The Anxious Generation; How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

The Anxious Generation: How Smartphones, Social Media, and Big Tech Rewired Childhood

#1 INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A Wall Street Journal Top 10 Book of 2024 • A New York Times and Washington Post Notable Book • One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2024 • A TIME 100 Must-Read Book of 2024 • Named a Best Book of 2024 by the Economist, the New York Post, and Town & Country • Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Nonfiction

A must-read for parents, educators, and policymakers, The Anxious Generation is a groundbreaking investigation into the alarming rise of youth mental health issues in the digital age—and a compelling roadmap for reclaiming childhood.

After years of stability, adolescent mental health took a dramatic downturn in the early 2010s. Depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rates skyrocketed, especially among teenage girls. What changed?

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt meticulously uncovers the root causes, revealing how the decline of free play and independence—essential for healthy development—was replaced by a "phone-based childhood." The shift to social media and screen-centered interactions has rewired young minds, disrupting sleep, attention, social skills, and resilience. Haidt explores the damaging effects of social comparison, loneliness, addiction, and perfectionism, explaining why girls are more vulnerable to online pressures and why boys are retreating into virtual worlds with troubling consequences.

Most importantly, The Anxious Generation is a call to action. Haidt outlines four key rules that parents, educators, and policymakers can implement to restore balance, reduce screen dependence, and foster a healthier, more resilient generation.

Backed by compelling research and a sense of urgency, this book challenges us to rethink childhood in the digital era—and to take the steps necessary to protect future generations from the psychological toll of growing up online.