said it best, writing, “Ensuring that youths have access to treatment and support for mental health concerns and stress could reduce some of the reported motivations for substance use.” 

This blog was originally published on May 24, 2024 and updated on September 11, 2024 to reflect the most up-to-date numbers from the Virginia Youth Survey.