Teens React to Jonathan Haidt’s Viral Mental Health Talks

The teen mental health crisis is continuing to make headlines. We’ve all seen the shocking data, from depression among teens being up by 60 percent to 40 percent of high school students reporting persistent sadness/hopelessness, per the CDC’s 2024 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report. Parents are rightfully concerned and unsure where to turn, which is where experts like Jonathan Haidt come in. The social psychologist published The Anxious Generation to much fanfare in 2024, positing that technology is at the heart of Gen Z’s mental health problems.

“No smartphones before high school” is one of Haidt’s rules; no social media before age 16 is another. At the same time, he encourages parents to give their teens more freedom and responsibility in the real world.

The tenets sound like solid, common-sense rules — if a bit difficult to enforce in 2025, when kids are getting smartphones as early as elementary school. But if we know what parents think about Haidt’s philosophies — and the mental health crisis in general — what do teens have to say?

When SheKnows asked our Teen Council to watch a few of Haidt’s viral clips, the reactions were decidedly mixed. “What is he talking about?!” was one teen’s response to Haidt’s thoughts on technology and teen mental health. Others raised questions about the cause-and-effect nature he seems to espouse. “It is a very anxious generation,” one teen agreed. “But I don’t know if that’s [just] because we talk about our feelings a lot more.” In other words, are teens actually suffering from more mental illness than previous generations, or are they just talking about it more?

That said, many teens agreed that young kids don’t need to have smartphones or be on social media. “Letting kids have phones [younger] than 13 is kind of a lot,” one teen said. “Having TikTok and Instagram, that’s just not necessary. They should be outside playing.”

But the teens also balked at the idea that social media is all bad. “People that are older mostly look at the bad effects of social media instead of also seeing it is a big form of communication,” one teen said. “I definitely am able to connect with my friends… on social media. But there are for sure ways where people are lonely from comparing themselves to other people.”

“People being on their phones a lot and mental illness are just separate things,” agreed another teen.

And, in general, some of our teens think the problem is overexaggerated. “There’s just a narrative of painting Gen Z as so depressed and talking about mental health a lot,” one teen said. “I think it’s become sort of oversaturated. That’s all people have to say when they talk about Gen Z.”

The teens had plenty more to say about mental health and Haidt’s perspectives on it. Watch the full video above for all their reactions and insights.

Before you go, check out our favorite mental health apps: