Publication date: April 2, 2024
Smartphones and the Gen Z mental health crisis: “The great rewiring of childhood”
From movie guide® Contributor
There’s a mental health crisis plaguing Generation Z (those born after 1995), and experts say smartphones are to blame.
They are the first generation to enter adolescence with the information highway in their pockets, and the pressures of social media are causing anxiety in today’s teens.
“Gen Z teenagers have become addicted to spending hours each day scrolling through shiny, happy posts from friends, acquaintances, and far-flung influencers. They’re obsessed with user-generated videos. and streaming entertainment, served by algorithms designed to keep people online for as long as possible,” said Jonathan Height.
“They spend far less time playing, talking, touching, and making eye contact with friends and family, resulting in reduced participation in social behaviors that are essential to successful human development.” I did,” he added.
Haidt calls this “the great rewiring of childhood.”
In the 2000s, teenagers showed few signs of depression. According to the Guardian, by 2010, the incidence of mental illness among teenagers was on the rise. The outlet reported. “In just five years, between 2010 and 2015, the number of young people suffering from anxiety, depression and even suicidal tendencies began to soar in countries such as the UK, US, Canada and Australia.”
“Among American teenagers, symptoms such as prolonged periods of feeling sad, empty, and depressed, and symptoms of “loss of interest and boredom with most of the things they normally enjoy” (typical “The number of people who reported experiencing symptoms of depression (depressive symptoms) jumped by around 150%,” the Guardian added. “The increase was similar for men and women, and occurred across all races and social classes. And of the various mental health diagnoses, anxiety rates increased the most.”
The transition from flip phones to smartphones in 2007 changed the landscape for young people, giving them unlimited access to the web. Teenagers now spend more time in the virtual world instead of focusing on the people around them. With the birth of social media, online gaming, and other platforms, the social fabric has changed. According to research by Common Sense Media, by 2016, 79% 28% of teenagers owned a smartphone, and 28% of children between the ages of 8 and 12 owned a smartphone.
Another report released in 2015 by the Washington think tank Pew Research found that one in four teens said they were online “almost all the time.” By 2022, that number had nearly doubled to 46%.
“These abnormally high percentages indicate that members of Gen Z are not using their devices and are not doing anything in the real world, such as sitting in class, eating, or talking to you. This suggests that a significant portion of their attention is focused even when they appear to be “monitoring events in the social metaverse or feeling anxious.” said.
“In just five years, adolescents’ social patterns, role models, emotions, physical activity and even sleep patterns have been fundamentally reshaped,” he added.
Movieguide® previously reported:
A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens found that most teens describe their social media use as “fairly constant.”
The survey revealed how much time they spend and provided insight into where they spend their time. YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram remain the most widely used online platforms among American youth.
“Many teens use social media every day, if not all the time, but daily usage varies by platform. 7 out of 10 teens in the U.S. access YouTube every day. 16% of them say they visit YouTube most of the time, followed by TikTok, with 58% saying they visit it every day, while 16% of them say they use Facebook every day. Far fewer people do.”
The survey was conducted from September 26th to October. On February 23, 2023, we surveyed 1,453 teens ages 13 to 17 to examine social media, internet use, and device ownership among teens.
The group found that use of Snapchat and Instagram has increased since its 2015 report, while use of Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) has decreased. “Only 33% of teens say they use Facebook this year, compared to 71% in 2015. Twitter usage has dropped from 33% in 2015 to just 20% this year. “Decreased,” CNN Business reported.
YouTube took the top spot for both boys and girls.
Now more than ever, we are exposed to the dark side of media, film, and television. Movieguide® has been fighting back to promote uplifting, positive content within Hollywood for nearly 40 years. We are proud to have worked with some of the top players in the industry to influence and redeem Yes entertainment. Still, you are the most influential person in Hollywood. The person who sees it.
There is power in what you hear, see, and read. Movieguide® wants to provide resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
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Now more than ever, we are exposed to the dark side of media, film, and television. Movieguide® has been fighting back to promote uplifting, positive content within Hollywood for nearly 40 years. We are proud to have worked with some of the top players in the industry to influence and redeem Yes entertainment. Still, you are the most influential person in Hollywood. The person who sees it.
There is power in what you hear, see, and read. Movieguide® wants to provide resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference for just $7. It only takes a moment. If you are able, please consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
